Montemurro leaves Lyon as Matildas gig looms large
Joe Montemurro has quit French powerhouse Lyon, paving the way for the experienced women's football coach to officially take the Matildas job.
Tom Sermanni will finish up his eight-and-a-half-month stint as interim coach after Monday night's clash with Argentina in Canberra.
Montemurro is poised to be announced as full-time coach after Lyon confirmed his exit, with a year on his contract, on Sunday.
"The club would like to thank Joe for his commitment throughout the season," the club said in a statement on its website.
"Under his leadership, the team won its 18th French championship title, further cementing its exceptional record.
"OL Lyonnes wishes him all the best in his future career."
Montemurro has won trophies at Lyon, Juventus, Arsenal and Melbourne City and now is poised to take the Matildas to the Asian Cup along with qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
Monday will mark Sermanni's 151st and final game at the helm.
In his final game, Sermanni is keen to build momentum while he has also tested more young players to add to Australia's depth ahead of the Asian Cup.
"Since coming into the job it's just really been important to try and keep everything stable, everything ticking along so that hopefully the new coach comes in and can then really start to take the program forward in the direction that he or she wants to take it in," Sermanni said.
"For me it would just be business as normal, and I think we're in the situation with a squad where a lot of players are looking forward towards the Asian Cup, and there's a lot of competition for places in that final 23-player squad."
Sermanni used his final pre-match press conference to go in to bat for Canberra United, whose A-League Women future remains constantly under threat.
The women's football stalwart last week fired up about a lack of professionalism within the A-League Women.
On Sunday, he said of the sold-out Matildas game at GIO : "It's a great indication that we need to keep Canberra United in the A-League Women's competition.
"This is a critically important team in A-League Women's football, and a critically important team for the development of football.
"Because what we want to see is more players coming out of places like Canberra, and going through the A-League Women's, and then coming into the international arena.
"So I will certainly make sure I do my best to make sure Canberra stay in the competition."
Joe Montemurro has quit French powerhouse Lyon, paving the way for the experienced women's football coach to officially take the Matildas job.
Tom Sermanni will finish up his eight-and-a-half-month stint as interim coach after Monday night's clash with Argentina in Canberra.
Montemurro is poised to be announced as full-time coach after Lyon confirmed his exit, with a year on his contract, on Sunday.
"The club would like to thank Joe for his commitment throughout the season," the club said in a statement on its website.
"Under his leadership, the team won its 18th French championship title, further cementing its exceptional record.
"OL Lyonnes wishes him all the best in his future career."
Montemurro has won trophies at Lyon, Juventus, Arsenal and Melbourne City and now is poised to take the Matildas to the Asian Cup along with qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
Monday will mark Sermanni's 151st and final game at the helm.
In his final game, Sermanni is keen to build momentum while he has also tested more young players to add to Australia's depth ahead of the Asian Cup.
"Since coming into the job it's just really been important to try and keep everything stable, everything ticking along so that hopefully the new coach comes in and can then really start to take the program forward in the direction that he or she wants to take it in," Sermanni said.
"For me it would just be business as normal, and I think we're in the situation with a squad where a lot of players are looking forward towards the Asian Cup, and there's a lot of competition for places in that final 23-player squad."
Sermanni used his final pre-match press conference to go in to bat for Canberra United, whose A-League Women future remains constantly under threat.
The women's football stalwart last week fired up about a lack of professionalism within the A-League Women.
On Sunday, he said of the sold-out Matildas game at GIO : "It's a great indication that we need to keep Canberra United in the A-League Women's competition.
"This is a critically important team in A-League Women's football, and a critically important team for the development of football.
"Because what we want to see is more players coming out of places like Canberra, and going through the A-League Women's, and then coming into the international arena.
"So I will certainly make sure I do my best to make sure Canberra stay in the competition."
Joe Montemurro has quit French powerhouse Lyon, paving the way for the experienced women's football coach to officially take the Matildas job.
Tom Sermanni will finish up his eight-and-a-half-month stint as interim coach after Monday night's clash with Argentina in Canberra.
Montemurro is poised to be announced as full-time coach after Lyon confirmed his exit, with a year on his contract, on Sunday.
"The club would like to thank Joe for his commitment throughout the season," the club said in a statement on its website.
"Under his leadership, the team won its 18th French championship title, further cementing its exceptional record.
"OL Lyonnes wishes him all the best in his future career."
Montemurro has won trophies at Lyon, Juventus, Arsenal and Melbourne City and now is poised to take the Matildas to the Asian Cup along with qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
Monday will mark Sermanni's 151st and final game at the helm.
In his final game, Sermanni is keen to build momentum while he has also tested more young players to add to Australia's depth ahead of the Asian Cup.
"Since coming into the job it's just really been important to try and keep everything stable, everything ticking along so that hopefully the new coach comes in and can then really start to take the program forward in the direction that he or she wants to take it in," Sermanni said.
"For me it would just be business as normal, and I think we're in the situation with a squad where a lot of players are looking forward towards the Asian Cup, and there's a lot of competition for places in that final 23-player squad."
Sermanni used his final pre-match press conference to go in to bat for Canberra United, whose A-League Women future remains constantly under threat.
The women's football stalwart last week fired up about a lack of professionalism within the A-League Women.
On Sunday, he said of the sold-out Matildas game at GIO : "It's a great indication that we need to keep Canberra United in the A-League Women's competition.
"This is a critically important team in A-League Women's football, and a critically important team for the development of football.
"Because what we want to see is more players coming out of places like Canberra, and going through the A-League Women's, and then coming into the international arena.
"So I will certainly make sure I do my best to make sure Canberra stay in the competition."
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