DUB ZONE TALKING POINTS: Will the Matildas be without one of their stars for their clash with the European champions in April – should a Sydney FC teenager be called up to fill the void?
Former Matildas coach Tom Sermanni and FIFPRO’s Sarah Gregorius also joined the program to give an insight into the need for better communication between players, coaches and administrators in the women’s game.
While Matildas legend Alicia Ferguson spoke about what makes Sam Kerr such an influential player.
Here are the major Dub Zone talking points.
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Who replaces Steph Catley?
It was the last thing Tony Gustavsson wanted to see ahead of their upcoming international window.
Star full-back Steph Catley was spotted on crutches and in a moon boot at Meadow Park last Wednesday after a “non-contact foot injury”, as Arsenal came away with a 2-0 victory over Liverpool in the Women’s Super League.
Catley again missed their 4-0 victory over Reading on the weekend and coach Jonas Eidevall is unsure when she will be cleared to return to the park.
“Looking at Steph (Catley) there, she’s in a moon boot and on crutches so that says to me that they don’t want it to be weight bearing,” Ferguson said.
“So it tends to be something like a stress fracture or an overuse injury. Steph has had some lower limbs issues in the past, with her calves and her feet and her ankles and stuff. They’ve just had a huge workload as well, lots of travel, lots of games and maybe that could be what the issue is.
“Still plenty of time for the World Cup so I don’t think we need to be too worried.”
While Catley should be available for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for July, the immediate headache surrounds whether she will be ready to go for the clashes against Scotland and England in April.
“It’s tough isn’t it? Because just this week the Scotland game was announced prior to the England match so it’s two games with a short turnaround, meaning that if you have one solution for one game you may not necessarily stick with them both,” Dub Zone commentator Teo Pellizzeri said.
“Ellie Carpenter will be back we assume and that’s great from a right-back point of view, but are we looking at a situation where Charlotte Grant goes to left-back now, are there other names? We’ve seen Tameka Yallop pinch-hit in there, Larissa Crummer is the Swiss Army knife of the team.”
Pellizzeri, however, threw up another name who he believes should be rewarded with a call-up off the back of an incredible season in the Liberty A-League with Sydney FC.
“Do you reckon Tony Gustavsson has heard of Gough Whitlam? Because if he hasn’t, he has now. Tony, it’s time. It’s time for Kirsty Fenton to get her shot,” he said.
“We want another left sided defender, who is having an incredible A-League Women’s season and has been on a rapid trajectory ever since she debuted at Newcastle last season.
“I’ve been calling for her to be included. Yes, I would probably move Grant to the left and start Grant but as far as building depth and bringing in another name. This is the moment.
“Steph Catley we don’t know how long this is going to be for. Hopefully it is not long. She might even be back by the International window. I don’t think an injury should force your hand into making the right decision. It’s time.”
The importance of better communication at international level
It was another tumultuous week at international level after France coach Corrine Diacre was fired only months out from the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Diacre was dismissed after a review by the French Football Federation found an “irreversible rift” between herself and a number of senior players – including captain Wendie Renard and a host of senior players.
She was criticised by a number of players for her management style and for creating a toxic environment inside the French camp throughout her tenure as head coach.
This is the latest in a series of players across the world speaking out against their federation, regarding training and playing environments – with similar situations arising in Spain and Canada in recent times.
Former New Zealand international and FIFPRO Director of Global Policy and Strategic Relations Sarah Gregorius joined Dub Zone and spoke about the importance of football organisations creating a safe space for players to raise their concerns.
“I’ve seen a lot certainly in my role recently, that players often experience retaliation when they step out when they speak out against their federations,” she said.
“So it’s really important that the dialogue is there, but also that players are protected and if there isn’t a consequence for speaking up with very, very legitimate concerns.
“It’s not as if players are asking for things that are completely out of the box. Usually it’s just for fair and equitable treatment for their voices to be heard and to have exactly that and open dialogue for there to be transparency on both sides.”
Ferguson also spoke about her own experiences dealing with these sort of conversations, while also echoing similar sentiments to that of Gregorius regarding better avenues of conversation.
“I think all the players now have a bigger platform and more visibility, so to be able to speak out there’s maybe more avenues for support as well similar to FIFPRO, and the PFA is and unions actually supporting these players now,” Ferguson said.
But yeah, the the key thing is the open dialogue making sure… it’s still a confrontational conversation, but it needs to be honest and transparent and I think that’s absolutely crucial.
“Tom Sermanni, was my favourite coach of all time and it was because it was always open and honest communication and it was transparent and you knew there was never any personal bias to any of his decision making.
“And I think sometimes that can become a bit tricky for some coaches, for some players as well.”
Sermanni also joined Dub Zone and spoke about the situation from a coaching lens and why clear, concise communication between parties is integral.
“I think at the two extreme ends you get the kind of coach that we need to get out the game. The abusive coach and then at the other end you’ve got players who will get upset if they get the merest of criticism,” he said.
“The key is somewhere in between. Women’s football is different to men’s football. So I think the situation now where as coaches, we can no longer be sort of non-listening or non-hearing or non-understanding.
“There has to be a difference in the skills of communicating, awareness and insight.
“That should come about through coach education, because the reality is now, you have to be much more aware of what you say to people, how you communicate with people and what the expectations of people are now around different jobs, and coaches have to evolve with that as well.”
Kerr keeps getting ‘better and better’
What a week for Sam Kerr.
Before helping Chelsea to a victory over Manchester United, Kerr added yet another huge achievement to her already impressive list of accolades.
On International Women’s Day, Kerr was named the most influential woman in Australian sport by the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Wide World of Sports. Kerr received 185 votes to her name to sit atop the list – 55 clear of mining magnate Gina Rinehart and 69 ahead of retired tennis star Ash Barty.
Ferguson, who covers the WSL closely, spoke about Kerr’s impact not only in Australia but also in the UK – as she continues to star weekly for Chelsea.
“It’s still huge. She’s playing at one of the best clubs in the world, the most successful one as well,” Ferguson said.
“I think Emma (Hayes) was trying to get to Chelsea for quite some time and just knows how to get the best out of her as well.
“Her quality is that she’s been able to transcend leagues, different styles of play, and she just keeps maturing and getting better and she’s adapted to the WSL very well and she’s gone from strength to strength.
“She’s everywhere. she’s on FIFA and she understands her responsibility in the game as well. She’s the last one, stays on the pitch getting all the photos, with all the fans she understands how important she is as a role model.”
