Impetus’ Ben Gilby heard Amy Sayer speak about an unexpected change to her summer plans which saw her go from holiday mode back into the national side after a gap of a year (20/6/22).
Above: Amy Sayer speaking about her unexpected return to the international set-up. Photo: Football Australia.
As unexpected international recalls go, this one is well up there. Amy Sayer was on her way to Australia to be reunited with her family for almost two months of rest and recuperation. Then she got the call from Tony Gustavsson.
“To get the call up again was really exciting, but unexpected,” Sayer said. “I was in San Francisco Airport, heading back [to Australia] from Stanford for the summer holidays, expecting to get about seven weeks at home with my family.
“It was pretty quick turnaround, about a week at home and then I’m back again. I’m so excited to be back.”
Since making her debut for Australia against Japan in 2018, the Sydney native has made four appearances for the senior national team with her last outing a little over 12 months ago against Germany. Since that appearance, Sayer believes she enters the camp with increased growth and confidence to express her attributes as a player.
“I think in these next 10 days I’m really looking forward to just putting my best foot forward, doing my best, having fun, coming in and trying to really compete against some of the best teams in the world.”
“Against a team like Spain, I’m really looking forward to seeing how I match up against some of the best players in the world and one of the best teams in the world. I’m aiming to see the areas that I need to improve in as we come out of the game and seeing how well we can do with the new philosophy that’s trying to be reinforced in the national team.”
With the squad for the June FIFA Window averaging 25 years of age and with 15 members of the squad having 10 or fewer caps, the move back into the national team environment has been made a little easier for Sayer with the inclusion of many former teammates from the Young Matildas or Sydney FC.
“I think it’s great to have a lot of familiar faces, Sayer enthused. “It’s very comfortable, especially in these first few days. I’ve come in and just settled right in. There’s only a few of us here at the moment.”
“It’s very easy to just settle back into our old routines. [To] joke around at the lunch table and feel comfortable enough to be ourselves and just putting the work on the field as well.”
The squad has seen the addition of another emerging player with the defender Jamilla Rankin called in to replace Angie Beard who has withdrawn for personal reasons.
impetusfootball.org 