Caitlin Foord is tired of waiting. Most of her Matildas teammates feel the same way. It has been eight long months since Tony Gustavsson’s contract ended, leaving them in a state of suspended animation when they would rather be laying down the building blocks for next year’s Asian Cup campaign on home soil.
Whatever they do under caretaker coach Tom Sermanni – appointed in September with a simple mandate to keep the vibes high – is, to some extent, pointless.
“Everyone is in the same mindset,” Foord said. “You operate and work one way with a coach – which ultimately, realistically, we all know that’s not going to be for the future. It does, I guess, kind of feel like somewhat wasted time, because you kind of start again when someone comes in. So the sooner you can do that, the better.”
The clock is ticking. Fast.
If nobody is appointed until the end of the European season, then more time will have elapsed since Gustavsson’s exit than will be available to his successor to prepare for the home Asian Cup.
Not since Adrian Santrac was given the full-time role in November 2001, after a full year as a caretaker, have the Matildas gone so long without a permanent head coach.
Football Australia is effectively gambling with probably the last realistic opportunity for the senior members of the Matildas – Foord included – to win a trophy. It might come off handsomely, but the longer they wait, the longer the odds. This extended stint in footballing limbo is clearly doing nothing for the Matildas on the field, as evidenced by the SheBelieves Cup.
Caitlin Foord (centre) and the Matildas train at Leichhardt Oval on Wednesday.Credit: Edwina Pickles
Players have no choice but to put their trust in those above them and assume there is method to FA’s apparent madness. Until there is white smoke billowing from the federation’s Moore Park offices, all they can do is their best.
That’s the plan for Friday night’s friendly against South Korea, anyway.
It would all make sense if they’re waiting for Joe Montemurro – one of the best credentialled Australian coaches in world football, let alone the women’s game.
Montemurro is contracted to Olympique Lyonnais until the end of the 2025-26 campaign, but did not discount the possibility of taking over as Matildas coach in an interview with this masthead earlier this week, and confirmed he had held “positive discussions” with FA.
Joe Montemurro is almost halfway through a two-year contract in France.Credit: Getty Images
Whether that will materialise – which would involve Montemurro giving up arguably the best job in women’s football for a national team ranked No.16 in the world by FIFA, a 20-year low – is another question.
And where that will leave the Matildas if he says no is an even bigger question. Socceroos great John Aloisi, in charge of Western United in the A-League Men, has reportedly been sounded out for the role, but has no experience in women’s football.
Would FA have been better off giving more time to a compromise candidate, instead of hoping and waiting for the perfect one? We’ll never know.
Foord hasn’t been involved in talks between the federation and the playing group about the new coach, but on Montemurro, she can speak from experience.
Could John Aloisi be the next Matildas coach?Credit: Getty Images
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Joe at Arsenal,” she said. “He’s obviously the one that brought me to Arsenal, so very thankful for him to get me to there and, obviously, an amazing club. I loved working under him.
“If it was club, country or anywhere, I would be very happy to work with him again. Our time was, I guess, too short for when I got to Arsenal. I’d love that opportunity again if it came up.
“I do think he would be a good fit, personally: fellow Aussie, obviously knows the culture, knows how Aussies operate.”
Sermanni was asked whether he thought Montemurro would be a good match for the Matildas, and sidestepped the topic in typically humorous style.
“Joe? Yeah, he hit me up for two Olympic tickets last year when we went to see the Matildas in France, so he owes me two tickets,” he said.
Matildas star Mackenzie Arnold hurt her arm at training on Wednesday.Credit: Edwina Pickles
“Joe’s an outstanding coach. The reason I’ve got to be careful what I say is that I don’t want anything to be misconstrued … that’s somebody else’s decision. You just need to look at Joe’s CV. And he’s an Aussie, so he’s got great credentials for the job. But whatever way the … the FA go in, that’s a decision I’ll fully support.”
Whoever takes over will ideally have a healthier squad than the one Sermanni has to choose from this week. Sam Kerr is training but not playing, while Ellie Carpenter and Hayley Raso are set to return to Europe after previous injuries flared up, and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold suffered an arm injury while making a routine dive on Wednesday, which is almost certain to sideline her, too.
Foord, at least, is in good shape. Despite a difficult start to the season for Arsenal, who parted ways with coach Jonas Eidevall after winning just one of their first four Women’s Super League games, the 30-year-old has been in excellent form, helping them reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Their opponents? Montemurro’s Lyon.
Usually a left-sided attacker, recent experience on the right for Arsenal could help address a perennial problem for the Matildas: maximising the rare talents of Mary Fowler, who usually plays on the left for Manchester City.
A fluid, rotating front three, eventually featuring Kerr between Foord and Fowler, is a tantalising prospect for the national team.
“That’s the luxury we have at Arsenal, to be able to move around … everyone in the front line can play in those positions. We definitely have the players to be able to do it here as well,” Foord said.
“I feel like it doesn’t happen so often here at national team, and I don’t really know why that is.”
One for the new coach to work out. Eventually.
