Kerr, Fowler questions linger as last chance saloon looms for ageing Matildas to break trophy drought

The Matildas will be looking to break a 16-year major international trophy drought on home soil when they open their Asian Cup account on Sunday against the Philippines.

Sam Kerr, who has been named captain and will be contesting her fifth Asian Cup, is the only remaining member of the 2010 Asian Cup-winning squad, with the latest crop determined to add to this sole title.

Coach Joe Montemurro knows his squad will need to be at their very best if they are to capture their second Asian Cup, with questions still lingering over the fitness of Kerr and Mary Fowler and how many minutes the pair will be able to contribute.

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The latter has only managed 15 minutes of match time with Manchester City since returning from a ruptured ACL, while Kerr has been working back into full form and fitness with Chelsea five months after returning from her own ACL injury.

Arsenal midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross has also had a disrupted season after her mum was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of cancer, which has only heightened the doubt around whether this squad has enough to deliver when it matters most.

The late withdrawal of Lyon goalkeeper Teagan Micah due to lingering concussion effects has added another layer to the squad disruption, with Brisbane Roar keeper Chloe Lincoln called in as a late replacement.

Montemurro, though, is confident in the squad he has picked, with a range of new faces joining a core group that captured the imagination of a nation at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

"I think we've done a really good job to send the messages of the importance of this tournament, and the players are in a really good space," he said, "and also the staff are in a really good space."

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For the bulk of the squad, this tournament represents one of the final opportunities to lift a major trophy, with many of the faces featured in 2023 coming into the back end of their careers. Nine of those in the World Cup squad, including Katrina Gorry, Michelle Heyman and Emily Van Egmond, are on the other side of 30.

Long-time Matilda and Eintracht Frankfurt player Hayley Raso, who experienced the extraordinary energy created by the Matildas at their last home tournament, has no qualms over the expectation around this squad and what they can achieve.

"The expectations are high, and a lot of people want us to do well," she said.

"We're probably our own harshest critics, and we want ourselves to do well. I wouldn't say that we feel pressure to perform, but we love the pressure.

"We love performing here in Australia."

Montemurro's appointment, made only nine months ago, has seen his time with the squad drastically reduced ahead of the Asian Cup, which kicks off as he looks to implement his style of play.

Entertainment is a necessity for any Montemurro team, with the Matildas looking to create a culture of adaptability along with the capability of exploiting space and punishing opponents.

How the Matildas are able to adapt to Montemurro's demands within the tournament could well determine how far the team progresses as he looks to effectively combine the experience and youthful exuberance of the squad.

Experienced Matildas star Caitlin Foord is excited for another home tournament and told Wide World of Sports she believes the squad is eager and ready for the challenge ahead.

"I think for us, we're excited to have the Asian Cup on home soil," she said.

"Tournaments don't come around (often) that you get to play in your home country. So, for us to have off the back of the World Cup another major tournament, we're just excited and we want to make the most of it."

With eight Asian Cup debutants, including the likes of Winonah Heatley, Jamilla Rankin and World Cup breakout star Clare Hunt, Montemurro will be hoping he is able to strike the balance of winning now while keeping one eye to the future.

The names that have become synonymous with the Matildas' brand will once again carry much of the load.

The likes of Kerr, Fowler, Foord and Cooney-Cross will be key in the Matildas progression, with their ability to produce game-changing moments again being relied on.

Meanwhile, vice-captains Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter will need to be at their best defensively.

Montemurro's legacy may not be defined by whether the Matildas are victorious in the Asian Cup, but for the players who have defined this era of the Matildas this looms as their best chance to write their names into the annals of Australian football history.