Sam Kerr's Recovery and the Hopes of the Matildas

Australia's football icon Sam Kerr will also miss the upcoming international match window due to a persistent knee injury. The Australian star striker will not be included in the squad selected by interim coach Tom Sermanni for the friendly matches against Switzerland and Germany. Nevertheless, Sermanni hopes that Kerr will attend the training camp in Europe to motivate and inspire her teammates. Kerr already had to sit out during the Paris Olympic Games, which is considered one of the reasons for the Matildas' early group stage exit. Sermanni emphasizes the importance of Kerr taking ample time for her recovery and not returning to the field too soon. Discussions about how she can support the team are still ongoing. Besides the sporting challenge, Kerr faces a court case next year after being accused of racially motivated harassment of a London police officer. Despite the upcoming challenges, Sermanni praises Kerr's positive attitude. "She is mentally in good shape and a very positive personality," says the coach. Following a disappointing tournament run in Paris, which led to the dismissal of the previous coach Tony Gustavsson, Sermanni, now coaching the Matildas for the third time, hopes to restore the team to its former glory and dynamic attacking play.