Craig Foster rejects ugly claims around Sam Kerr as Matildas announce 'devastating' news

Australian football great Craig Foster has dismissed claims the Matildas are losing some of their 'must-watch' appeal amid the year-long absence of Sam Kerr, while also suggesting the future isn't as dire as what's being said. On Thursday, Matildas officials announced Chloe Logarzo will miss their final friendly against Chinese Taipei on Saturday after she suffered a concussion on Wednesday night.

Logarzo was left devastated and burst into tears after being forced to leave the field following a head clash. It was the first time the 29-year-old started for Australia in over two years after tearing her ACL back in 2022, which saw her overlooked for selection for last year's World Cup.

But her return to the starting side lasted just 25 minutes before she was forced from the field, and the Matildas have now revealed she'll also miss Saturday's game. "Chloe Logarzo will be unavailable for the final international of 2024. Logarzo was diagnosed with a concussion following a collision in the 25th minute of Wednesday's game," the team said in a statement.

Fans were left heartbroken for Logarzo considering her hard-luck story, taking to social media to rally around her. The veteran player was at the centre of brutal scenes during the World Cup last year when she was in tears in commentary for Channel 7 seeing the team's run to the semi-finals without her - a situation that no doubt caused mixed emotions.

Craig Foster insists future is bright for Matildas

Meanwhile, Foster has fired back at critics of the Matildas amid their poor run of form. Commentator Andrew Voss said on SEN radio this week he hasn't watched any of the friendlies they've played against Brazil and Chinese Taipei, suggesting the golden girls of Australian football have lost some of their sparkle.

Interim coach Tom Sermanni also bemoaned the previous regime for not planning well enough for the future, instead chasing results with ageing an squad lacking some youth. With the majority of their big-name stars back in Europe with their club teams, Sermanni fielded a much younger team against Chinese Taipei on Wednesday night in a 3-1 win.

“We’ve got this incredible generation, the greatest generation we've ever had, but of course they've only got another few years left in them, so we have to plan for that,” Foster said on SEN radio on Friday. “That's why Tom Sermanni in the last week… started to bring through the next generation. We don't know what the next five or six years will look like. We’re certainly hopeful they are going to maintain their performance levels.”

Has the public interest in the Matildas died down?

Foster reckons the public interest in the Matildas will always be strong even if a changing of the guard takes place. The likes of Kerr, Katrina Gorry and Alanna Kennedy are all on the wrong side of 30 and won't be around forever, and there appears a lack of top-class striker options outside of Kerr (31) and Michelle Heyman (36).

“I've seen the talent, I think they're at a very high level, and much of Australia just loves the team… which in that case, for us, they're going to maintain the interest,” he said.

“This next coach is so important… it's been our Achilles heel in Australian football across both genders, and that is control of games and winning with the ball rather than with our incredible spirit, speed, and our competitive nature, which the Matildas represent more than any national team in the country. They are phenomenal to watch in any respect. Even if they lose, the way they play, the way they approach the game, that's the difference from the male teams.”

Daniela Galic, Natasha Prior and Sharn Freier all made their first international starts for Australia on Wednesday night, with Prior and Freier scoring goals to show the future is bright. Bryleeh Henry was also handed a debut late in the game and scored in the 78th minute.