3 minute read
Australia's big guns, including captain Sam Kerr, are back in the Matildas squad for next month's friendlies against Canada in Sydney and Brisbane.
After a broadbrush selection policy that has featured 17 debutants since the start of his tenure in 2020, Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson is narrowing his focus less than a year out from the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Having rested several key players during June's friendlies against Spain and Portgual, Gustavsson has named a near full-strength squad for next month's clashes with Olympic champions Canada.
Superstar Sam Kerr headlines the 23-player squad, which also features the return of pivotal figures such as Clare Polkinghorne, Alanna Kennedy, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Tameka Yallop.
Having been walloped 7-0 by Spain in June with an unfamiliar line-up, Gustavsson says the Canada friendlies in Brisbane and Sydney will mark the beginning of the final phase of his preparations for next year's World Cup.
"Because we had plenty of time in between this camp and the previous one, we looked back on the 18 months," Gustavsson told reporters on Thursday.
"We looked at every single player. We looked at every training. Every minute they played. Everything they've done in clubland. We looked at past tournaments again, what they've done there for the national team.
"Then we said, OK, let's draw a line in the sand and narrow the focus on a core group of players that is going to prepare so we get some cohesion, some consistency. Focus more on a smaller player pool just to focus on the World Cup.
"That doesn't mean the door is completely closed for other players but it's going to be much more difficult to be selected to the national team now."
As well as the returning players, Gustavsson has named midfielder Chloe Logarzo less than a year after she suffered an ACL injury during a friendly against Ireland last September while young gun Mary Fowler is also straight back into the squad.
The Swede said others on the road back from injury such as Kyah Simon (ankle), Karly Roestbakken (foot) and Elise Kellond-Knight - who recently returned to the field after a 700-day absence - were better served staying with their clubs for this camp.
Fullback Ellie Carpenter is another on Gustavsson's shortlist who hasn't been selected after suffering an ACL injury in May's UEFA Women's Champions League final.
Brisbane Roar forward Larissa Crummer, who made her first international appearances since 2018 in the June friendlies, has retained her place in the squad along with inexperienced duo Charlotte Grant and Cortnee Vine.
Having come under scrutiny for the performances against Spain and Portugal on the back of a disappointing Asian Cup at the start of the year, Gustavsson said he was confident his plans were still well on track for the World Cup.
"There's a lot of faith in the process within the circle, meaning the staff and players," he said.
"They know where we are and where we're heading ... inside of the circle the belief and the trust and the faith is there but outside maybe I haven't been good enough to explain what we've done and why it looked like it has.
"I understand that from outside maybe it needs to be good results to gain back the faith but, in my opinion, it needs to be good performances similar to the ones we had against Brazil in the double-header when we were playing on home soil, one of the US games, both games against New Zealand.
"If we can play that way, I think people can see we're heading in the right direction."
Canada are heading to Australia on the back of finishing runners-up to the United States at the 2022 CONCACAF W Championships in Mexico last month - a result that booked their spot at next year's World Cup.
MATILDAS SQUAD: Mackenzie Arnold, Steph Catley, Alex Chidiac, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Larissa Crummer, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Emily Gielnik, Katrina Gorry, Charlotte Grant, Alanna Kennedy, Sam Kerr, Chloe Logarzo, Aivi Luik, Teagan Micah, Courtney Nevin, Clare Polkinghorne, Hayley Raso, Emily Van Egmond, Cortnee Vine, Clare Wheeler, Lydia Williams, Tameka Yallop.
