Australia currently finds itself without a permanent head coach, just months away from hosting the Women’s Asian Cup, leaving players feeling disheartened as the team sits in a state of “limbo”.
The semi-finalists from the Women’s World Cup have been under the stewardship of interim coach Tom Sermanni since September, while Football Australia continues its efforts to identify a long-term successor.
Steph Catley, who guided the Matildas to a 2-0 victory over South Korea in Newcastle on Monday, commended Sermanni for fostering an “incredible culture” within the squad.
However, she expressed that the ongoing uncertainty regarding his replacement complicates their preparations for the Asian Cup next March.
“We have less than a year to prepare — and it’s crucial we start building now,” Catley explained to reporters.
“It’s challenging for us as a playing group when we’re left a bit in limbo.
“We lack a clear vision for how we’re going to play moving forward.“
Joe Montemurro, the head coach of Lyon, an elite French women’s team, is reportedly in the running for the position and acknowledged to Australian media last week that he had held talks with Football Australia.
Catley, who was coached by Montemurro at Melbourne City and Arsenal in England, stated she had “no idea” about the situation.
“He’s currently in a role, so I’m not too sure how that all plays out,” she said.
“He’s an excellent coach. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him multiple times, and he’s thriving over at Lyon (but) I’m not the one making the decision on the coach.
“We’ll just have to wait and see, and hopefully, a decision is made sooner rather than later.“
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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