Montemurro named Matilda's coach
Samantha Donovan: Well, the long-running search for a new coach of Australia's favourite national sporting team is over. Joe Montemurro has been picked to lead the Matildas after a 10-month recruitment process. His first game in charge is only a few weeks away and the pressure is on for him to return the Tillys to the form they showed at the Home World Cup nearly two years ago. Myles Houlbrook-Walk prepared this report.
Soccer Commentator: Courtney Vine can write the Matildas into history. Cue the party!
Myles Houlbrook-Walk: It was an almighty peak for Australia's most popular sporting team. Watched on by millions, they won a thrilling penalty shootout against France and Brisbane to get through to the semi-final of the Women's Football World Cup. But since then, the team has floundered with a poor Olympics and then a long hunt for a new coach. Now, Football Australia is confident they've got the right person for the Matildas.
Heather Garriock: We have finally got our man, the right man who will take this team to the next level. I am sure. This moment is now and Joe is the coach.
Myles Houlbrook-Walk: They've picked Melbourne-born coach Joe Montemurro. The process to get him into the role took so long, the interim coach Tom Sermani says it was wasted time. Interim Chief Executive Heather Garriock today defended the length of the recruitment process and cited complex contractual arrangements.
Heather Garriock: I don't think it's a missed opportunity. Everything happens for a reason. And I believe this moment is now and to have Joe with a French championship under his belt is only going to help the Matildas.
Myles Houlbrook-Walk: So, who is Joe Montemurro? He's coached women's teams all over the world. Most recently, he led one of the most successful clubs, Lyon, to become champions of France.
Joe Montemurro: I said to myself and obviously my wife and family and said, look, this is now an exciting cycle for the Matildas, the Asian Cup, World Cup, Olympic Games and the opportunity was too good.
Myles Houlbrook-Walk: And with the Asian Cup just around the corner in March next year, Montemurro has a good feeling.
Joe Montemurro: I can smell some success, so let's hope it goes that way. The only promise I make is that we will play an exciting brand of football and that the integrity and the level and the respect of the Matildas will always be at the top of my thinking.
Myles Houlbrook-Walk: Amy Duggan played 27 games for the Matildas and believes the playing group is likely to be on board with his appointment.
Amy Duggan: The girls will be comfortable with the decision. They'll be excited. And as I said, there's a number of Matildas who've been coached by him previously. So he is very familiar with the culture of Australian football, with a lot of the players and a lot of their history.
Myles Houlbrook-Walk: Amy Duggan says there's not much time before Joe Montemurro's first major tournament, the Asian Cup, but it won't just be that tournament that he and the rest of the nation will want to see the Tillys do well in.
Amy Duggan: The real work for the Asian Cup starts now. Players will be vying for places and what that means for the next four year cycle. Because it's not just the Asian Cup. He'll also have a World Cup and an Olympics over the next four years, too. So, yeah, Joe will hit the ground running. There's no doubt about that. And with the success that he's had previously, I'm hopeful that that will continue to be the blueprint for what's going to happen with the Matildas moving forward.
Samantha Donovan: That's former Matildas player Amy Duggan. That report from Myles Houlbrook-Walk.
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