by Isabelle Campbell (24/10/2024)
Above: Ellie Carpenter (right) in action for Australia. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
Matildas vice captain Ellie Carpenter believes that the cycle ahead for the team with a new coaching set up is something that offers a chance for renewal and to refresh.
Whilst Hayley Raso’s late withdrawal due to injury is a blow, the Olympique Lyonnais star sees the positives it brings after Sarah Hunter received a late call to replace her.
“Unfortunately she’s (Raso) not here due to her hamstring injury but you know that gives a chance for another player to step up in that position.”
Hunter signed a three year contract with her French club Paris FC last year. Having been in the same league for four years herself with Lyon, Carpenter outlined the positives that Hunter will bring to the national team.
“I think for her obviously being young, I think being exposed to a team like that, a high level team, she’s training with great players everyday and technically she’s going to improve.
“Even seeing her in training yesterday compared to a camp last year, she’s improved so much and I think that just shows, being over in Europe at one of the best clubs is really great for her.
“Now she can come into this environment and show what she’s about…That’s a great thing about the national team, when players can work at their clubs and come back in and show their level.”
With the upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Germany being the first games to be played under interim head coach Tom Sermanni, we could well see a new style of play for the Matildas as they try to rediscover their momentum that was lost during the Olympics.
“It obviously depends what formation we do play but there is a lot of people that can step up, put their hand up and perform under Tommy (Sermanni) here and kind of show what they can offer.”
The opportunity presented in having an interim coach, though one with such a deep history with the Matildas and many players still in the squad, is the ability to experiment, try out new tactics and introduce some new faces into the squad.
“I think it’s a clean slate, it’s a new cycle and I think this is what we’ve needed”
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