FIFA World Cup 2023: Legends Ian Wright, Craig Foster weigh in on Matildas’ Sam Kerr question
In a competitive field, she owns the most talked about calf in all of Australian sport - and her return has lifted a nation. But one question about Sam Kerr left football great Ian Wright aghast.
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Football legends Ian Wright and Craig Foster declared it’s a no-brainer to start Matildas captain Sam Kerr in their quarter-final match on Saturday despite debate over whether it could disrupt the momentum the team developed without the superstar.
Australian coach Tony Gustavsson was noncommittal about whether he’ll start Kerr in Brisbane, after her successful cameo off the bench in the 2-0 win over Denmark last Monday in Sydney, and is likely to keep everyone guessing until the team sheet is released an hour before kick-off.
But England and Arsenal icon Wright was aghast that the question is even on the table.
“Are you serious? We’re talking about the best No.9 in the world,” Wright said.
“With all due respect to whoever is playing up front, if Sam Kerr’s fit she plays. And if I was the manager, she plays.
“They’ve done brilliantly to get themselves into this situation because they know, at some stage, Sam Kerr’s going to be fit and she’s coming straight back into the team.
“This team know that, this team want that, because they know if it gets to the stage where it’s on the line, she’s going to deliver.”
Foster said while the Matildas had done exceptionally well without Kerr until Monday, players filling her role are not as threatening and doubted her inclusion would disrupt their rhythm.
“I don’t think so, you saw when she came on with 15 minutes to go what a difference she makes,” Foster said.
“And as extraordinary as this team are, you’ve seen at times against Denmark even Emily van Egmond playing as a No.9, she was playing nominally as a No.10 with Mary Fowler ahead, but Mary was dropping in all the way and that’s when she made that incredible pass that everyone is talking about.
“But that means that Emily van Egmond is sitting up as a No.9, she’s trying to head the ball, she’s doing things that are unnatural. And that’s the commitment that she’s had, she’s done an incredible job.
“You bring Sam Kerr in, as the best No.9 in the world, of course it’s a whole different level. And that will also allow Emily to go back in midfield and contribute in attacking midfield where she’s so great.
“It shows the commitment of the players to be doing things they’re not used to doing, in getting through these games, but any minutes that Sam Kerr has to play for Australia which don’t put her at risk of further injury, she needs to be on the field.”
Wright and Foster came together at Auburn PCYC on Tuesday to unveil the Sam Kerr x EA Sports FC Futures pitch, a new synthetic field that will give local girls and boys the opportunity to sharpen their skills.
Wright, who has opened a similar pitch in his hometown of London, said it was incredible that Australia had been able to produce “six to seven” world-class players without the facilities available in the UK and Europe, and urged government and media investment to catapult women’s football here.
“A lot of these unbelievable players have to leave here very early to get football, they’ve got no compunction in doing that with homesickness and not travelling,” Wright said.
“You shudder to think what would happen if you can get those girls in a place where you can really develop them, because it’s obviously here.
“I believe the women’s game is like a new start-up business, it needs investment, it needs to be given time. And I would’ve liked to have seen the broadcasters put money in and give it the investment it needs, because what we’re seeing now is record attendances, viewing figures, the girls have delivered and I’m really pleased for them.
“Because unfortunately in the women’s game, they have to fight for everything, we’re seeing that with some of the girls in the federations even with England, having to fight for their bonuses, we’re seeing with Nigeria and Jamaica.
“It seems to me like the all the girls want to do is play football, but they’re always fighting for something.”
For Kerr, the investment into the pitch is a way to ensure young girls who follow her will get the opportunity to develop locally, rather than being forced to travel long distances or even overseas to build their game.
Wright said with Kerr returning, the Matildas should be considered among the favourites to lift the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“The way they’re playing, and with the crowd behind them, 75,000 the other night, you have to say they’re one the favourites to win the tournament,” Wright said.
KERR BOMBSHELL: MATILDAS DON’T NEED ME
By Julian Linden
Sam’s back.
And so are the Matildas.
Her first appearance at the World Cup was just a short one - less than 20 minutes - but the return of Sam Kerr has suddenly got everyone starting to believe in miracles.
Sidelined throughout the entire group stage, Kerr’s reappearance in the Aussie gold shirt on Monday night came at the perfect time for the Matildas.
Safely through to the quarterfinals after defeating Denmark 2-0 at Stadium Australia, the return of the team’s potent striker has given the Matildas real belief they can go all their way.
When Kerr came on as a substitute, late in the second half, the roar from the 75,000 crowd said it all.
She didn’t score a goal but it didn’t matter because it was a massive boost to the team just to have her back on the pitch.
“It was just a relief on a personal level,” Kerr said. “It was just amazing and exciting and I’m really proud of the girls.”
Deflecting from her own brief cameo, Kerr paid a glowing tribute to her teammates, who had already established a match winning 2-0 lead when she came one, saying they had proven time and time again the Matildas were not some one-woman band.
“I know they can do it without me. They’ve played plenty of games this last year without me,” Kerr said.
“And they smashed it when they played South Africa. They’ve been doing so well. And I think you saw tonight that Nigeria (beaten by England on penalties) is not an easy team. I knew they could do it without me, but it’s been amazing to kind of sit back and watch just how much all of these players that I grew up with have grown into their own. And they’re all superstars in their own making.”
She singled out Mary Fowler, who set up both of Australia’s goals, and left winger Caitlin Foord, who scored a spectacular half goal by nutmegging the baffled Danish keeper.
“They’re two superstars,” Kerr said.
“Mary, the way she brought it down and just controlled it and played Caitlin through and then the finish was amazing. But that goal’s been coming for Caitlin, and I’m really happy for her.”
Kerr gave her legions of supporters a brief scare during her short time on the pitch, when she fell heavily on her backside, bringing up a big divot of grass.
She took a couple of minutes to get up on her feet, setting pulses racing all around the Stadium, but took off without a care in the world once she rediscovered her balance.
“I just slipped,” she explained.
“I have flat, terrible groins and just fell over like a normal thing.
“I think it’s just on a microscope because I’ve been injured the last three weeks.
With her injury now seemingly close to being fully healed and the Matildas on a roll, the temptation for team officials will be to rush Kerr back in for Saturday’s quarter-final, against either France or Morocco.
But Kerr urged patience, saying she expects the medical staff will take a cautious approach.
“We’re taking it one game at a time,” she said.
“(Winning the World Cup) that’s obviously the dream and everyone’s here to do that but we’ve said from the start, even before the tournament, we’re taking this one game at a time so we’re not going to look too far ahead.
“I have a plan. The physios have a plan. I asked them if I could run after the game and they said no, so I’m sure I’ll just be following their plan like I have the last few weeks.”
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Originally published as FIFA World Cup 2023: Legends Ian Wright, Craig Foster weigh in on Matildas’ Sam Kerr question
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