‘I got very nervous’: Slip aside, Kerr’s comeback was a risk worth taking

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Sam Kerr’s surprise World Cup return was a carefully calculated risk taken by Tony Gustavsson – and one that, for a few scary moments, the Matildas coach feared had almost immediately backfired.

The widespread assumption on Monday night was that Kerr would only be used against Denmark if the team absolutely needed her; such is her importance to Australia’s cause and the caution with which she has been handled since suffering a calf injury on the eve of their opening match.

Sam Kerr challenges with Denmark’s Stine Ballisager.Credit: AP

So eyebrows were suitably raised when in the 80th minute, with Australia comfortably defending their 2-0 lead, she was thrown into the fray for her first minutes of the tournament.

Then hearts sank when, towards the end of regulation time, Kerr tumbled to the ground and didn’t immediately bounce back up.

“I got very nervous,” Gustavsson said.

“I didn’t see the slip until she was on the floor. But when I saw that, obviously you go, ‘ugh.‘”

Kerr quelled any fears about her condition after the game, blaming her slip on her “terrible groins” and assuring a huge pack of journalists in the mixed zone at Stadium Australia that she was fine.

Sam Kerr shows the crowd her appreciation.Credit: Reuters

“I just slipped … like a normal thing,” she said. “I think it’s just on a microscope because I’ve been injured the last three weeks, but [it was] nothing.”

Thank heavens. Gustavsson has taken plenty of gambles with his tactics, selections and substitutions thus far at the World Cup, but this was one he couldn’t afford to get wrong – and in getting it right, he has primed Kerr for a bigger role in Saturday night’s clash with either France or Morocco.

The Swede paid tribute to Australia’s “world-class” medical team for not only their astute management of the 29-year-old but their ability to nurse players like Alanna Kennedy, Mary Fowler and Emily van Egmond – who suffered injuries during the lead-in to the World Cup that dramatically reduced their club minutes – back to full health.

Tony Gustavsson prepares to send Sam Kerr into the game.Credit: Reuters

“They’re great and world-class. They’ve dealt with concussions, they dealt with Sam,” Gustavsson said.

“The one thing that they have which is unique is the communication skill, not just expertise. In order to be successful, you need to work very closely between the technical team and medical team.

“[It’s] a lot of meetings … a lot of talks with Sam [asking], when do we use her, if we use her? Maybe she needs some minutes to mentally and physically get ready for the next game?

“But that means a risk as well, how much you’re willing to risk. I could sit here and say it was easy, but it wasn’t. Those decisions are big. Today I hope I got it right, even though I was a bit nervous when she slipped.”

Kerr was relieved on a personal level to finally return to the field but said the way the Matildas have played – particularly in their last two matches – proved they could win important games without her.

She already knew that, though, but now it’s definitive.

“I know they can do it without me,” she said.

“They’ve played plenty of games this last year without me … they’ve been doing so well. But it’s been amazing to kind of sit back and watch just how much all of these players that I grew up with have grown into their own. They’re all superstars and they’re amazing.

“I think they played really, really well. I missed 20 minutes in the second half because I was warming up the whole time, but the girls smashed it.”

So can she start in the quarter-final? That will be determined over the coming days, and Kerr said she intends to stick to the advice of the Matildas’ physios who suppressed her desire to run some more after the game.

“I’m sure I’ll just be following their plan like I have the last few weeks,” she said.

Years ago, the Matildas might have rushed her back into the starting line-up. Things have changed so much that in his post-match press conference, Gustavsson was asked if they were actually a better team without Kerr.

He didn’t answer it directly, but he did reference the 30 minutes they played after she was taken off in their send-off game against France last month as an important moment in the team’s evolution.

“It was 0-0 at the time, and we managed to win 1-0 with Sam not on the park. I think that helped the team,” he said.

“I also think it helps Sam, because what I think is important – if a team should be successful, you can’t only rely on one player.

“Sam coming back now could be a good thing, in the sense that we don’t need to look at her taking over and having everything on her shoulder. It’s a team effort and a team tournament.

“I don’t know if you say it in English … the cream on the cake? Cherry on the cake, icing on the cake? It’s that extra that comes in. It’s a bonus for us. But it also means the players are challenging me now into decision-making. I’ve got more than 11 players who deserve to start.”

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