Matildas interim coach Tom Sermanni has praised the “fantastic job” done by Steph Catley as Australia’s captain in the absence of Sam Kerr, saying it’s “irrelevant” whether the Chelsea star is restored as skipper when she returns from a long-term knee injury.
Kerr hasn’t played since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee in January last year.
Since then, star Arsenal left-back Catley has handled the captaincy with aplomb, while Kerr’s stocks have fallen after she was charged – and subsequently found not guilty – of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer after calling him “f***ing stupid and white”.
Despite the not guilty verdict, there have been calls to strip Kerr of the Matildas’ captaincy, with Football Australia in no hurry to make a decision on leadership as the star striker remains sidelined and not part of the national squad for the four-nation She Believes Cup in the United States.
When asked on Thursday if he would be comfortable with Kerr being reinstated as Australia’s captain, Sermanni didn’t give a yes or no response.
“That will be a decision that gets made when that happens, and whatever decision gets made, it gets made,” Sermanni said ahead of the Matildas’ clash with Japan in Houston on Friday morning (AEDT).
“How that decision gets made, who makes it, and whose involved in it, I really don’t know, because it’s really completely and utterly not part of our focus, because at this minute in time. Sam is injured.
“She’s been injured for 13 months, hasn’t played an international for 16 months, and the team is just getting on with its normal business, so it’s not part of the conversation.”
Sermanni said the priority regarding Kerr was getter her “healthy as quickly and as safely as possible, and to get her back on the field”.
“Particularly in relation to me, the captaincy issue is kind of quite irrelevant, because by the time she comes back into the team, I might not be here, so there’s really no point in me commenting on that,” he said.
“Whoever comes in, whoever that coach is, who knows what’s going to happen, so really from my perspective, (and) from the team’s perspective, it’s something that’s really not that relevant at the moment, and to be honest, Steph Catley has stepped in as captain and done a fantastic job.”
Sermanni said he been in contact with Kerr since the end of her court case in London last week.
“We’ve checked in. We haven’t actually had conversations, but we’ve been in touch through text, so we’ve actually been in contact with each other,” he said.
“It’s been a pretty long couple of weeks for Sam, so the last thing she needs is people constantly badgering her at this time.
“We’ve had some contact. She knows what we’re thinking. Our physios are keeping in touch, (and) keeping in touch with Chelsea, so the lines of communication are very much open.”
He said he had yet to address the Kerr matter with the Matildas squad in the current camp.
“It hasn’t really come on the radar,” Sermanni said.
“We’ve just come into camp and really not had much time to do much. The team’s in good spirits, upbeat, and if there’s anything to be discussed about (Kerr), then, we’ll discuss it at some stage during this tournament.”
Sermanni was unsure whether he would still be in charge of the Matildas – who have been without a permanent coach since Tony Gustavsson’s departure following the team’s disappointing effort at last year’s Paris Olympics – for the two-match series in NSW against South Korea in April, when Kerr could be involved.
“I honestly don’t know. Basically I’m here as long as I’m required in the job, and if it finishes after this tournament, then so be it,” he said.
“At some stage, and probably I would suggest between now ad the middle of this year, there will be somebody else in the hot seat.”
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