Matildas star becomes first teammate to address Sam Kerr captaincy

A Matildas player has become the first of Sam Kerr’s teammates to speak out about the Chelsea striker’s position in the Australian team.

The first Matildas player to speak openly about Sam Kerr’s position in the team has said the Matildas are all standing with their leader.

The 31-year-old was on Wednesday morning (AEDT) found not guilty on one charge of racially aggravated harassment after she called a London police officer “f***ing stupid and white”.

There have been swirling calls for Kerr to be stripped of the honour of captaining her national team.

Football Australia, however, has maintained its stance that no decision about Kerr would be made until the conclusion of the trial.

Matildas vice-captain Emily van Egmond has thrown her support behind Kerr.

Van Egmond, speaking with Code Sports, addressed the million dollar question about whether Kerr should remain captain of the squad.

“We are all with Sam,” she said.

The Matildas change room during the 2023 World Cup. (L-R): Mary Fowler, Tameka Yallop, Alanna Kennedy, Sam Kerr, Claire Hunt, Hayley Raso, Kyah Simon and Mackenzie Arnold

“She’s an amazing person, one of my really good friends and I check in with her regularly just to see that she’s okay and that’s the most important thing to me.

“In terms of captaincy, that’s obviously up to other people to decide but for me she’s a great leader. She’s always been a tremendous leader and I wouldn’t have anyone else lead the team.

“She’s amazing, for everything she has done for the team and individually.”

Van Egmond said she just wanted to tell Kerr: “We’re here and we support you”.

Kerr has captained the team since before the 2019 World Cup — and was praised as being the squad’s spiritual leader at the 2023 World Cup even when she missed most of the tournament with a calf injury.

Football Australia boss James Johnson last week called for patience when speaking with reporters after ugly vision of Kerr’s heated exchange with a London Police officer was first shown in court.

Football Australia released a statement about Kerr’s trial on Wednesday — but the governing body did not address Kerr’s captaincy.

“Football Australia acknowledges today’s Not Guilty verdict regarding Sam Kerr and welcomes Sam’s statement,” the FA statement read.

“Sam has been a key figure in Australian football for many years, and we recognise the significant pressures that this matter has brought to Sam, Kristie, her family, and everyone involved, including the impact it’s had on the game.

“Throughout this period, Football Australia has remained committed to supporting Sam and will continue to do so as she focuses on her footballing career, rehabilitation from injury and return to play.

“Football Australia invests heavily in building the behavioural standards and expectations of all involved with our game, especially for all our national team players, where leadership comes with added responsibilities on and off the field.

“Football Australia will reflect with Sam on learnings from this matter and we will continue to provide appropriate support for her moving forward.

“We look forward to Sam’s return to the pitch and her continued contributions to both her club and the Matildas on the world stage.”

Kerr remains sidelined as she recovers from the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament she suffered in January last year.

She won’t play for the Matildas in this month’s She Believes Cup tournament in the US.

However, interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni said Kerr could be fit for Australia’s two games against South Korea in April in Sydney and Newcastle.

Sam Kerr (L) and Emily Van Egmond (R) of the Matildas. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images.

Van Egmond’s comments are telling in the ongoing debate about Kerr’s suitability to retain the captain’s armband.

That does not mean the decision will be taken out of the hands of Matildas players — should Football Australia go into damage control.

Amid the gloom, Kerr has received strong support from prominent figures Down Under. Australian Sports Minister Anika Wells threw her weight behind Kerr in the hours before the verdict was handed down.

While Wells declined to comment on the specifics of the trial, she publicly supported Kerr and implored Aussies to get behind their star.

“I think it has been a rocky road for Sam and her partner,” Wells said.

“The more we find out about that incident, I think the more we can understand why they’ve acted the way that they have.”

“Being an ex-lawyer myself, I would never seek to interfere or comment on a court trial process while it’s in action. But I think … Sam certainly has Australia behind her.”

— This story incorrectly reported Emily van Egmond spoke with Code Sports after Sam Kerr was acquitted at her racial harassment trial

Originally published as Matildas star becomes first teammate to address Sam Kerr captaincy