Matildas great Heather Garriock criticises captain Sam Kerr over ‘suck on that one’ retort
Heather Garriock felt the Matildas performance against Brazil said enough and was disappointed captain Sam Kerr’s ‘suck on that one’ comment overshadowed the backs-to-the-wall win.
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Matildas great Heather Garriock has denounced Sam Kerr’s “suck on that one” retort, saying it “came from a bitter place” and overshadowed a stunning World Cup boilover against Brazil.
Kerr, who was made captain by new coach Ante Milicic in March, used her first post-match interview to answer critics of Australia’s decidedly poor World Cup opening loss to Italy.
But another leading figure in the game has backed Kerr in.
“We’re back, so suck on that one,” Kerr said. “We don’t listen to the haters.”
The remarks, that were blunt but said with a playful glint in her eye, have engendered a mixed response.
Coach Ante Milicic half laughed when asked about it and reasoned that “listening to the thoughts and opinions of others just saps your energy”.
Regardless, there was a palpable siege mentality heading into Friday morning’s must-win Group C showdown after a week of pointed questions around performance mixed with renewed talk about how Alen Stajcic’s sacking had affected tournament preparations.
They laid it all out on the field in Montpellier to haul themselves back from 2-0 down to reign 3-2 and reignite their stuttering campaign.
Garriock, a Matilda of 130 caps and three World Cups and now Canberra United coach, felt that should have been enough.
“I’m sad that Sam’s come out in the media and acted like that,” Garriock, an Optus pundit for this World Cup, told The Daily Telegraph.
“It’s disappointing that her comments, that weren’t humble, have overshadowed our comeback and victory.
“She’s our Australian captain and you’d expect Sam to be humble because usually she is.
“Maybe she just got caught up in the emotion, but it’s her job as captain to speak on behalf of the team. I just think it was important for her to really savour the moment.
“This is a turning point in the World Cup and the comments she made come from a bitter place.”
Garriock’s opinion was echoed by most-capped Matilda and former skipper Cheryl Salisbury, who “would’ve chosen a few different words” said the comments showed passion but also immaturity.
However ex-Matilda Sarah Walsh, speaking on SBS TV, supported Kerr.
“I don’t necessarily think she’s talking about the football criticism,” Walsh said on She’s coverage.
“I think there was a lot of conversation on Twitter and it’s obvious that she’s checked it and had a look.
“There’s some conversation out there that this team is not capable of taking football criticism. I don’t think it’s that. They re more than capable. I think it’s the additional commentary around that.
Former Socceroos captain Mark Schwarzer said their relative recent exposure had heralded unprecedented expectations and a level of critical analysis previously foreign to the team.
Milicic, for his part, kept his powder drier.
For people getting upset about there being ‘no’ haters pic.twitter.com/rt4yVMIl2h
— Sam Kerr (@samkerr1) June 14, 2019
The new coach has stayed largely silent as the debate around Alen Stajcic’s sacking reignited around him following the Italy loss that threatened to end their campaign at the group stage for the first time since 2003.
Instead they pulled off the biggest Women’s World Cup comeback in 24 years.
“I must say, it’s one of the finest Australian performances that I’ve seen,” Milicic said.
“I’m really, really proud of the girls because it hasn’t been easy for them and they deserve all the rewards they were given.
“Under the circumstances that we won the game, the three points were a massive confidence-booster for them so really delighted for them.
“They never stopped believing.”
The Matildas travelled to Grenoble on Friday before a final group encounter against Jamaica on Wednesday.
They will be hoping Italy see off Brazil on the same day to give them a chance of topping the group and earning a more straightforward round-of-16 opponent and a few extra days’ rest.
Heather Garriock is part of Optus Sport’s coverage of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, which is showing all games live and be free to all Australian school children.
Originally published as Matildas great Heather Garriock criticises captain Sam Kerr over ‘suck on that one’ retort
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