Matildas fans, teammates and coach Joe Montemurro are rallying around star forward Caitlin Foord after her heartbreaking response to their 1-0 defeat to Japan in the Asian Cup final. It comes amid fresh questions around Sam Kerr’s club future at Chelsea, with reports the Aussie skipper could be set for a move to the United States.
Concerns were raised after Foord was missing from a fan event on Sunday in Sydney, where supporters gathered to celebrate the Matildas‘ run to the final. It was later revealed that Foord and Clare Hunt were among those who jumped on early flights back to the UK, to link back up with their respective English sides.
Matildas coach Joe Montemurro and fans are rallying around Caitlin Foord and her shattered Aussie teammates after their 1-0 loss to Japan in the Asian Cup final. Pic: Getty
Foord was distraught after the final whistle against Japan on Saturday night and felt she had let the team down. The Arsenal forward was unable to make the most of a number of chances to equalise for the Matildas, and a teary Foord said she felt responsible for the loss in a brutal post-match interview.
Kerr also cut a dejected figure after the final whistle as another major trophy slipped through the fingers of the Matildas’ golden generation. The Aussie leadership group were still reeling on Sunday and declined to speak publicly to the couple of thousands of fans that showered them with support in Sydney.
Supporters rally around Matildas forward Caitlin Foord
And coach Montemurro revealed that the team had thrown its support behind Foord after her off night against the mighty Japanese side. “Caitlin is a world-class player and we’ve seen many players in world football finish them and not finish them,” Montemurro said.
“She knows that on any other day she probably would have put them away. That’s life, and that’s the attacking third — having the coldness and the patience to find the moment and the time to finish. We all gathered around her and she’s got this Matildas group, which is a family.”
Doubts over Matildas captain Sam Kerr’s future at Chelsea
Foord will re-join her teammates at Women’s Super League powerhouse Arsenal, with Kerr set to link back up with Chelsea in the coming days. But reports in the UK suggest this might be the Matildas captain’s final season in England, and that Kerr is eyeing a move to America’s National Women’s Soccer League. Australia’s coach says it’s news to him though.
“I’ve heard nothing in regards to Sam’s situation at Chelsea,” Montemurro said. “There’s competitive football everywhere, and there’s a lot of big clubs doing some fantastic things. So whether it’s Chelsea or another club, I’m sure that Sam Kerr will be in demand.”
Sam Kerr was shattered after the Matildas’ 1-0 loss to Japan in the Asian Cup final, and reports in the UK suggest she could be set to leave Chelsea at the end of the season. Pic: Getty
(SAEED KHAN via Getty Images)
Montemurro will now set his sights on next month’s friendly series for the Matildas in Nairobi, where he’s set to experiment with some fresh faces ahead of next year’s World Cup in Brazil. The Matildas will take on India, Malawi and hosts Kenya in the four-team series.
“We’ll be leaving a few players home for obvious reasons because they have brutal league scenarios happening,” Montemurro said. “I want to have a look at the next generation of players… we’re going to use it as a stepping stone (towards the World Cup).”
with AAP