Matildas Coach Fires Warning: Don’t Expect Sam Kerr to be the Saviour as Aussie Star Makes Long-Awaited Return
- Matildas coach Joe Montemurro says Sam Kerr’s return is a welcome boost, but warns against relying too heavily on the star striker
- Kerr is set to play her first game for Australia since 2023, having overcome a horror 20-month injury layoff
- Montemurro is keen to integrate Kerr into the team, but insists she must love her football and not be seen as the sole goal-scorer
New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has thrown down the gauntlet, issuing a stark warning to fans not to expect Sam Kerr to single-handedly rescue the team as she makes her long-awaited return.
Kerr, 32, is set to take the field against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, before facing European champions England in Derby four days later. It will be her first outing for Australia since November 2023, after a horror 20-month injury layoff.
Montemurro, who has previously coached Arsenal and Juventus, knows firsthand the devastating impact Kerr can have on the opposition. “We all talk about strikers and the importance of them,” he said. “I’ve borne the brunt of it many, many times at Arsenal, where she killed me that many times.”
In a heartfelt admission, Montemurro confessed he just wants Kerr to “love her football” and not feel the weight of expectation on her shoulders. “I know she’ll A) score and B) contribute, which is even more important,” he said.
But Montemurro is adamant that Kerr’s return must not be seen as a panacea for the team’s problems. “We need to create many goal scorers. Teams win and lose tournaments and leagues by massive contribution of midfielders scoring goals and massive contribution of set pieces, of defenders scoring goals.”
The coach is keen to experiment with different line-ups, including pairing Kerr with Caitlin Foord, Holly McNamara, and Michelle Heyman as central striker options ahead of the Asian Cup.
With the games against Wales and England serving as crucial litmus tests, Montemurro is under no illusions about the importance of getting it right. “I wanted some really solid teams, obviously, because we want to really solidify, to start to put the little puzzles in place now, in terms of the way we want to play.”