‘I hope you understand’: Matildas coach opens up on Kerr secret that blindsided World Cup
Matildas manager Tony Gustavsson has opened up on the decision to keep Sam Kerr’s injury a secret.
Gustavsson had plenty of reasons to smile after Australia held on for a thrilling World Cup opening win against Ireland on Thursday night.
In front of a record crowd of 75,784 – the biggest ever crowd for a women’s football game in Australia — fill-in captain Steph Catley stepped up to score a thunderous penalty goal which sparked wild scenes inside Stadium Australia.
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Kerr was seen smiling with teammates at the end of the game, but had earlier cut a devastated figure and was in tears while standing with teammate Kyah Simon on the sidelines in the minutes before kick-off.
Kerr, and the Matildas, shocked the footballing world an hour before kick-off when the team announced she had suffered a calf injury during the team’s final training session run on Wednesday.
The team kept the secret for more than 24 hours, but rumours were beginning to emerge in the hours leading into Australia’s tournament opener.
Gustavsson opened up on the decision to keep the injury a secret
Kerr herself faced the press for the final pre-match press conference on Wednesday — after having already suffered the injury — and never mentioned that she may have been in doubt to play.
Gustavsson said one of the reasons his team did not come clean is that he wanted to protect Kerr from having to answer questions about the injury at a time when she was still very emotional about it.
“First of all I hope you and the media understand the position not to say,” he told Channel 7’s Adam
Read on foxsports.com.au
