Sam Kerr’s future as Matildas captain will be decided when she is back at full fitness, according to new national team coach Joe Montemurro.

Montemurro, who was unveiled as Australia coach in Sydney on Monday on a three-year deal, said he was confident Mary Fowler would be fit and firing for next year’s Women’s Asian Cup, but would make no decision on Kerr’s future until she returned to play. 

The former Arsenal and Juventus women’s manager declared that under his watch the Matildas would be a team that attacked and took risks, regardless of who they faced.

But Australia’s fortunes in the final third will hinge on the fitness of Kerr and Fowler. Both have been sidelined with anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the time since the 2023 World Cup.

Kerr has not played for Australia in close to two years after suffering a knee injury in December 2024.

The Chelsea striker, 31, has returned to training in recent months but is yet to play a game.

“My intention is to sit down with all the players, even the extended squad, and map out a process of what’s required to play the brand of football that we want to play from a physical and a mental perspective,” Montemurro said.

“You can get fit, you can get right tactically but then some players go through processes where [they ask] are they mentally prepared for a big tournament?” he added. 

“Sam fits into that scenario where we’re just going to monitor and see where she’s at. 

“Let’s get her fit then we’ll have those discussions [over the captaincy].”

Fowler was a standout at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Photo: AAP

Fowler, meanwhile, suffered her rupture in April. The 22-year-old Manchester City attacker faces a race against the clock to get fit for a home Asian Cup in March next year. 

“Mary’s a special player and I can tell you from a club perspective, she’s in the eye of a lot of the big clubs,” Montemurro said. 

“It’s unfortunate for her, it happens, but she’s in probably the best environment with the City Group.

“From a physical and from a training load [perspective] and from a return to play scenario, she’ll be right and hopefully she’ll be right for the Asian Cup.” 

The Matildas play a friendly against Argentina in Canberra on Monday night. It will be fill-in Tom Sermanni’s last match in the coaching role.

-AAP