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New York Times
21 hours ago
- General
- New York Times
Joe Montemurro appointed Australia Women's head coach after Lyon exit
Joe Montemurro has been appointed head coach of the Australia Women's national team. It was announced on Sunday that Montemurro, 55, would be departing Lyon after a single season in charge, and he will officially begin his position at Australia on June 16. Australia have been without a permanent manager since Tony Gustavsson resigned following the side's group stage elimination at the 2024 Olympics. Former USWNT head coach Tom Sermanni has led the team on an interim basis. Advertisement Montemurro will oversee the team for the first time in a pair of friendly double-headers against Slovenia and Panama in June and July as Australia build towards the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup on home soil. Football Australia interim chief executive officer Heather Garriock described Montemurro's appointment as coming at a 'critical time' for the team ahead of the Asian Cup next year, 2027 World Cup in Brazil and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Montemurro takes the role after almost a decade coaching in Europe with Arsenal, Juventus and Lyon, winning league titles at all three clubs. He moved to Europe following spells in charge of Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City, and the national team job marks his return to his home country Australia and first position in international management 'I'm here because of the love of the game here and the love of the opportunity to come back,' he said. 'All these years that I went through the coaching journey in Australia, all these years through the A-League… to be given the opportunity to lead one of the best brands in the world, one of the most exciting teams in the world, and to do it at home, it's something quite emotional.' Australia reached the semi-finals of the 2023 Women's World Cup, which they co-hosted with New Zealand, and were beaten in the bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. They exited the Paris Olympics at the group stages after winning just once at the tournament. 'Every one of the criteria, Joe ticks,' Garriock added. 'That's the reason why we fought so hard to get Joe back to Australia. He's Australian, and Australian-based. He loves football, he loves the nation. He wants to develop the next generation, and he knows how to win a few trophies.'
The Australian
a day ago
- Health
- The Australian
Football: Joe Montemurro to coach Matildas
New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro is confident he has enough time to turn Australia into a team capable of winning next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup and is optimistic that injured stars Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler can play prominent roles. After a drawn-out process, Football Australia on Monday finally confirmed Montemurro's appointment, leaving him nine months to find a way to turn the Matildas from a team that fails to live up its surrounding hype into an outfit capable of winning a major tournament. The 54-year-old Melbourne-born mentor – whose previous jobs included title-winning stints as coach of the women's teams of Arsenal, Juventus and most recently Lyon – replaces interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni, whose final game in charge will be Australia's clash with Argentina in Canberra on Monday night. Sermanni was appointed interim boss in September last year soon after the departure of Tony Gustavsson following the Matildas' poor Olympic Games campaign. Joe Montemurro has been named as the Matildas' new coach. Picture:Football Australia interim chief executive Heather Garriock defended her organisation for the length of time it took with its 'global search' to find a full-time replacement for Gustavsson. 'These processes take time, in this case, a little bit more time than we expected,' Garriock said. 'From the very start, Football Australia has been committed to finding the right coach and not the first coach. 'There were many considerations and many moving parts, and I'm glad we have finally got our man, the right man, who will take this team to the next level, I am sure.' Montemurro said being appointed Matildas coach – at least until the 2028 Olympics – was the 'honour of a lifetime', but leaving French outfit Lyon, one of the world's most prominent clubs in women's football, after just one season was 'difficult'. 'Lyon's an amazing club. I had an amazing season there, and obviously the situation was to continue the process, but I assessed a few things,' he said. 'I said to myself, and my wife and family, that this is now an exciting cycle for the Matildas, (with) the Asian Cup, (the 2027) World Cup, (the 2028) Olympic Games, and the opportunity was too good, plus there was something inside of me that was just telling me 'it's time'. 'I had to make a hard decision, a very difficult decision, but I believe the decision is the right one. 'This team means so much to so many Australians, and I'm humbled by the opportunity to help shape its next chapter.' Montemurro, who was scheduled to meet the team in Canberra on Monday afternoon, praised Sermanni for the head start he had given him in getting the Matildas – who haven't won a major tournament since 2010 – ready for the Women's Asian Cup, which starts in March next year in Australia. 'Tom's been able to build a process, give some opportunities to some players, stabilise the situation, and then from there we can bring it forward,' he said. 'It's all set up for me to take over with the staff and bring it to the next level. Is the Asian Cup winnable? Of course it is.' Tom Sermanni's stint as Matildas interim coach will end on Monday night in Canberra following Montemurro's appointment. Picture:And 'winnable' with a squad containing star Chelsea striker Kerr, who hasn't played since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee in January last year, and key playmaker Fowler, who suffered a similar injury in April playing for her club, Manchester City. Montemurro said he would 'map out a process' with Kerr that would include a 'profile' of her 'physical' and 'mental' recovery. 'You can get fit, you can get things right tactically, but then some players go through processes where, you (ask) 'are they mentally prepared for the tournament'?' he said. 'Sam fits into that scenario where we're going to assess and monitor and see where she's at. 'Let's get her fit and right, and then we'll have those discussions from there.' He said Fowler was a 'special player' who was in the 'best environment' at Manchester City to make a full recovery in time for the Women's Asian Cup. 'Hopefully, she'll be right (for the tournament),' Montemurro said. Read related topics: FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Marco Monteverde Sports reporter Marco Monteverde is a Brisbane-based sports reporter for NCA Newswire. He worked in a similar role for The Courier-Mail from 2007 to 2020. During a journalism career of more than 25 years, he has also worked for The Queensland Times, The Sunshine Coast Daily, The Fraser Coast Chronicle and The North West Star. He has covered three FIFA World Cups and the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as a host of other major sporting events in Australia and around the world. @marcothejourno Marco Monteverde
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
European glory has Catley hungry for Matildas success
Securing silverware with Arsenal has made Matildas captain Steph Catley all the more 'hungry' to add to her trophy collection at next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup. Catley and Arsenal's other two Matildas, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross, are still on cloud nine after winning the UEFA Women's Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Barcelona in last weekend's final in Lisbon. 'It's been a big few days, biggest of my life, my career, I would say,' Catley said. 'It's something I've dreamed of my entire career. It's the pinnacle of football and being able to do it alongside my two Aussies, and just being part of Arsenal and being that club in England to do it again, it's very, very special.' Just as special would be the Matildas being able to win a major trophy for the first time since 2010 at next year's Women's Asian Cup, which starts in Australia in March. 'To actually do it (win the Champions League), just makes me think about my career and think about the things that I really want to achieve, and winning silverware with the Matildas has always been top of my list,' Catley said. '(It) definitely makes me hungry. I've got the taste of trophies, and that would mean a lot to me if we were able to (win the Asian Cup). 'It's coming very close, but I think it's good for at least the three of us to have a taste of (winning a trophy), and to be able to lead that success and that hunt for success for our (national) team, that'd be very nice. 'Maybe it hasn't been the most successful few years, but set we still believe we can achieve something special.' After only arriving in Matildas camp on Wednesday night, Catley, Foord and Cooney-Cross were unused substitutes in Australia's 2-0 win over Argentina at Marvel Stadium on Friday night. However, it's likely all three will start when the Matildas again face the Argentines in Canberra on Monday night. And that suits Catley, who said she could get 'antsy' watching from the sidelines. 'It'd be nice to get back on the field again. I'm not a very good sub. I don't like sitting on the bench,' she said. 'I feel good. We have had a big couple of days, and it's obviously a long way to travel, and we only travelled a few days ago, but I'll be ready, and the girls will be ready. 'It's the end of the season, so it's not like we're unfit or not ready to play. We're definitely ready to play.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Steph Catley keen to add Asian Cup trophy to her Champions League silverware with Arsenal
Securing silverware with Arsenal has made Matildas captain Steph Catley all the more 'hungry' to add to her trophy collection at next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup. Catley and Arsenal's other two Matildas, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross, are still on cloud nine after winning the UEFA Women's Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Barcelona in last weekend's final in Lisbon. 'It's been a big few days, biggest of my life, my career, I would say,' Catley said. 'It's something I've dreamed of my entire career. It's the pinnacle of football and being able to do it alongside my two Aussies, and just being part of Arsenal and being that club in England to do it again, it's very, very special.' Just as special would be the Matildas being able to win a major trophy for the first time since 2010 at next year's Women's Asian Cup, which starts in Australia in March. 'To actually do it (win the Champions League), just makes me think about my career and think about the things that I really want to achieve, and winning silverware with the Matildas has always been top of my list,' Catley said. '(It) definitely makes me hungry. I've got the taste of trophies, and that would mean a lot to me if we were able to (win the Asian Cup). 'It's coming very close, but I think it's good for at least the three of us to have a taste of (winning a trophy), and to be able to lead that success and that hunt for success for our (national) team, that'd be very nice. 'Maybe it hasn't been the most successful few years, but set we still believe we can achieve something special.' After only arriving in Matildas camp on Wednesday night, Catley, Foord and Cooney-Cross were unused substitutes in Australia's 2-0 win over Argentina at Marvel Stadium on Friday night. However, it's likely all three will start when the Matildas again face the Argentines in Canberra on Monday night. And that suits Catley, who said she could get 'antsy' watching from the sidelines. 'It'd be nice to get back on the field again. I'm not a very good sub. I don't like sitting on the bench,' she said. 'I feel good. We have had a big couple of days, and it's obviously a long way to travel, and we only travelled a few days ago, but I'll be ready, and the girls will be ready. 'It's the end of the season, so it's not like we're unfit or not ready to play. We're definitely ready to play.'
News.com.au
12-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
First games for likely new Matildas coach to be in Perth against Slovenia and Panama
The Matildas' first matches under likely new coach Joe Montemurro are set to take pace in Perth next month against Slovenia. Football Australia announced on Monday that two games between the Matildas and the Slovenians would be played at HBF Park on June 26 and June 29. The Matildas will then remain in Western Australia for another two-match series (July 5, Bunbury and July 8, HBF Park) against Panama. Montemurro's appointment as Australia's coach is expected to be confirmed by the end of the month, with the Melbourne-born mentor set to cut ties with French club Lyon after this weekend's Premiere Ligue final against Paris Saint Germain. Matildas interim coach Tom Sermanni is set to again be in charge for the team's two games against Argentina on May 30 (Marvel Stadium, Melbourne) and June 2 (GIO Stadium, Canberra). The busy schedule is part of the Matildas' preparations for next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup, which Australia is hosting from March 1. 'As we prepare for major tournaments, it's vital to expose the team to a variety of tactical approaches,' Football Australia interim chief executive officer Heather Garriock said. 'We're proud to continue our push into regional Australia, with Bunbury the latest community to welcome a national team. 'Following matches in Geelong, Newcastle, and Townsville, this visit reinforces our belief that every fan, regardless of postcode, deserves the opportunity to see their national teams live and be part of the game's journey.' The matches in Western Australia could also present the chance for Sam Kerr to return to her home state, although the star Matildas striker hasn't played since January last year when she suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in her knee.
