Matildas fans may not see Sam Kerr play in Gosford on Friday night, with coach Joe Montemurro offering only a “we’ll see” as the striker’s training load is carefully managed across two crucial pre-Asian Cup friendlies with New Zealand.
But the final decision on how many minutes Kerr ultimately plays against New Zealand – and in the second clash with the Football Ferns on Tuesday in Adelaide – will be left up to her.
Sam Kerr trained with the Matildas under a restricted load in Gosford on Thursday.Credit: Getty Images
Last week, Montemurro said Kerr was “ready to go” despite his captain sitting out two consecutive games for Chelsea: draws against Liverpool and Barcelona on November 16 and November 20 respectively.
But on the eve of the first sold-out game, having overseen Kerr’s restricted training in the Central Coast heat since landing in Australia this week, Montemurro was less than unequivocal.
“She’s on a [specialised] plan that we need to just make sure we build her up onto that, and she’s tracking really, really well,” he said on Thursday, adding that the Chelsea absences were “pre-planned”.
Having made her Matildas return in last month’s away friendlies with Wales and England, these games would mark her first appearance on home soil in the two years since the 32-year-old ruptured her ACL.
Arsenal pair Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley were in high spirits despite the heat.Credit: Getty Images
“We’ll see, we’ll see. We’ll just see where it’s all at the moment. As I said, it’s all going well, everything’s all going to plan, and I need to make sure that what’s best for her in that sort of scenario. Is it minutes tomorrow? Is it minutes the next game? We’ll just wait and see.
“I always leave it up to the player. Every player in the team knows their body better than anyone else, and knows where they want to be.”
