Joe Montemurro set to be unveiled as new Matildas coach by Football Australia
Football Australia is set to announce Joe Montemurro as new Matildas coach, ending 10 months of uncertainty with the appointment of the widely respected Melbourne-born women's football specialist ahead of next year's home Asian Cup.
The 55-year-old has won trophies with Arsenal, Juventus and Lyon in a distinguished career in Europe, having broken through in the professional coaching ranks with stints at Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City in the W-League more than a decade ago.
Montemurro was the best-credentialed Australian candidate for the role vacated by Swede Tony Gustavasson last year, and FA finally secured him after Lyon won the league title in his first season with the French powerhouse.
Montemurro had signed at Lyon for two years at the start of last season, and his early exit needed to be negotiated for him to take control of the Matildas.
His Lyon side – featuring Matildas fullback Ellie Carpenter – won the league without losing a match, but his impressive campaign was tarnished by a semi-final loss in the Champions League to his former club Arsenal, including Australian Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
The French club were leading 2-1 from the first leg in London, but lost 4-1 at home in a result described by Montemurro as 'a little bit unexplainable'.
The Australian coach worked with Catley and Foord during in his time at Arsenal.
The appointment of Montemurro ends almost a year of uncertainty following the departure of Gustavsson, whose final game in charge of the Matildas was a 2-1 defeat to the USA at the Paris Olympics that ended Australia's disappointing campaign.
Sign up to Moving the Goalposts
No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football
after newsletter promotion
The Swede's contract expired and both parties agreed to end the relationship. Under Gustavsson, Australia reached the semi-finals at the 2023 home World Cup in a tournament that energised women's football in Australia and made the Matildas one of the country's most-loved sporting teams.
But a downturn in form at the end of Gustavsson's tenure has not been reversed, and mixed results under interim coach Tom Sermanni have left the Matildas ranked 16th in the world, their equal lowest.
The Asian Cup gets underway in March 2026, leaving Montemurro with only a short period to affect the side.
Injured captain Sam Kerr is yet to return for Chelsea, almost 18 months since she suffered an ACL injury, and playmaker Mary Fowler is in doubt for the Asian Cup with her own knee injury.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
24 minutes ago
- Metro
Martin Zubimendi raises doubt over £50m Arsenal transfer after medical claim
Martin Zubimendi was reportedly due to undergo a medical with Arsenal last week (Getty) Martin Zubimendi has raised doubt over his transfer to Arsenal this summer and has refused to rule out the possibility of staying at Real Sociedad. The 26-year-old came close to joining Liverpool last year before he opted to remain with his boyhood club. Arsenal, meanwhile, have been long-term admirers of the Spain international and it's understood that the club's hierarchy have been confident of signing the midfielder, who has a €60 million (£50.5m) release clause. Last week, it was reported that Zubimendi was due to undergo a medical with Arsenal before finalising his move to Mikel Arteta's side. But in an interview with Radio Nacional de Espana on Tuesday, Zubimendi said his future is undecided when asked if there is a chance he could stay another season at Real Sociedad. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. 'Of course there are options, but it's true that it seems like it's going to be a different, long summer, and I don't know how it will end,' Zubimendi said. Martin Zubimendi has refused to rule out the prospect of staying with Real Sociedad (Getty) 'I don't think thinking about it right now is my priority. I'm here with the national team, which I think is already quite demanding, and if I have to say something, then I will.' After reports emerged claiming that Zubimendi was undergoing a medical with Arsenal, the midfielder uploaded a picture from a beach in San Sebastian on his Instagram account. 'It's an example of what surrounds football,' Zubimendi said. 'Many times I wake up in the morning and read things that I didn't know I had done. That was a clear example. More Trending 'It's true that I don't take it very seriously, but anyway, I uploaded those photos to emphasise a little that it wasn't exactly the reality that was happening.' Zubimendi was also asked about potentially reuniting with Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid having already played under him with Real Sociedad B. 'I have always said that he was my idol and that for me it was lucky that he was able to coach me in the reserve team in a very important year,' the midfielder said. 'The following year I was already in the first team and, well, I don't like to talk about those hypotheses, I prefer to talk about the present, because I also think that it would be disrespectful to answer from the national team training camp and before facing such an important competition.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Arrow MORE: Rio Ferdinand reacts to Liam Delap snubbing Manchester United move for Chelsea transfer Arrow MORE: Chelsea told they still must fix 'biggest problem' after Liam Delap deal
Daily Mail
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Outgoing Man United star puts European clubs on red alert with update on his future - as he outlines his desire to LEAVE the Premier League
Christian Eriksen has pricked up the antennae of clubs around Europe by announcing his intention to leave the Premier League. The Manchester United star will leave Old Trafford when his contract expires on June 30 - and that is likely to end a run of 11 years in English football. Eriksen, 33, has added an FA Cup and Carabao Cup to his memory board during his time with United, completing a remarkable recovery after his cardiac arrest at the Euros in 2021. But he admits has has 'had his turn' in the world's best league and wants a fresh start elsewhere. 'Right now there is nothing. There is interest all around, but there is nothing that I am close to signing,' he told Danish broadcaster TV 2 Sport. 'My focus will be to play international matches and then have a good summer holiday. Then we will see how long the holiday will be. 'I would rather get away from the Premier League. I feel I have had my turn in the Premier League, so I am looking outside the English borders. 'It's been a great place for me and my family, and we've been there for many years. When I moved from Tottenham to Inter, it wasn't the plan for me to go back to England. 'I've been there for three and a half years again since then, so you can never say never, but the priority is for me to leave.' There is one club abroad that Eriksen won't join - Danish outfit Odense Boldklub, where he spent some years in his youth. Eriksen was spotted in Odense last week and was actually getting married to his long-term partner Sabrina Kvist Jensen, as per TV 2 Sport. But there was speculation that he could have been there to iron out a return to Odense - a proposition he has brutally shot down. 'I got it sent to me from someone who asked if I should return to OB. 'My good agent has also been out and about saying that I shouldn't. It's the football rumour mill. I hope no one has put money on it happening now, because then they'll lose.' Eriksen wrapped up his Old Trafford story with a penalty in the 2-0 win against Aston Villa on the final day of the Premier League season. While he did not go on to lift the Europa League, he appeared to feel nothing but gratitude to the club. He said: 'I've really enjoyed my time. It's a club I've always looked up to – the club size and everything around it. I've loved the pressure, loved the style of play with the different managers and the people at the club. 'I mean, they've taken really good care of me and my family, so in that sense I've had three very, very good years. Obviously it's been a lot of ups and downs in football, but I think in general I've had a special time.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Disaster broadcast as 7 News switches to wrong channel during live show leaving Brisbane viewers confused
Monday night's 7 News Brisbane broadcast, viewers were left scratching their heads when the local bulletin abruptly switched to Sydney's Mark Ferguson and Angela Cox mid-show. The surprise handover occurred around 6.37pm, shortly after an ad break, following a power failure at Seven's Mount Coot-Tha studios in Brisbane. According to TVBlackbox, for several minutes Brisbane viewers found themselves watching the Sydney edition of the news - with the broadcast running all the way through to the final news segment before sport and weather. It wasn't until Sydney's sports presenter Mel McLaughlin popped up onscreen that the unusual crossover was finally acknowledged. 'Welcome back, and welcome to our Brisbane viewers joining us due to a technical issue,' she said, as the segment shifted gears to the sports headlines. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. A Seven spokesperson confirmed the mishap to TV Blackbox, revealing: 'There was a power failure on station and the team worked incredibly hard to get back on air in time for the Sunshine State's critical weather forecast.' Queensland's weather guru Tony Auden eventually returned to screens to deliver the all-important local forecast, before presenters Max Futcher and Katrina Blowers reappeared for the bulletin's wholesome 'Sunny Side' segment. Local sports presenter Steve Titmus was also briefly spotted at the desk during the handover but didn't get a chance to present the final sports stories due to the disruption. Meanwhile, fans trying to catch the full replay on 7plus were met with a surprise of their own - only the first 30 minutes of the Brisbane bulletin were uploaded, with the Sydney takeover absent from the stream. The Sydney edition had yet to appear online as of Tuesday morning. In a lighthearted sign-off, Max Futcher offered a sly nod to the on-air blunder, telling viewers: 'Hope your night is going smoothly.' It follows the news that three senior reporters at Channel Seven have jumped ship to rival Network 10. Seven's award-winning former foreign correspondent Amelia Brace, 7News Sydney reporter Bill Hogan and Spotlight producer-reporter Denham Hitchcock all resigned from the network last week, The Australian 's Media Diary reported. They are reportedly set to join a new investigative show set up by Channel Ten 's news boss Martin White. Brace and Hitchcock exited Seven's studio in Sydney within hours of quitting and are set to start their new jobs at Ten on Monday morning while Hogan will begin with the network in three weeks' time. Ten has reportedly offered Brace a $50,000 increase on the $220,000 a year she had been getting paid. In a message to colleagues on Friday, she said: 'It feels off to not have an official 'last day' to say goodbye, but it's best for me to just fade away for now.' 'Stand up for yourselves, and each other … and think of me every time you have to find a f**king case study.' Meanwhile, Hitchcock departs only three months after having returned to Seven after a couple of years off living on a catamaran with his young family. 'I'm back. It's time to wash some of the salt out - and get back to what I do best,' he said in an Instagram post. 'Back in 2019 the network asked me to start what would eventually become the Spotlight program with one producer and one cameraman - and as the limited shows proved successful - the team quickly grew and it would turn into the network's flagship program. Brace and Hitchcock exited Seven's studio in Sydney within hours of quitting and are set to start their new jobs at Ten on Monday morning while Hogan (pictured) will begin with the network in three weeks time 'I stepped away for a few years to go sailing with the family - and have returned to find a new EP, a new team, new reporters, a fresh energy, an abundance of stories, and some genuine excitement about the year ahead.' He ended the message by asking followers and fans to send 'research ideas'. 'But please - researched ideas - not just wild theories,' he warned, before adding: 'Keep an eye on @7newsspotlight it's going to be quite the year.' Hitchcock's short return to Seven came after he welcomed his second child in December with his wife Mari. He returned to screens in May 2023, in the true crime documentary 'Who Killed Marea?', which examines a 20-year-old cold case. Hitchcock led the Sky News investigation into the mysterious and brutal slaying of Marea Yann who was killed in her home in rural Victoria in 2003. The departures confirm industry whispers that Ten will launch a 'news magazine show' to take on the likes of Nine's 60 Minutes, Seven's Spotlight, and the ABC's Four Corners. The Australian reported last month that a 'crack team' of producers, referred to as the 'investigations unit' was being assembled to helm the new program. It was claimed that Channel Ten reporter Dan Sutton would be the show's executive producer, with potential reporters currently being screen tested. A Network Ten spokesperson confirmed the establishment of the investigation unit to Daily Mail Australia.
