Heartbroken Matildas stand by outgoing coach Tony Gustavsson after 2024 Paris Games exit

They arrived on a private jet full of promise and were hustled out of town on a train and bus, but players are sticking by the outgoing coach and their preparation for the Games.

They arrived on a private jet, smiles from ear to ear and were hustled out of France on a train and bus, no grins in sight.

Just 10 players of the 22-woman squad travelled from Marseille to Paris before boarding a bus bound for the airport. The remaining players, including captain Steph Catley, departed direct from Marseille.

Just hours before their much earlier than anticipated trek home coach Tony Gustavsson told the team he wouldn’t be returning. It followed the team’s worst Olympics performance in their five appearances. Midfielder Tameka Yallop said it was an emotional farewell, where Gustavsson as usual wore his heart on his sleeve. But despite the poor results and questions raised over the team’s preparation and Gustavsson’s tactics, Yallop and assistant coach Mel Andreatta threw their full support behind the Swede.

Tameka Yallop and assistant coach Melissa Andreatta front the media in Paris. Picture: Michael Klein

“He’s had an amazing four year cycle with us,” Yallop said.

“He’s done a lot on and off the field and we have a lot to thank him for.

“He really did bring a lot of passion with him from Sweden and we definitely took advantage of that.

“We’ve had some amazing finishes at tournaments that we haven’t done before.

It has been an unhappy campaign for the Matildas. Picture: Michael Klein

“We’ve made history with him so I know all the girls and all of the staff are grateful to have had him for the last four years.” Andreatta said anyone who put on the green and gold jersey always gave their best.

“Tony gave his best,” she said. “I hope people acknowledge that commitment and effort to do his best and that’s what he did.”

Andreatta, who has been an assistant to Gustavsson for his four-year tenure stopped short of putting her hand up for the job – saying she had to process the tournament before making a decision.

She said it was too early to say if the camp had played a part in their poor results.

“At the end of every big tournament, regardless of results, we’ve always had a very comprehensive review and that’ll be part of it but we’ve done what we thought was best with the information that we had at the time.”

Originally published as Heartbroken Matildas stand by outgoing coach Tony Gustavsson after 2024 Paris Games exit