Matildas boss interviews for Swedish men’s head coaching gig

A local report claims Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has interviewed for the head coaching role of a men’s national team.

Tony Gustavsson has been linked with the Sweden men’s coaching role. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

A Swedish report claimed Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has interviewed for the Swedish men’s head coaching role.

Gustavsson, who is Swedish, is one of the top candidates to replace outgoing Sweden coach Janne Andersson after his seven-year stint came to an end having failed to steer the nation to Euro 2024 qualification.

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According to Sportbladet journalist Daniel Kristoffersson, Gustavsson has met with the Swedish Football Association “at least one occasion and one more occasion is also planned” to discuss the vacancy.

The same report named BK Hacken boss Per-Mathias Høgmo and IF Elfsborg manager Jimmy Thelin as the other two candidates for the vacancy, with the Swedish FA hoping to name Andersson’s successor before January.

Football Australia declined to comment on the reports.

Gustavsson was previously linked with the vacancy of the United States women’s team after Vlatko Andonovski resigned, but Chelsea manager Emma Hayes was appointed instead.

The Matildas coach’s contract also ends after the Paris Olympics next year.

Gustavsson is linked with the Sweden men’s role. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)

News of Gustavsson’s reported meeting comes just one week after he named his Matildas squad for the upcoming friendlies against Canada where he reiterated “how much I love working with this team.”

“Everyone … knows how passionate I am working with this team and how much I love this team,” Gustavsson said.

“So I hope people that might have a different agenda don’t use this against me now and start saying, ‘Hey, where’s the loyalty? Does he really like working with this team?’

“Because everyone that’s been with me knows what I think about this team and how much I love working with this team.”

Gustavsson took over from Ante Milicic as Matildas head coach in September 2020 and guided the Matildas to a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, the nation’s best-ever finish by a male or female Australian team.

He also led the Matildas to a fourth-place finish at the 2023 Women’s World Cup on home soil.

Originally published as Matildas boss interviews for Swedish men’s head coaching gig