A-League Coaches Integrate into National Team Framework in Groundbreaking Initiative

The A-League Women head coaches Emily Husband and Kat Smith, along with Melbourne City’s goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri, are set to experience national team coaching whilst continuing in their current positions, thanks to a transformative new initiative unveiled by Football Australia.

On Monday, the governing body revealed the appointment of Alex Epakis, the former head coach of Perth Glory, as the new coach for the CommBank Young Matildas (Australia’s U20 national team) and Michael Cooper as the head coach of the CommBank Junior Matildas (the U17 national team). This announcement coincided with the rollout of their innovative ‘Team of Coaches’ initiative.

According to a press statement from Football Australia, “As part of the development strategy, Cooper and Epakis will collaborate with A-League Women and NPL Women clubs, along with Member Federation Technical Directors, to enhance the alignment between domestic and national pathways.”

“This collaboration will improve talent identification, streamline player development, and create more opportunities for young players to progress, ensuring they are ready for international competitions while flourishing at their clubs.”

Football Australia’s ‘Team of Coaches’ initiative aims to nurture the next cohort of high-performance football coaches by providing practical experience within national team settings, at international camps and tournaments, all while they maintain their club commitments.

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The inaugural group includes four high-performance club coaches, ensuring a robust connection between club football and national team requirements.

Husband, Smith, and Barbieri will be joined by former Western Sydney Wanderers head coach, Catherine Cannuli, in this initiative, which has five main objectives:

• Enhance senior coach development to keep Australia competitive on the global stage.
• Build coaching depth and pathways within the football framework.
• Identify and mentor future national team coaches, ensuring a solid long-term succession plan.
• Bridge the gap between club and international football by providing high-performance exposure.
• Promote collaboration between clubs and national teams, integrating the best coaching practices.

“The appointments of Michael Cooper and Alex Epakis, alongside the ‘Team of Coaches’ initiative, demonstrate our commitment to establishing a seamless high-performance pathway from the youth national teams to the CommBank Matildas,” commented Gary Moretti, Football Australia’s Head of National Teams.

“Michael and Alex possess proven expertise in talent identification, player development, and high-performance training. Their leadership will propel sustainable success and foster greater alignment between club and international football, thus creating a more cohesive coaching ecosystem for the future.”

“The Team of Coaches initiative is a game-changer—providing top coaches with national team exposure whilst they continue their club roles, thereby enhancing our coaching depth and leadership pipeline.”

Epakis and Cooper will officially begin their roles on 10 March and 17 March, respectively, as they prepare for the upcoming AFC and FIFA U-17 and U-20 Women’s competitions scheduled for late 2025, with domestic camps planned for April.