Sam lifts Matildas despite the captaincy Kerr-fuffle

Through all the controversy, sensational headlines and injury lay-offs, there’s a simple fact that has been overlooked with Sam Kerr: She loves representing her country.

If there were any doubts Sam Kerr is the most powerful figure in the Matildas’ squad, then the events of the past week have put that to rest.

From Monday’s revelations of meeting with Football Australia powerbrokers through to the hero’s welcome she received from young fans at Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval, it seems the incident from a London taxi has not tarnished her reputation with the Matildas fan base.

Through all the controversy, sensational headlines and injury lay-offs, there’s a simple fact that has been overlooked – Sam Kerr loves representing her country

That’s why, injured or not, captain or not, she is crucial to the Australian national team becoming a dominant force on the world stage again.

She wants Australia to be world beaters again. She is also as patriotic as they come. “She will run through walls for her country,” said one Matildas official. She’s been telling people close to her, she’s desperate to pull on the Australian jersey again.

Football Australia officials are naturally well aware of all of Kerr’s power and have been working hard behind the scenes to try to patch up the fractured relationship with the Matildas biggest star.

While Kerr has her detractors, and some pundits believe she should never lead her country again, it’s highly likely she will be wearing the Matildas’ captain’s armband next month.

The Matildas need Kerr.

This current squad of Matildas haven’t won a trophy. In Kerr’s absence, last year’s Olympics was a disaster, their SheBelieves Cup performance in the US last month was a winless horror show and they now have sunk to their worst FIFA ranking of 15th.

The Matildas – whose brand is estimated to be worth up to $210m off the pitch – desperately need a spark heading into a crucial home Asian Cup tournament next year.

They need to start winning. Kerr knows how to do this having been part of the team, at just 16, that won the tournament all the way back in 2010.

She has also been an important member of the Chelsea squad that has dominated the English women’s Super League.

Where Kerr goes, teams win.

That’s why she is seen as the answer to a very big problem for this Matildas outfit, who have been spiralling in her absence.

It’s why Kerr was parachuted into the Matildas training camp this week, with those on the inside saying she has already lifted the mood. With those she trusts, Kerr is an upbeat personality, a master motivator.

It’s an open secret around the squad that when the team lost faith in Tony Gustavvson’s methods during the 2023 World Cup, it was Kerr they turned to. As she struggled with a calf injury, she acted like a pseudo-coach on the sidelines and excelled when she returned to the pitch.

Sam Kerr talks to interim Matildas head coach Tom Sermanni at training this week Picture: Getty Images

It’s no coincidence it was the last major tournament the Matildas have performed well in.

As is the case with most sporting superfreaks, they lift the standards of those around them; everyone walks taller, it’s all different when they are around.

It’s expected that Kerr could make her Matildas return during a pair of friendlies against Argentina later this year, when they take on the South Americans in Melbourne on May 30 and Canberra on June 2.

Sam Kerr’s popularity with the Matildas fans was on show at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney this week Picture: Getty Images

For all the obvious talent in the Matildas squad, something has not gelled in Kerr’s absence. The team has been poor going forward and even worse at the back. No one can flip a game on its head like Kerr.

However, in February 2024, there was disconnect between the governing body and arguably its biggest star. FA management read it online first, that Kerr had been charged by London police for alleged racially aggravated harassment, of which she was later found not guilty.

The FA board didn’t know either. It spurred crisis meetings at the top. Officials were furious that they were kept in the dark.

And it’s only just in the past month that Kerr and FA’s bridge has truly been mended.

The first move was made by FA board member Heather Garriock, a former Matilda herself, who played alongside a then teenage Kerr. It was Garriock who convinced Kerr to meet with herself and chairman Anter Isaac.

A talented Matildas squad has not gelled in Kerr’s absence Picture: Getty Images

Following that meeting, the parties released a joint statement where Kerr expressed “regret” and FA spoke about having more understanding of the Matildas’ situation last year.

No sanctions have been handed down to Kerr by her club ­Chelsea, and nor did Football Australia impose any further punishments against her.

It paves the way for her to return to the top job.

While those on the inside maintain the new coach will make the call if Kerr will be captain, it’s hard to ignore the public backing by key Matildas’ allies.

This week, Matildas vice-captain Emily van Egmond said that Kerr “definitely should not be stepping down”. But the likes of Socceroos legend Robbie Slater think differently. He slammed Football Australia’s “weak” punishment of Kerr ahead of her ­Matildas’ return.

Slater called for Kerr to stand down as the Matildas captain in the lead-up to the friendly international matches.

“Football Australia has failed in its role as guardians of the game in this country,” he wrote for CODE Sports.

“The best thing that Kerr can do when she returns to action is to decline any offer to again captain the Matildas.”

While Kerr has been warmly received at fan days and on the streets of Sydney this week, she remains under pressure. Her recovery from an ACL knee injury has taken far longer than she would have liked.

But when she’s under pressure off the field, she usually thrives on it. It’s a quality the Matildas hope, she still possesses.