‘It would undermine my integrity as a player and captain’ | Star skipper Morrison expresses her devotion to Victory
Melbourne Victory’s captain Kayla Morrison has a clear message for clubs nursing hopes of signing her: don’t bother.
This week, the Victory skipper committed to a new contract that will keep her at the club until the end of the 2026-27 season. But if that didn’t dissuade rival Ninja A-League clubs from trying to lure her away, the American-born Australian has reinforced her allegiance with a strong declaration of loyalty to the club she joined in 2020.
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Morrison is likely to be remembered as one of the all-time greats for Victory once her tenure eventually concludes. The 28-year-old captained the championship-winning team in the 2020-21 season, and despite suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that limited her to just 30 minutes of the subsequent campaign—during which Victory also claimed the championship—she made a successful comeback the following year, amassing 77 league appearances in the club’s navy blue and white colours.
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With her commitment for the next three seasons, Morrison is on track to exceed 100 appearances for Victory in the upcoming season. Following her recent contract signing, she pledged to remain at Victory and won’t consider playing for any other club in the Ninja A-League as long as she continues to reside in Australia.
“My loyalty is unwavering; it’s in my very nature,” Morrison asserted.
“Victory has done so much for me. I’ve played my best football here. The knowledge I’ve gained under Jeff (head coach Jeff Hopkins) has been invaluable, particularly in learning how to defend. Also, when I was injured, the club did everything possible to support my recovery.
“I feel like I’ll never be able to repay that commitment, which is why they have my loyalty. As long as I’m in Australia, I can’t see myself playing anywhere else than Victory.”
“Before my initial contract was even close to finishing, I told JD (Victory director of football John Didulica), ‘I don’t want anyone to think there’s a possibility of me being approached by other clubs. I want it to be clear that I’m 100% Victory.’
“I believe it would undermine my reputation as both a player and captain if others thought they could approach me. That’s why I was keen to secure this deal before such thoughts even arose.”
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Originally from California, Morrison became an Australian citizen in 2022 and has been earmarked as a player with the potential to break into the CommBank Matildas squad.
When questioned about her eligibility for future selections, Morrison revealed that discussions have taken place between Victory and FIFA, but “barriers” in the eligibility process have so far hindered her from being picked.
“I know there’s been extensive dialogue between (Didulica) and the club with FIFA. It’s all quite technical, involving legalities. They keep me informed about anything important,” she explained.
“There have been some obstacles, but they’re working hard to get through them. Another reason I signed with Victory is they’re actively doing everything they can to assist me with this situation.”
“Honestly, I’m just as puzzled as everyone else,” she added. “When I discuss it with JD, I can see it frustrates him too. There seem to be some unfair elements contributing to the delays.”
“All I can do is focus on my performance. If I play exceptionally well, maybe they’ll pull a few strings for me.”
Morrison and her Victory teammates are set to face Adelaide United at AAMI Park on Saturday night, in a critical clash between the second and third place teams on the Ninja A-League ladder.
As Victory enters Round 21, they find themselves five points behind league leaders Melbourne City, while holding a narrow two-point advantage over Adelaide United, with a game in hand over both teams.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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