Matildas star Sam Kerr named Asian player of the year

Sam Kerr, has added the crown of Asia’s player of the year to her overflowing trophy cabinet.

Sam Kerr accepts the Asian Football Confederation Women's Player of the Year award in Bangkok. Picture: AFP

The awards keep coming for ­Matildas star Sam Kerr, who has added the crown of Asia’s player of the year to her overflowing ­trophy cabinet.

Kerr was presented with the prize for best women’s player at the AFC Awards Night in Bangkok on Wednesday.

She hailed her “crazy year” on receiving the award.

The 24-year-old West Australian began the year by helping Perth Glory into the W-League grand final, captaining her hometown club and scoring 10 goals through the season.

Those performances earned her the Julie Dolan Medal for best W-League player, the media’s MVP and goal of the year awards.

Kerr then returned to the US for another season with club side Sky Blue FC, where she continued her scoring streak. With 17 goals, she claimed the league MVP award and ended the season as the competition’s leading goalscorer.

And Kerr finally found her scoring boots for the national team. After taking more than 50 matches to tally eight international goals, in 2017 she let loose for the Matildas.

Kerr has scored 11 times in her past six appearances for Alen Stajcic’s side.

Kerr was an integral part of the Matildas’ successful campaign in the inaugural Tournament of ­Nations in the US, during which they beat the world champion US side and Asian champions Japan. They also beat Brazil 6-1.

Kerr said she was honoured to be in the fine company of past winners of the prestigious award.

“It’s been a bit of a crazy year,” she said. “A lot of Australians have previously won the award, so I’m very humbled to win not only because the Australians have done well but also because it’s a great award and I’m very excited.”

She follows in the footsteps of previous Australian winners Caitlin Foord (2016), Katrina Gorry (2014) and Kate Gill (2010).

Showing her commitment to the cause, Kerr spent yesterday travelling from Bangkok to Sydney to ensure she would be ready for tonight’s W-League match for Perth against Western Sydney.

Kerr was the sole Australian winner at the Bangkok ceremony: Ange Postecoglou and Socceroos playmaker Aaron Mooy missed out.

Ex-Socceroos boss Postecoglou was overlooked in the coach’s category, losing to Japan’s Takafumi Hori.

Mooy was nominated for the International Asian Player of the Year Award, which went to Tottenham midfielder Son Heung-min. The 25-year-old Son helped Spurs finish second in the Premier League last season, scoring 14 goals. He also helped South Korea qualify for a ninth successive World Cup.

Omar Khrbin, part of the Syria side which faced the Socceroos in September’s Asian World Cup playoffs, became the first player from his nation to be crowned Asia’s Player of the Year.

Reuters