A potential contender for the Matildas’ head coaching role has been secured to lead rival nation women’s team
A strong potential candidate to be the next Matildas’ head coach has been lost to a rival nation leaving three still in the race.
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Matildas assistant coach Melissa Andreatta has been named as the head coach of the Scotland Women’s National team – making her the second Australian women to be appointed to a lead role for another nation.
Fellow Australian coach Tanya Oxtoby is currently the head coach of Northern Ireland.
Andreatta has served as the assistant coach of the Matildas on a full-time basis since 2021- in time for the Olympics – and has been involved with the squad since 2016.
Her name had been floated as a possibility for taking over the head coach role when Tony Gustavsson departed.
But Joe Montemurro, Oxtoby and John Aloisi remain in the race.
Andreatta has a long history as a women’s coach first at Brisbane Roar where she guided them to a premiership in 2018 and was subsequently named A-Leagues women’s coach of the year.
Football Australia Head of National Teams, Gary Moretti, said she had had a huge influence on women’s football in Australia.
“Her influence on women’s football in Australia at both a domestic and international level has been significant, where she has been instrumental in not only the development of current CommBank Matildas but the success of the team over recent years,” he said. “Mel’s appointment as Head Coach of the Scotland Women’s National Team is not only deserved recognition for her achievements to date but further acknowledgment of the high regard for Australian coaches internationally. “We would like to thank Mel for her contribution to our women’s national teams for more than a decade and wish her all the very best with this new and exciting chapter.
Football Australia said a replacement would be made in “due course”.
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Originally published as A potential contender for the Matildas’ head coaching role has been secured to lead rival nation women’s team
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