After five titles in a row, superstar women’s football coach Joe Montemurro has resigned his post helming French football club Lyon. This decision prepares the ground for an imminent announcement regarding his new appointment as full-time head coach of Australia’s national women’s football team, the Matildas. Tom Sermanni’s term as interim coach is coming to a close. This change comes immediately following Monday night’s game against Argentina in Canberra.
Sermanni’s time as interim coach stretched to eight-and-a-half months, during which he took the Matildas through the joys and heartaches. His last match in charge will be his 151st game at the helm. Montemurro’s departure from Lyon was announced on Sunday, even though he had a year left on his contract. During his tenure, Lyon went on to win its 18th French championship title. This accomplishment truly showcases his talent to produce outcomes at the highest caliber.
In that regard, it’s easy to see why Montemurro has had success at clubs such as Juventus, Arsenal, and most recently Melbourne City. Now, he’s primed to guide the Matildas as they prepare to tackle the upcoming Asian Cup, the 2027 Women’s World Cup on home soil, and the 2028 Olympics. His appointment comes at a pivotal time for the Matildas. They’re looking to build on their successes this summer and improve their guild depth.
During his final pre-match conference Sermanni reiterated Australian football’s need to invest in developing homegrown talent, with a special focus on Canberra United. He lamented the long-term viability of the club’s participation in the A-League Women’s competition.
“It’s a great indication that we need to keep Canberra United in the A-League Women’s competition.” – Tom Sermanni
Sermanni stressed the importance of keeping Canberra United competitive and a contributor on the development of Australian-based players. He re-emphasized the importance of developing local talent in order to build a better-connected national team.
“This is a critically important team in A-League Women’s football, and a critically important team for the development of football.” – Tom Sermanni
Sermanni is no doubt looking ahead to his last meeting. He’s determined to blood younger players, increase depth in the squad and build competition for places before the Asian Cup.
“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.” – Tom Sermanni
