Kennedy brings class to Pride.
One of the most famous defenders was nicknamed “Der Kaiser,” German for “The Emperor.”
Franz Beckenbauer earned the name thanks to his on-field grace and dominance as a central defender. During his professional career, from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, he played in three World Cups, winning with West Germany in 1974, and was twice named European Footballer of the Year.
He’s who came to mind when Orlando Pride coach Tom Sermanni started to describe Alanna Kennedy.
“The first thing you see about Alanna is the class,” Sermanni said of the Pride’s new Australian centerback who practiced for the first time Wednesday. “She’s got a quality about her that stands out. She looks kind of — Franz Beckenbauer . ... He had that kind of presence about him. So Alanna is very smooth on the ball, very relaxed, very composed.” She’s also tough. Born in Campbelltown, a city in Greater Western Sydney, Kennedy brings working-class grit. Her fundamental soccer skills — passing, possession, decision-making — are solid and her professional résumé is surprisingly lengthy and impressive for 22 years old.
Sermanni described Western Sydney as an area that “toughens people up a bit.” Kennedy said she wouldn’t call her hometown a rough area, but instead used the term “authentic.”
“And just in terms of football, I think the style that we play is probably a little bit rougher,” Kennedy said with a slight smirk. “As a defender, I love sort of getting in there. I take a little bit of my West Sydney side with me everywhere, no matter where I am in the world.” And she’s been all over. Her professional career began at 16 years old with Sydney FC in Australia’s W-League.
The team won a regularseason title that year and went on to the league final. She first appeared for Australia’s national team, then coached by Sermanni, at 17.
Since then, she’s represented Australia in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics. She’s also won a W-League title with Sydney in 2013 and again was runner-up with Perth and Sydney in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
Last year, she moved across the world to debut in the National Women’s Soccer League for the Western New York Flash.
The Flash won the 2016 league title before relocating. They’ll compete this year as the North Carolina Courage.
The Pride traded midfielder Sam Witteman to get Kennedy. She’s expected to serve as a centerback, though she also has the ability to step in as a central midfielder, according to Sermanni, who’s known Kennedy since she was 14.
She was on loan with the W-League during the offseason but already had a visa in place for this year, so the transition was quicker than some. Aussie defender Steph Catley is still waiting for visa paperwork and should join the squad early next week.
“Previous to flying over here, I’d just come back from Portugal, so I’m not sure what time zone I was in the last week,” Kennedy said. “The flight over, 24 hours, so I’m a little bit all over the shop. But the girls have been really welcoming and made me feel at home.”
That’s important for a player with a large close family — two sisters, a brother, niece, nephew, mom and dad — that routinely gathers for Sunday night dinners when possible.
She’s already comfortable in purple, too, having worn the color in Perth from 2014-15. The Western Australia capital city wasn’t quite as saturated in the royal tone.
“I’m overwhelmed by the purple,” Kennedy said. “But I have played in purple before and my hair sometimes gets a little purple.
“To be honest, I don’t know too much about the team from last year. So far, it’s just a lot of positive vibes. Very excited to get out on the field.”