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Sam Kerr will play no part on the field in the Matildas’ upcoming game Olympic campaign, but it looks like she’ll be there — at least virtually — every step of the way regardless.
Kerr is recovering from an ACL injury she was injured in training with her WSL club Chelsea in January and will be out for the whole of 2024.
WATCH ABOVE: Sam Kerr appears on FaceTime at Matildas training.
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But the Ballon d’Or superstar nominee is in regular contact with the squad as they prepare for Paris.
Kerr was spotted on a video call Monday with fellow star forward Mary Fowler, who will be vital to the team’s Olympic hopes in Kerr’s absence.
Fowler and Courtney Nevin were seen talking to Kerr on the phone outside the team hotel ahead of the Matildas’ final game before the games against China on Monday night.
Australia drew 1-1 with China on Friday night thanks to a life-saving equalizer from veteran Michelle Heyman.
Coach Toni Gustavsson will name an 18-man squad for the Olympics on Tuesday morning.
Caitlin Ford is expected to feature, but the Arsenal striker remains under an injury cloud after picking up a hamstring injury.
She lasted just 15 minutes after being introduced as a substitute in the first game of Australia’s two-match series against China, leaving Gustavsson worried about her availability for the Paris Games.
Ford underwent a medical after the game but did not train with the main group ahead of their clash on Monday night at the Accor Stadium.
The Matildas are looking to bounce back from a tough 1-1 draw with former coach Ante Milicic’s Chinese side in Adelaide last Friday.
Gustavsson, who has not named four spots for the 18-woman squad to compete at the Olympics starting in late July, has selected an experimental squad at Adelaide Oval.
Regular starters Ford, Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter and Hayley Raso were named to the bench, making way for Charlie Grant, Caitlin Torpey, Claire Wheeler and Courtney Vine.
Zhang Lingyan scored in the 30th minute before the big guns were sent in, with Australia pulling out a tie thanks to a 95th-minute equalizer from Michelle Heyman.
Ford still has a strong chance of making the Olympic team despite question marks over her fitness, while Gustavsson has not yet ruled out Katrina Gorey (ankle).
The Matildas coach is famous for including Kyah Simon in last year’s World Cup squad, nine months after the striker tore her ACL.
Simon did not feature in any of Australia’s World Cup matches.
“Part of performing at the Olympics is looking for players for selection,” Gustavsson said.
“It’s part of coaching and I’m happy to take criticism for it.
“In this first game in this camp, we had a lot of players with tired legs and fatigue and some problems from a very long season and I have to protect them from injury because that is also one of my tasks.
“And then we had some players who were on the verge of being selected who I think deserved one last chance to show if they should be on the plane to Paris.
“This game is a little different. We were able to save some legs and hopefully some of those who had limited minutes will be more available now.
“It’s the last game before we travel to France and we really want to finish with a good performance and hopefully win here.”
– With AAP
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