Kyah Simon opens up on her injury recovery, World Cup on the sidelines and why she signed with the Mariners

She was forced to watch the World Cup from the sidelines after coming up just short in her miracle injury recovery bid. Now Kyah Simon reveals where her rehab is at and opens up on her Matildas pain.

Matildas forward Kyah Simon has ruled herself out of selection for the upcoming Olympic qualifiers revealing the devastating setback to her rehab that left her benched for the FIFA Women’s World Cup is still a work in progress.

Simon, 32, has donned the green and gold jersey 111 times since making her debut as a 16-year-old.

The striker came very close to a few more appearances after pulling off what many considered impossible and recovering from a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in just nine months.

“When I first did my knee last year in October, no one actually thought it was humanly possible to get myself back in any type of shape or form to be selected,” Simon said.

“So I think ultimately, that’s probably my biggest achievement to get myself to a place where I proved myself enough to be selected.”

After missing the 2019 World Cup with an injury, she said making the cut for the home tournament “was a massive weight off my shoulders”.

But her dreams quickly crumbled, suffering several setbacks while in camp with the Matildas.

“At the start of the World Cup I was ready, I was able to play more than just taking a penalty or playing a few minutes,” Simon said.

“But once I had a couple of little setbacks, which were frustrating, the target then had to move.”

Coach Tony Gustavsson was quick to handle the situation saying Simon would take on the role of a “game changer” during the tournament.

A role Simon had never taken on before.

“It’s definitely different in a sense that I’ve never in my career gone to a tournament and not been able to actually play any minutes,” she said.

Kyah Simon pushed hard to return in time for the World Cup. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s something that I think takes a lot of selflessness because you’re there in that bubble and you just have to be really aware of your vibe and the mood that you are carrying yourself in because I never wanted have a negative impact on the girls in any way so I always tried to keep up the positive good vibes.”

Several games into the tournament Simon was still training separately from the main squad and Gustavsson revealed the striker would only be used if a match came down to a penalty shoot out.

“I would have loved to play a bigger part but I was just not able to do it,” Simon said.

“I didn’t want to detract any of the attention or anything away from the team so that’s why I wasn’t very public about what was going on. I didn’t want that to be a focus point.

“I wanted all the attention and the positive vibes to be directed at the team and not take any of that on individually.”

Simon looked like she would get a chance to shine in the quarter-final when Australia were locked in a draw with France.

With a penalty shootout looming Simon was sent to warm up.

“When TG told me to go warm up, I don’t normally get very nervous for games, but I had a little bit of nerves,” she said.

“I try to embrace high pressure situations when it comes to penalty shootouts, I really enjoy being involved in them and taking one so I was definitely up for the challenge.

“I stepped up and I was ready to go after I’d warmed up and I was standing on the sideline.”

Simon said there was some back and forth about when to make a change, talk of what would happen if there was a concussion or an injury on the field.

“There’s a lot of moving parts at that moment,” she said.

“Tony just came up to me and said, ‘I won’t sub you on. We’ll let the girls finish it out’. “And I said, that’s totally fine. Him being the guy that he is he apologised later on for not putting me on. I said honestly, you don’t need to apologise, whatever is best for the team.

“Ultimately, the head coach makes the best decision. I was just happy that we got the win, whether I was on the field or not.”

Simon did everything in her power to get back for the Matildas. Picture: Adam Head

THE REHAB

Recovering from any injury at an elite level is tough – Simon knows it all too well having had to battle her way back from major injuries more than once in her career.

First it was a broken leg when she was just 15 and on the verge of winning a scholarship to the NSW Institute of Sport.

She has had multiple knee, shoulder and ankle reconstructions during her career – with each injury often leaving her off the pitch for 12 months at a time.

A syndesmosis injury in 2019 ruled her out of the 2019 Women’s World Cup and then not long after recovering she tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus in 2022.

It was the hope of playing at a home World Cup that spurred Simon to pull off the impossible recovery feat.

She said it was draining – mentally and physically – especially as she was in the UK – away from her family and friends.

“I had Peter Lyons, one of our physios for the Matildas, he lives in the UK.

“So I was working one-on-one with him from 9am and sometimes not getting home till 5pm in the same day, so it was relentless hours and work and even our medical staff for the Matildas said, the fact that you’re (selected) is quite incredible.

“So I think I kept having to remind myself of that achievement, although it’s never nice when you have a setback, when you know how hard you’ve worked, but at the same time, I think I had to just bring it back to the centre and remind myself that I have come a long way.”

The setback means Simon won’t be ready for the start of the A-League Women’s season with The Central Coast Mariners nor will she be fit to take on IR Iran, Chinese Taipei or the

Philippines in the Olympic qualifiers in Perth later this month.

Simon said the decision to not play was based on advise from medical staff and the fact there is no need to rush or cut corners.

“I’m not pushing myself to get back for that,” she said.

“It will probably be another couple of weeks off after that window, it’s hard to put a time frame on it right now.

“I’m just allowing my body to do what it needs to do and take the time that it needs to take.

“I want to make sure it’s done right and be as robust and strong and ready as possible when I do get the chance to get back in the green and gold.

RETURNING HOME

Simon is one of four Matildas from the World Cup team set to play in the A-Leagues Women’s competition this season – joining Lydia Williams, Cortnee Vine and Tameka Yallop.

The striker said it was a no-brainer to return to Australia, especially on the back of the successful World Cup campaign. But picking a club hadn’t been as straight forward.

She said she had offers from several clubs and had seriously considered joining Sydney FC and Melbourne City – where she had played before – but it was her first professional club the Mariners that lured her in.

“A key part was it being so close to my family, they’re all based in Sydney, so it’s not too far,” Simon said.

“I think something that really drew me to the Mariners was their vision for the women’s team, and their dedication and investment into the vision for their women’s program.

“It just felt right. The Mariners was my first ever elite club, there will always be that close connection there and a special place in my heart for the Mariners.”

Simon will share that special connection with her partner Faye Bryson, who has joined the club from Reading FC.

“It’s amazing to have her here and for her to experience a league outside of the UK,” Simon said.

“She’s been a rock for me throughout my rehab, when I was away from my family and loved ones here in Australia.”

Simon has seen the tremendous growth in women’s football. Picture: Getty Images

A-LEAGUES GROWTH

Simon said if the league continued to capitalise on the flow-on effects from the World Cup the competition would become a lot more attractive and a viable option for other international stars.

This season is the first time the competition will feature a full home and away draw – thanks to re-inclusion of Simon’s Central Coast Mariners.

The public’s reaction and support during the World Cup has Simon very excited for the future of the league.

“You can also see the interest in women’s football, we can see that the whole country showed up for women’s football, so there’s definitely that market there,” Simon said.

“If we can give back and come back and play in the A-League and hopefully help continue that momentum and really grow the league into its potential, then that’s something I’m really proud to be a part of and proud to come back to where it all started.”

But like many of her fellow A-League athletes Simon said the league won’t grow much more until players are offered full-time contracts.

“At the Mariners we’re training early in the morning and so we’re enabling the girls to be able to get off to work, study for school,” she said.

“I think definitely the next step would be to push the boundaries and make it a full time league.

“I’d love to play in a team where none of my other teammates had to work another job, they could solely be professional footballer.”

It’s a concept Simon experienced while playing for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Women’s Super League for the past two seasons.

“I’ve been lucky enough to experience what it feels like to be a full-time professional footballer and I definitely know which one I’d prefer and that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t study or do other bits on the side or have other hobbies,” she said.

“But I think if you can, first and foremost get that stability from your sporting career which you devote so much time, blood, sweat and tears into pursuing.

“I just believe we need to be remunerated for that and anything else that we want to do on top of that, then that’s a bonus to yourself.”

Kyah Simon has joined the Central Coast Mariners. Picture: Supplied

THE FUTURE

The A-League Women’s season kicks off on October 14 but the Mariners will face Newcastle Jets without Simon.

“It’s hard to say what round it will be,” Simon said.

“But it’ll definitely be in the earlier part of the season. I’m just listening to my body and seeing how I feel rather than going off a timeline.

“I just want to make sure when I come back that there’s no hesitation, there is no doubt in my mind. I want to make sure that I’m strong mentally, physically and emotionally to come back from this one.”

And while not rushing to get back on the pitch Simon is well aware the Paris Olympics are fast approaching.

“I’d like to hope if I’m fit and ready and performing then I’ll be there but I’m not thinking too far down the track right now,” she said.

“I’ve only got a few little wishes and that’s for my knee to start to feel as normal as possible for me to be able to live on a day to day without different aches and pains.

“I have full confidence that if I get myself back to 100 per cent fitness and health, I’ll be flying in no time.”

Originally published as Kyah Simon opens up on her injury recovery, World Cup on the sidelines and why she signed with the Mariners