Besieged coach Tony Gustavsson claims the Matildas might delay a choice on how – and if – to make use of captain Sam Kerr in Australia’s crunch FIFA Women’s World Cup conflict towards Canada on Monday evening till simply earlier than kick-off.
Having missed Australia’s opening two video games of the match – together with final Thursday evening’s shock 3-2 loss to Nigeria – due to a calf harm, Kerr on Saturday stated she was “available” for choice for the digital do-or-die affair.
Kerr additionally donned her boots for coaching periods on Saturday and Sunday on the Matildas’ Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre base.
However after Sunday’s session, which went behind-closed-doors following the preliminary warm-up. Gustavsson was reluctant to disclose the extent of Kerr’s coaching involvement.
A gathering involving Gustavsson, the workforce’s medical workers and Kerr was attributable to happen on Sunday evening however there was no assure a choice can be made on the time in regards to the Chelsea star’s participation within the sport at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.
“I want to be clear that we knew she was going to miss the first two games and then be assessed going into this game, and that was going to go down to the wire,” Gustavsson stated.
“We’re going to have a meeting. with the medical team and Sam, and discuss what the possibility is for her to play (against Canada).
“Then we’re going to do some tests (on Monday) to see what it looks like.
“(With) calf injuries, one thing is that you’re available but there’s also risk when you come back from a muscle injury … so we need to balance how many minutes is she available, with what are the risks if we manage to go through to the playoffs (with) playing time … so there’s a lot on the table to discuss and we probably won’t know how exactly we’re going to use that until we come into the stadium (on Monday).”
Gustavsson, whose teaching strategies and techniques have been broadly panned through the match, admitted it might be a “failure” if the Matildas had been knocked out of the match within the group phases.
A win over Canada will safe the Matildas a round-of-16.
However, their World Cup dream will likely be over with a second successive loss, whereas a draw can be unlikely to be sufficient to progress to the knockout phases.
“We know how this business works that there’s always going to be a lot of opinions … and most likely when you lose the game as well,” Gustavsson stated.
“As a coach of a team, you’re never better than your last game, so right now I’m sitting up here as not the best of a coach.”
Canada teaching Bev Priestman stated she was completely satisfied for her reigning Olympic Games gold medallists to spoil the celebration by eliminating the Matildas from the match prematurely.
“I’m not going to make a headline about knocking the home nation out of the World Cup, but ultimately we want to win, so if that means that we knock Australia out, we knock Australia out,” Priestman stated.
“I want to get three points. That’s all I’m focused on, to get three points, and move on and move into the next game.”
Priestman stated the Canadians had “prepared” to play towards the “world-class” Kerr.
“But, ultimately, we’ve got to get us right. We’ve spoken about what it’s going to take to beat Australia because Australia aren’t just Sam Kerr,” she stated.
Priestman stated with Matildas needing to “come out” and chase a win, it might swimsuit Canada’s model.
“When teams do come out is when we find a way,” she stated.
“It always feels nice when fate’s in your hands. When there’s three points on the line here, I’d like to think that this group will turn up and go for it, and that’s exactly what we’ll be looking to do.
We are coming into this game ready to go to take three points. You put grit against grit, and I think we see the best out of this group.”
Originally printed as A call whether or not Matildas captain Sam Kerr performs towards Canada could also be delayed till simply earlier than kick-off
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
