Matildas winger Hayley Raso is unfazed by the delay in finding a new national team head coach

Matildas winger Hayley Raso says she is unfazed by the delay in appointing a new head coach of the national team and that they have time before the Asian Cup to adapt to a new coach.

Matildas winger Hayley Raso is unfazed by the delay in finding a new national team head coach despite the Women’s Asian Cup being less than a year away.

Tom Sermanni has served as an interim coach after Tony Gustavsson departed following the 2024 Olympics.

“Tom Sermanni’s been a great step-in for us because he knows us all really well and most of us were coached by him before so it’s been an easy transition having him in there coaching us,” she said.

Tom Sermanni has served as interim coach of the Matildas. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“We’re trusting in our federation that they’re sorting out the right person for the job and it’s taking a little bit of time but we know that when the new coach comes in we’ll all be ready to go.”

Sermanni has been at the helm since September and with the Women’s Asian Cup set to kick off in March next year, time is running out to find a permanent replacement.

However, Raso still believes there is more than enough time for the squad to adapt to a new coach ahead of the tournament.

“We’ve still got a little bit of time before the Asian Cup now so we’ve been able to build a little bit of the ideas already,” she said.

“Hopefully as soon as the coach comes in we’ll implement those straight away and we’ll get going.”

MATILDAS IN FRUSTRATING ‘LIMBO’ AS COACH HUNT DRAGS ON

- Erin Smith
Matildas captain Steph Catley is clueless as to who the next coach of the national team will be or when they will start but she hopes it is “sooner rather than later”.

Australian coach Joe Montemurro, currently contracted to Lyon’s women’s team until 2027, has been linked to the Matildas job.

Catley has been coached by Montemurro at three different clubs – first Melbourne Victory, then City in 2015 and then at Arsenal.

The captain said she was not aware of which coaches were in the running or when one would be appointed.

But she did speak highly of Montemurro.

‘He’s obviously a great coach,” Catley said.

“I’ve had him a couple of times and he’s obviously doing well over there at Lyon.

“But I’m not picking the coach, we’ll wait and see and hopefully it gets done sooner rather than later.”

Joe Montemurro has been linked with the Matildas job. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images for APL

Catley said, post the team’s 2-0 win over Korea Republic in Newcastle on Monday night, that being without a permanent coach had the left the team in “limbo.

“It’s hard on the playing group when you’re in limbo a bit, you don’t have a clear direction in how we’re going to play moving forward,” Catley said.

But said at the end of the day their job was to turn up and play football.

“Whatever (Football Australia) are doing is up to them,” she said.

“I’m sure there’s a way forward and that they’re trying to sort it out but at the moment we’re just focusing on what we’ve got and trying to make the most of the opportunities that we have to play and getting better as a team, regardless of the coaching situation.”

A new coach isn’t the only person likely to enter the next camp in Melbourne and Canberra for a two-game series with Argentina in June.

Striker Sam Kerr is nearing match fitness and is expected to be fit for selection.

The 31-year-old was called into this camp but not as part of the game day squad.

Catley said having her back with the squad had been a big boost.

Sam Kerr has been a welcome presence at the Matildas camp this week. Picture: David Gray/ AFP

“Playing, when she comes on the big screen, the cheer, it’s a bit of a shock, because you are like what’s going on, did I miss something,” Catley said.

“It just shows how much the country loves her and how many people support her.

“She’s an amazing teammate of ours but she’s also an amazing friend, and we al care about her very much.

“She’s been through a really tough time the last year or so and the main thing for us is just making sure that she was okay, as a person.

“Having her in camp and her leadership and just having her around is always amazing for us.”

Sermanni said Kerr was getting closer but he wasn’t 100 per cent confident if she would be back for the Argentina matches.

“It’s been fantastic for everybody having her back here this week,” Sermanni said.

“She’s been great around the team, it’s been really good for her to be in this environment and physios and sports science people have done a fantastic job with her just in this seven or eight days that we’ve had her here so hopefully it won’t be too long til she is back on the field.”

Originally published as Matildas winger Hayley Raso is unfazed by the delay in finding a new national team head coach