Could Joe Montemurro be the next Matildas coach? The question Australian football wants answered

Last year the stars almost aligned for the Matildas to land their dream coach. They’ve been coachless, and on a downhill slide, since. And everyone in Australian football wants one question answered.

Will Joe Montemurro leave a job at the best women’s club football team to help resurrect the Matildas?

It’s the question everyone in Australian football wants answered.

But it seems Football Australia are not any closer to being in a position to do that.

Montemurro, who coaches highly successful French women’s side Lyon, is contracted to the club until 2027.

Football powerbrokers would have loved to secure his services for the Matildas but stars did not align in its favour.

The top coach was flown back to Australia to take charge of the A-Leagues’ Women’s All Stars team last May.

Just weeks later Montemurro signed his two-year deal with Lyon – six weeks before Football Australia booted former Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson out the door following a disastrous Olympic campaign.

The Matildas have been on a downhill slide and coachless since.

Joe Montemurro returned to Australia to coach the A-League All Stars Women. Picture: Getty

At the SheBelieves Cup in February, the Matildas had just two shots on target in three games.

At their peak, with Sam Kerr in the side in 2022 before her run of injuries started, they averaged eight shots on target per game with 41 goals in 13 games.

With a home-hosted Asian Cup fast approaching Football Australia hopes the right coach could turn it around and guide the side to their first major tournament win since 2010.

Time is fast running out – after these upcoming clashes against Korea Republic, which interim coach Tom Sermanni is once again in charge of, there are just five international windows remaining before the 2026 tournament.

Code Sports understands Montemurro remains a leading candidate for the job which has now sat vacant for nine months.

There is no denying Montemurro would be a huge asset to the Matildas.

He has won titles around the world.

This season is his first at Lyon, a side that includes Matildas defender Ellie Carpenter, and they sit 10 points clear of their nearest rival PSG.

The regular season is due to wrap up on May 8 with the play offs and finals to follow.

It would be quite a feat if Football Australia snared Montemurro and had him back in Australia in time to take the reins for the Matildas games against Argentina starting on May 30.

Tom Sermanni has held the interim Matildas coach role for almost nine months. Picture: Getty

Whether Football Australia can pull off this move really comes down to two things. The first being whether Montemurro is willing to leave his job at Lyon to take on the Matildas. Secondly if Football Australia have the cash to pay out the final year of this contract and enough left over to lure him back home.

Given FA has spent thousands flying an injured Kerr back to Australia for camp this week, money for the Matildas is no object.

You wonder if FA powerbrokers will seek the opinion of influential but injured captain Kerr, who was spotted shopping and dining in Sydney on Wednesday morning before the team’s afternoon session.

Code Sports understands Football Australia have twice met with Montemurro about the job – so surely any roadblocks to a potential deal have been discussed.

But the source said they had also spoken to many other coaches.

It is has previously been reported that they also had their sights set on Tanya Oxtoby (contracted to Northern Ireland until 2027) and Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman (contracted until 2027).

Chair of Football Australia’s football development committee Heather Garriock, who is in charge of the recruitment process, is determined to find a coach with the power to take the Matildas to “the next level” and put them back on the path to success.

But at what point does the timeline come into play?

It’s been 214 days since Tony Gustavsson left the job. There are just 332 days until the Asian Cup begins.

Will Football Australia be forced to settle and forever dwell on how they let Montemurro slip through the cracks last year?

Originally published as Could Joe Montemurro be the next Matildas coach? The question Australian football wants answered