The daughter of NBA superstar Dennis Rodman, Trinity Rodman is making her World Cup debut on Saturday as the USA starts it campaign against Vietnam.
Rodman has made it clear, however, that she wants to forge her own identity separate to her eccentric father, who she has a strained relationship with.
“He was an amazing athlete,” she said. “I got those genes from him, but I’m excited to be known as Trinity Rodman and not just as Rodman’s daughter.
“I’m excited to pave my own path and get better throughout this journey.”
She added: “Being in spotlights has been hard for us, him and me.
“We don’t have the best relationship, but at the end of the day he’s human I’m human… he’s my dad, and I’m his little girl that will never change. I will improve and look forward everyday as I hope he does.”
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TODAY’S FIXTURES/RESULTS (AEST)
Group E — United States 2-0 Vietnam, Eden Park
Group C — Zambia vs Japan, Waikato Stadium, 5pm
Group D — England vs Haiti, Brisbane Stadium, 7.30pm
Group D — Denmark vs China PR, Perth Rectangular Stadium, 8pm
Despite an early injury scare, Rodman started strongly and won a penalty for the US inside the first half, although it was missed by Alex Morgan.
Meanwhile, USA left superstar Megan Rapinoe out of its starting XI against Vietnam.
The veteran is playing her final World Cup but the US coaching staff is believed to be exercising caution in rushing her back.
England vow to put pay row aside in World Cup quest
England pledged to put off-field dramas aside Friday as they look to back up their Euro 2022 triumph at the Women’s World Cup, starting with an opening match against “unpredictable” debutants Haiti.
The Lionesses’ build-up has been overshadowed by an ongoing row over bonuses for the players, with the team pausing talks this week to focus on the task ahead, starting in Brisbane on Saturday.
Coach Sarina Wiegman insisted stalled negotiations with the Football Association (FA) had not been a distraction.
“I haven’t noticed anything about that,” she said after being peppered with questions on the issue at a pre-match press conference.
Canada held to goalless draw | 00:26
“When we go on the pitch everyone is aligned and focused on football and I haven’t seen any other behaviour. So, yes, we are ready.”
England players issued a statement on Tuesday expressing “disappointment” that talks with the FA over bonus payments and commercial structures had not been resolved before the tournament.
They are reportedly upset by the FA’s failure to follow the lead of the Australian and American federations — where collective bargaining agreements apply — in paying bonuses on top of the prize money paid to players directly by FIFA.
“Obviously, it’s not a situation that everyone wants to be in,” said captain Millie Bright.
“As players, we are not just programmed to play football, sometimes we need to have these conversations.
“But we have a very professional group and football is always at the front of everything.” “Our heads are now on the game, they always have been, and everything is on hold with those sorts of questions,” she added. “We will address this situation at a later date but for now it’s all about this tournament.”
Matildas’ Sam Kerr injury treatment praised by NRL coach
Roosters coach Trent Robinson has praised Matildas counterpart Tony Gustavsson for not disclosing Sam Kerr’s calf injury 24 hours before Australia’s World Cup campaign opener, arguing it was a tactical advantage to keep Ireland guessing.
Gustavsson was criticised for fronting a media conference on Wednesday with Kerr where they didn’t mention the injury, only for the public to find out 90 minutes before the game against Ireland.
The setback didn’t cost Australia in the end as they held on for a 1-0 win in front of more than 75,000 fans, although they’ll need to sort out their misfiring attack, with Kerr already ruled out of the next match with Nigeria.
“I want to say I hope you respect and understand the reason when I sat here yesterday that I couldn’t speak openly about it, so I hope there’s an understanding of that,” Gustavsson said on Thursday night.
“At that point of time, we didn’t know 100 per cent what it was and we were waiting for a result of a scan.
“Last night (Wednesday) we had a meeting and that’s where I got the exact news of what it was.
“Sam is a massive part of Ireland’s game plan as you can understand, and we didn’t want to give that away in advance.”
Robinson went through something similar in 2018 when grand final week was dominated by speculation over whether champion halfback Cooper Cronk would play.
The veteran playmaker had a serious shoulder injury that required needles for him to play, with most people assuming he would be ruled out.
Cronk was named in the No.23 jersey with Mitch Aubusson originally listed at halfback, but he ended up playing and helped the Roosters overpower the Storm for the first of their two back-to-back titles.
Robinson was criticised at the time for not keeping the public updated with Cronk’s injury status, but he doubled down on Friday morning, saying that coaches and clubs are not slaves to the gambling industry and SuperCoach players who demand this sort of information.
“There was a bit written about it at the time, but it’s not going to change people turning up,” Robinson said.
“The objective of a coach is to win a game – other people might have a difference of opinion, – but our job is to create intrigue and guessing in the opposition.
“Showing your cards days and weeks before a game is giving a bit of a tip sheet to the opposition, so I’ve got no issue (with what the Matildas did).
“People wouldn’t have turned up if they found out? People wouldn’t have watched?
“The coach’s job for Australia is to win the game, and if that was a tactical advantage so Australia could win the game, then I think we’re happy with that as Australians rather than having the knowledge hours before that Sam wasn’t playing.”
