Matildas v Sweden: Tony Gustavsson addresses link to USA job, Alanna Kennedy ruled out due to concussion
Speculation is swirling that Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson will be poached by the US, while Alanna Kennedy’s World Cup campaign has come to an early end.
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Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has addressed speculation linking him with the coaching job at women’s football powerhouse USA.
The United States are on the lookout for a new coach after their shock exit at the round of 16 stage and Gustavsson — a former US assistant — has been described as a “strong candidate” by women’s football legend Jill Ellis.
Asked about the links before the Matildas’ third-place playoff against Sweden, Gustavsson said: “It’s funny how this game works right? A couple of weeks ago, it was speculation of when I was gonna get sacked from the job and we know the business works you know you’re only as good as your last game,” he said.
“So if we lose tomorrow, I’m probably off ship again. So it’s just how it works.
“One game at a time. I love working with this team.
“We’ve been on a journey together and I said it from day one.
“It’s such a privilege to be a part of this team in this journey and be a smaller part of something much bigger … and the legacy that these players wanted to leave here and have been able to do so as well.
“To experience the game tomorrow with them is something I’m really looking forward to.”
Gustavsson is an emotional man, but he has made it very clear he will be leading with his head when it comes to picking the starting squad for Saturday’s third-place playoff.
With Charli Grant, Alex Chidiac, Courtney Nevin, Clare Wheeler, Tameka Yallop, Kyah Simon (injured), Teagan Micah and Lydia Williams playing limited or no minutes, many wondered if Gustavsson would change up his team and give them a chance to takethe field at a home World Cup.
But Gustavsson was quick to deflate that theory at the pre-match press conference in Brisbane.
“If it was emotionally those players would play because they all deserve to but I can’t pick based on emotions,” Gustavsson said.
“This is a third-place game. We’re playing for a medal. I’m going to make sure we have a starting line-up that is the strongest but that we can also have the strongest finishing line-up.
“I’m going to do what I think is best for the team in this one game and not look at the bigger picture. It’s not about giving players experience just for the sake of giving experience, this is a game to win.”
Gustavsson hinted there might be some changes due to load management but said bar Alanna Kennedy, who is out with concussion symptoms after the quarterfinal against France, everyone was fit and able to play.
He acknowledged that there had been questions about his use or lack of use of his bench players this tournament. Australia has had the lowest rotations this World Cup.
“You saw at the Olympics and you’ll see now that we have gone with a strategy where we think relationships and continuity in tournaments is key,” Gustavsson said.
“It is similar to England and the Euros, they had the same starting line-up for all four games.”
Gustavsson said England had only made more substitutions that Australia this World Cup because they took off players in their big 4-1 win over China.
“Other than that they have actually done less subs because they have continuing in a World Cup and now they are in the final,” Gustavsson said.
The coach, originally from Sweden, said he expected Saturday night’s clash to be as physical if not more physical than thesemi-final against England.
“What I do know is these players don’t shy away from a tackle,” he said.
“So it’s gonna be a physical battle out there (on Saturday) for sure. And it’s up to the referee to protect the players because I know neither one of them are going to shy away.”
Captain Sam Kerr, who played her first full game against England after struggling with a calf injury, said the team was determined to end the tournament on a high.
“I think for all of us it has probably been the most amazing four weeks of our careers,” Kerr said.
“Not just what has happened on the pitch, but what has happened off the pitch has been amazing.
“You know when we first started at this World Cup, we could have never dreamt that this would happen.
“The way the country’s got behind us, the way we’ve been playing.
“I think in five or 10 years time we’ll really look back on this and be like this was the most amazing four weeks of our lives and even today at training we were all a little bit sad … that it’s over.
“But we have one more game and we can really end on a high. Third place for us would be an amazing thing and amazing thing for this country.
“So for us there’s that extra motivation to end on a high and really leave an amazing legacy. “Third place at a Women’s World Cup is something that you can only dream of as a kid.”
Australia will play Sweden at 6pm on August 19 at Brisbane Stadium.
KENNEDY’S TOURNAMENT COMES TO UNTIMELY END
A soaring header in the goal box – it was brilliant defensive effort that summed up Alanna Kennedy’s performance this World Cup but it’s proved costly for the Matildas’ star defender.
While leaping to clear the ball from the box in the quarterfinal Kennedy clashed heads with France’s Eugenie Le Sommer – both players fell to the ground.
They were both assessed on the field and on the sideline by medical staff and given the all clear to return to the field for the remaining 15 minutes of extra time.
Kennedy, had played every minute of the Matildas first five games – being ruled out of the semi-final clash with England hours before kick-off.
Football Australia had initially said the defender was ill before informing media on Friday that she was suffering from delayed concussion symptoms.
It doesn’t bode well for the Matildas who have now lost both matches they played missing concussed players.
The first against Nigeria, with Mary Fowler and Aivi Luik out after sustaining concussions in separate training incidents.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson is likely to replace Kennedy with Clare Polkinghorne, as he did against England on Wednesday night.
The disruption to what had been a brilliant defensive effort, bar the hiccup against Nigeria, was obvious from kick-off and there is no doubt it played a part in the semi-final loss.
Gustavsson said Kennedy had a rough road to the World Cup after a string of injuries during her domestic season.
“I think Alanna is a good example of how hard these players work to be fit and ready for a tournament,” Gustavsson said.
“It was a big question mark about whether they would even be selected in the World Cup roster.
“Alanna had maybe her best tournament ever for the national team.
“She’s been tremendous. Whether it was defending the box, attacking the box or playing the double nine …
“It was hard to not have her available and getting that notice at lunchtime before the game.
“But having a player like Clare Polkinghorne with the experience and mental strength she has to step in, after not starting a game for club or country since April, in a semi-final at a World Cup and to be able to be so composed is massive.”
Socceroos great Robbie Slater wrote in his exclusive column for CODE Sports that Kennedy’s absence was a major factor in Australia getting beaten in the semi-final by England.
“Alanna Kennedy was definitely missed. She has been one of the most outstanding players for Australia – she has been playing the tournament of her life,” Slater wrote. “No disrespect to the players who played, but I think that late change took a lot out of the team. “Her presence in the penalty box has been massive in this tournament and a big reason we’d kept four clean sheets.
“Clare Polkinghorne coming in, while she is a legend of the Matildas, she had not had a lot of game time so our momentum in defence was broken in that respect.
“Communication and urgency was not the same as it had been and we conceded three goals that we probably would have handled in previous games.”
This Women’s World Cup was the first that FIFA had rolled out their concussion spotters.
The current concussion protocols for football allow for a player to be assessed on the field or sideline. If they are deemed to be concussed they can be replaced with a free substitution.
Unlike other sporting codes such as the NRL or AFL – players aren’t taken off the field for a 15 minute assessment and then given the chance to return if cleared.
Professional Footballers Australia co-chair and former Matilda Kate Gill told CODE Sports on the eve of the World Cup that there were flaws in the current system.
Gill said a temporary substitute rule was something they had been advocating for – so players could have a proper assessment off the field before a ruling was made.
Originally published as Matildas v Sweden: Tony Gustavsson addresses link to USA job, Alanna Kennedy ruled out due to concussion
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