Matildas veteran Elise Kellond-Knight reveals what had Sam Kerr seeing red in training
Matildas veteran Elise Kellond-Knight reveals the small detail in her football boots at training where ‘nature mad’ saw Sam Kerr red: ‘KK, I hate you’
Matilda veteran Elise Kellond-Knight has revealed that Sam Kerr ‘hated’ her early in her career after objecting to her red boots.
Kerr will carry a nation’s hopes this month as the Matildas hope to become only the second team after the US to win the Women’s World Cup on home soil.
The Chelsea striker scored 63 goals in 120 appearances for Australia, but before becoming the best striker in the world, she was a promising right winger.
And Kellond-Knight lifted the lid on why the then 20-year-old Kerr took it very personally to meet her after objecting to the former’s shoe choice.
“She was also a very young player when I came through,” said Kellond-Knight Seven news.
Elise Kellond-Knight has revealed that Sam Kerr (above) ‘hated’ her early in her career after objecting to her red boots
Kellond-Knight (left) and Kerr (right) went head-to-head early in their careers
“I was left back and she played right winger and we trained against each other.
“I was wearing red boots at the time and she would absolutely hate me because she would always think she had the ball or was protecting it but somehow I always managed to get my toe in and the ball off her to pick off.
She’d say, “Frickin’ hell, KK, I hate you and your red boots.” […] We had good fights early on.”
Since moving from right winger to striker, Kerr has not looked back, scoring an impressive 233 goals in 322 club appearances.
Kellond-Knight described Kerr as having an ‘eccentric nature’ and explained that the secret behind her incredible goalscoring record was that it all came naturally to the Matildas star.
“There’s no thought in it,” she said.
“It’s just ‘See ball, see goal, do it’ and that’s what makes her such a great player.
“At the highest level you don’t have time to think and plan, it’s all just instinct and your habits as a player and she has that.
The Matildas veteran has described Kerr as a “freak of nature” for the goal
Kerr has scored 63 goals in 120 games for Australia so far in her career
“You have to be a nature freak to pull it off, which she clearly is.”
Kellond-Knight, a veteran with 113 Matildas caps, will miss the upcoming World Cup due to injury.
Australia open their campaign on Thursday night at Stadium Australia against the Republic of Ireland.
The Matildas take on Nigeria at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on July 27, before facing Canada at AAMI Park in Melbourne four days later.