FFA begins search for new Matildas coach
With a little over a month under Australia hosts the Cup of Nations, FFA are to appoint a panel to quickly select a suitable replacement for sacked Matildas coach Alen Stajcic.
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A panel will be appointed to select the new Matildas coach, with Germany’s World Cup winning coach Silvia Neid emerging as a leading contender to take over for June’s World Cup.
FFA chief executive David Gallop vowed to appoint the new coach within a fortnight, but no official approaches have been made, despite the clock ticking ahead of the Matildas hosting the Cup of Nations, starting February 28, against New Zealand, Korea Republic and Argentina.
FFA is scrambling after the sudden axing of Alen Stajcic, having already delayed the appointment of a technical director, while confusion reigns over who’s ultimately accountable for overseeing the Matildas.
Head of national teams Luke Casserly is understood to have attended most Matildas camps in recent years, while Emma Highwood is FFA’s women’s chief and is believed to have played a key role in the lead up to the sacking.
The fallout from Stajcic’s shock exit continued on Monday, as Gallop consulted the players on the process for the next appointment while attempting to explain the sacking.
The panel faces a tough decision, just 20 weeks out from the Matildas’ World Cup opener against Italy, including whether to appoint a foreigner or local while the coach’s gender will also be a hot topic.
Marc Parsons, who’s coached Matildas trio Caitlin Foord, Hayley Raso and Ellie Carpenter at Portland Thorns, and former Canberra United and current USA women’s Under 20 coach Jitka Klimkova are the other foreign contenders behind Neid, who coached Germany from 2005-16.
Locally, Arsenal’s Australian boss Joe Montemurro looms as an enticing interim option, with the dual Melbourne City W-League champion now coupling strong overseas knowledge with his Aussie intelligence.
Sydney FC coach Ante Juric and Jeff Hopkins, coach of W-League leaders Melbourne Victory are other leading male contenders.
Brisbane Roar’s Melissa Andreatta and Australian Under 17 coach Rae Dower are the leading female candidates while Matildas great Heather Garriock is now coaching Canberra United.
Like Dower, former Socceroos assistant Ante Milicic and Joeys boss Trevor Morgan are on the FFA payroll would be shrewd but fiscally prudent appointments.
“We have undertaken to speak to playing group about the criteria for a new coach and I was really pleased to get the input but we funnel that through our national teams department and give them every opportunity in what we be a very tight process,’’ Gallop said.
“We will be looking to have a new arrangement in approximately two weeks time.
“These two days were already set down to look at the set-up with the Matildas and they are really knuckling down to that task now and really looking forward to the preparation for the World Cup.”
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