- Football Australia boss says captaincy decision is not theirs to make
- Superstar striker Sam Kerr is still recovering from serious knee injury
Football Australia has distanced itself from the debate over whether Sam Kerr should return as captain of the Matildas, declaring that the decision is not theirs to make – despite the superstar fronting the board over the issue in March.
Kerr, 31, is currently working back from undergoing surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she suffered back in January 2024 while on a training camp with Chelsea.
The footballer had been expected to make a comeback in recent months, following her high-profile trial in which Kerr was found not guilty of the racially aggravated harassment of a British police officer.
Football Australia met with Kerr in March and determined that she should face no disciplinary action over the matter and could continue on as the skipper of the national side when she returns.
‘I want to express my sincere regret for how events unfolded,’ Kerr said in an FA statement at the time.
‘It was an incredibly difficult period for me, my family, my club, my teammates, and especially for the fans whose support means so much to us.
Football Australia boss Heather Garriock says the captaincy decision is not theirs to make – declaring that the decision lies with the coach
Sam Kerr avoided being stripped of the Matildas’ captaincy after meeting with the Football Australia board in March following her high-profile court case
‘I recognise that leadership means being mindful of our actions both on and off the pitch.
‘I’m proud of the Matildas, the role I have played as a member of that team, and everything we stand for, and I’m committed to learning from this experience.’
However new Football Australia CEO Heather Garriock now says the captaincy of the national team is not the governing body’s decision.
‘That’s not our role,’ Garriock told 10 News First.
‘The captaincy is not our role as an organisation. Ultimately, no matter what, it comes down to the coach.’
Joe Montemurro is expected to be announced as the new coach of the Matildas in coming days, but Garriock insists the appointment is still not confirmed.
‘If Joe was the coach he’d obviously add so much… but it’s not a done deal,’ said Garriock.
Meanwhile, Kerr’s partner Kristie Mewis has recently given birth to their son Jagger Mewis-Kerr.
The footballer was found not guilty of racially harassing a police officer earlier in the year
Sam Kerr and her fiancee Kristie Mewis (left) have announced the birth of their baby last week
The pair beamed with delight last week as they posed for a selfie with their newborn.
Mewis rested her head on the shoulder of her fiancee Kerr, who smiled from ear-to-ear as their baby boy snuggled into the Matildas superstar for a cuddle.
‘Our little man is here, Jagger Mewis-Kerr,’ the pair wrote on Instagram.
Mewis, 34, and Kerr, 31, got engaged back in 2023, with the US soccer star sharing the happy news with People Magazine, adding that she was thankful for her partner for being by her side.
It is understood that the pair had met around six months after the Matildas captain had moved to London in 2019.
During her recent high-profile court case, where Kerr was cleared of the racially aggravated harassment of a British police officer, the five-time Women’s Super League winner opened up on her relationship with Mewis and that they had first met during lockdown in 2019.
She said the American footballer had ‘slid into her DMs’ and the pair subsequently began dating.
Kerr had also revealed during the trial that she and Mewis were expecting a baby boy while giving evidence in court. Mewis had stood by her beau throughout the trial, with the pair also stating that they were hoping to get married in December 2025.
