By Vince Rugari
The Matildas could be set for a duel with England over super coach Jill Ellis as Football Federation Australia confirmed it was seeking the "best in the world" to replace Ante Milicic.
Less than a month after the English FA snubbed Australia's joint bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup to vote for Colombia instead - sparking fury at FFA headquarters - a new battleground has emerged between the nations, who are both seeking new coaches.
Jill Ellis celebrates victory in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Final.Credit: Getty Images
Ellis, who steered the US to World Cup wins in 2015 and 2019, is among the leading candidates to take over from Phil Neville at the helm of the Lionesses when the former Manchester United defender leaves the job next year.
But sources indicate FFA has also made overtures to gauge the interest of Ellis in the Matildas vacancy, five days after Milicic confirmed he was stepping down from the role to honour his commitment to A-League team Macarthur FC.
FFA chief executive James Johnson refused to comment on individual coaches but said Australia would "not leave any stone unturned" to find the right person to guide the Matildas through next year's Olympics, the 2021 Asian Cup, and then a home World Cup in 2023.
"We are intensifying our search for the new Matildas coach following the departure of Ante Milicic earlier this week," Johnson said.
Ante Milicic confirmed he was stepping down as Matildas coach on Sunday.Credit: Getty Images
"We are acutely aware of how important this role is, not just for the team but also for Australian football.
"As we have said previously, if we want to be the best in the world, we will need to consider the best in the world. That is exactly what we intend to do and we will cast our net as wide as possible.
“The selection process will be robust, objective and designed to ensure that we appoint the right person who believes in our vision and is able to unlock our team’s potential.
"The Matildas are a globally recognised team and our players are recognised as some of the best in the world today and it is vital that we capitalise on this opportunity. It is only fitting that we appoint a coach of the same calibre."
Ellis was born in England and moved to the US at the age of 15 because there was no organised football for young girls in the UK at the time.
Her background is likely to make the English job very appealing on a personal level, and the FA is in a much stronger position financially than the cash-strapped FFA to offer Ellis the money a two-time World Cup winning coach might command. England's process is also far more advanced than Australia's, with applications having closed last month.
The ace up FFA's sleeve is the co-hosting rights for the 2023 World Cup and the platform it will provide for the Matildas to reach the next level on the international stage.
Australia should enjoy an on-field advantage at the World Cup, given they have lost only two matches on home soil in the past decade - both of them friendlies. Many of their key players, including skipper Sam Kerr, should also be in their prime in three years.
Whether that is enough to tempt Ellis remains to be seen, but there is an array of other experienced international names who could be available - including Italian legend Carolina Morace, former England and Great Britain manager Hope Powell, Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman, ex-Iran and Qatar coach and now Bundesliga scout Helena Costa, and April Heinrichs, who was the US technical director during Ellis' successful reign.
Arsenal women's boss Joe Montemurro remains the best-credentialed Australian option. He, too, has been linked to the England job but remains under contract with the Women's Super League club.