Kyra Cooney-Cross. Photo: Getty Images
Matildas midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross has marked her return to football in England by being voted Arsenal’s supporters’ women’s Player of the Month for September.
Despite only returning to the Women’s Super League side late in pre-season, she hit the ground running, featuring against the likes of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Crystal Palace, while starring in a 1-0 win over HB Koge in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The 24-year-old won’t link up with the Matildas for the upcoming double header against Germany and Haiti, with Matildas boss Joe Montemurro saying recently that it was still too early for her to return.
Cooney-Cross’ mother, Jess, passed away in July, after a battle with bile duct cancer, which she was diagnosed with in January. Cooney-Cross took leave from Arsenal after the Asian Cup concluded.
“We had long chats with Kyra and been in contact and we’ve left it to her and how she feels,” Montemurro said. “We said from day one that we were going to make sure that she’s supported and given every opportunity to come back at her time and when she feels right, and the first step was with Arsenal.
“That was really, really important. We can see the growth there, and she’s really stabilised and happy and has had amazing support from Arsenal. We’ve just come underneath and supported whatever she’s needed.
“She was thinking about coming in October. We discussed it, and we just felt it was a little bit too early.”
With Mary Fowler joining Cooney-Cross on the sidelines for these matches, it leaves Montemurro with a creative void but also presents an opportunity for others.
Stiker Holly McNamara said this week: “I think it’s important to also remember you need depth in a squad for a major tournament.
“It’s not just 11 players that play on the pitch. It’s the whole squad. So I think, it’s super important to get fresh faces in, see how they go.
“I think the fresh faces that are coming in, it’s important for them to just show what they can do. And I think they’ll do that just fine.”
She continued: “It’s a competitive sport even within your team, but I think you’ve got to find the right balance that we’re all actually working towards the same goal here.
“Obviously you’re competing for spots within the squad, but I think it’s important to realise, like Hayley said, that we’re all working towards the same goal. We’re all competing to win the World Cup at the end of the day. So we’ve got to push ourselves and push each other. And I think we have a nice spot of that here at the Matildas.”
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