Matildas relaxed, but driven to succeed
WOMAN of the moment Sam Kerr is hoping this band of Matildas can form a golden generation to fire Australia to sustained success.
Kerr is part of a nucleus of players born within two years filling key posts under coach Alen Stajcic.
In addition to the superstar West Australian forward, there is Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Alanna Kennedy and Emily van Egmond.
Each is aged between 22 and 24.
Each of the five were starting selections against Brazil in Penrith on Saturday. And each has 50 caps, showing their international pedigree.
“We’ve all grown up together and I hope we all play together for the next 10 years,” Kerr said.
The group has another chance to show their quality against Brazil in the second friendly in Newcastle tonight.
Kerr can remember meeting each of her teammates in underage national team camps aged 14.
“I remember the first camp with Steph Catley came in and I was like, ‘wow this girl is good’,” she said.
“There are six, seven of us who have been together through under-17s and even Kyah (Simon) and K.K. (Elise Kellond-Knight), who we played with in under-20s.
“We’re very close and we’ve all had the same goal for so many years.”
There are another clutch of players outside Stajcic’s starting team who could easily fit into the same bracket.
Chloe Logarzo (22 years old, 16 caps), Hayley Raso (23, 21), Teigan Allen (23, 39) and keeper Mackenzie Arnold (23, 14) will all make claims for regular appearances in the lead up to the 2019 World Cup.
Kerr says no matter who is in the team, she and her col- leagues will enforce the culture handed down by her Matildas forebears. “Sometimes national teams can be a bit competitive and there can be a bit of bad blood. We don’t have any of that,” she said.
“We’re close and there’s a family feel, and that’s what I love. It’s a culture thing. We’re pretty relaxed.
“Living in America, it’s a bit different, they can get a bit feisty.
“Here, we understand we want the best for this team no matter what.
“This feeling, not many teams can have it and it’s great to have it.”