Matildas players dodge the Sam Kerr selection call that Tony Gustavsson must get right
Matildas defender Clare Hunt says she isn’t Tony Gustavsson. She’s told go on, pretend you are …
It’s the decision Tony Gustavsson cannot afford to stuff up.
He’ll be run out of the country if he gets this wrong. His dilemma boils down to the most basic of questions. If Sam Kerr is available for the Matildas, how on earth can you not pick her in the starting XI for a World Cup quarter-final?
If Kerr is up for selection, you’d reckon the coach has to go right ahead and pick her. Is Kerr a starting player for Australia? Is the Pope a Catholic? Does a bear use a dunny in the woods? To ponder how many minutes she should play, here’s an idea. Every minute. The adrenaline will kick in, she’ll be right, but the temptation for Gustavsson is to get cute with his line-up and save Kerr for later in the match.
This is fraught with danger. The risk is that it will be too late by the time she gets involved. Like playing a queen when there’s an ace in your hand.
It’ll be a disaster for Gustavsson and the Matildas if they’re behind on the scoreboard before she even gets the chance to weave her considerable magic. He’ll never live it down if he under-utilises his captain. No pressure. Gut feeling? Kerr is an out-and-out champion. You’ve just gotta get your out-and-out champions on the pitch.
Emily van Egmond is the Matilda most likely to make way for Kerr. She’s one of the players who least deserves a demotion and yet she’s more than willing to cop it.
To the suggestion the selection riddle must be keeping Gustavsson up at night, van Egmond says: “I actually think he’s probably sleeping better. For him, it’s not a nightmare at all. It’s a dream come true. Honestly. We’re all buzzing for her. We’re buzzing for the team.
“For us, the most important thing is the game on Saturday. That’s all we’re looking forward to. Ahead of us lies a challenge but one we definitely won’t be shying away from. We’re excited to get out there and get the game going.”
Van Egmond claimed Kerr emerged unscathed from Thursday’s behind-closed-doors training run. And the Novocastrian, who’s been a pillar of strength and composure as Kerr’s replacement, put her hand up to be shifted to the midfield or the bench to accommodate the skipper’s return. “Sam’s here,” van Egmond said. “She’s in good spirits. For us as a team, it’s awesome to see her back. Just a huge boost for us going into the rest of the tournament.”
The most highly-publicised Matilda of the tournament has been Kerr, despite injury restricting her to 17 minutes in four games. Van Egmond strongly disagreed to a suggestion the never-ending focus on Kerr was denying other high-flying Matildas the recognition they deserved.
“Sammy, it speaks for itself,” van Egmond said.
“She’s our leader. She’s the best striker in the world, you know? She’s an amazing athlete and she’s equally an amazing person and for us to have her back now is huge. It’s a massive boost. Even her work off the field in terms of leading the team, the things you guys don’t see behind the scenes, it’s been immense for us.”
Would Argentina start Messi on the bench in the quarters of a World Cup? Nope.
Gustavsson’s legacy is at stake.
He’s pulled all the right strings thus far and so in the Swede we trust. The other risk is in pushing Kerr too hard. If she starts and pulls up injured and the Matildas lose, that’s a catastrophe for Gustavsson. Again, no pressure.
“Sam’s a wonderful leader,” Matildas defender Clare Hunt said. “She gives her time in ways I don’t think people outside of this group will understand.
“She’s extremely supportive. She makes people feel valued in the team. She drives the team and in the way she speaks about the team, she instils a sense of pride in players. It’s amazing. That’s reflected in the way she plays, as well. She’s a wonderful leader and we’re extremely lucky to have her in our team.”
Asked if Kerr would start against France, Hunt said: “I’m not Tony, so …”
Asked to pretend she was Tony and decide if Kerr was starting, Hunt replied: “Tony’s decision. I’m a player. I value her as a player on the park. Everyone understands her value.
“Ultimately, that’s the decision of the head coach but we’re lucky to have her.”
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