In September 2024, former Matilda’s and journeyman coach, Tom Sermanni, was quietly going about his business coaching in the women’s program at Western Sydney Wanderers.
The last thing he expected was to receive an offer from the F.A. to become the interim manager for the Matildas.
However, Sermanni reflected on his previous stints with the Matildas from 1994-97 and 2005-12 with a great sense of pride and didn’t hesitate to accept the offer.
After five months in the job, Sermanni and assistant coach Jean-Paul de Marigny have methodically restored confidence in the squad after the disappointment of not qualifying for the quarter finals at the Paris Olympics.
It was certainly a far cry from Sermanni’s previous stints in 1994-97 when players weren’t paid and had to cover their own expenses and 2005-12 when contracts were introduced for the players.
Notably, Sermanni is aware of the strong brand the Matildas carry in Australian sport and every time they venture onto the pitch, there is a weight of expectation for them to perform.
In this interview with Roger Sleeman, Tom Sermanni discusses his progress with the Matildas since September 2024 and the general state of the women’s game in Australia.
ROGER SLEEMAN
What was your mindset when you were offered the job after your last stint with the Matildas in 2005-12?
TOM SERMANNI
Surprise was my first reaction as it came completely out of the blue
I’d actually reached the stage where I wasn’t searching for a career but winding down.
However, it was a compliment to be still considered for coaching at this level.
R.S.
How long did it take you to accept the offer?
T.S.
Only a few minutes because it was a no brainer after I contemplated what was involved.
R.S.
Based on the Matilda’s performance at the Paris Olympics, what areas were you going to concentrate on?
T.S.
I was actually at the U.S.A. and Zambia games which was useful and I also knew a number of players in the squad.
Initially, I wanted to maintain stability because when a tournament doesn’t yield results, there are inquisitions and uncertainty.
Therefore, the lack of confidence had to be restored.
R.S.
What has been your main focus since you commenced the position?
T.S.
When we first assembled for the first match in Switzerland, I outlined the expectations for the team and myself.
I wanted to get back to the way Australian teams play on the front foot and to reassure the players there was a lot of ability in the squad , despite the disappointment of the Olympic’s result.
We needed to establish goals for the players to achieve and winning was critical.
Rebuilding belief, confidence and spirit was essential to achieving this outcome.
R.S.
What were your conclusions after the Switzerland and German clashes in October?
T.S.
There were signs of missing confidence and cohesion in the Swiss clash but against Germany it was a great 2-1 victory and defied our 15th ranking in the world standings.
R.S.
Against Brazil, how did you rate the team’s performance?
T.S.
Both games were probably the most brutally physical I’d ever witnessed in the women’s game.
Also ,the Brazilians were very direct and unfortunately in the first game in Brisbane, the referee didn’t control the game well enough.
In the second game on the Gold Coast this was rectified somewhat .
Critically, the games were a great benchmark to assess our status with the top five teams in the world.
R.S.
Are we technically adept to match the top teams?
T.S.
If you look at Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, Mary Fowler and Kyra- Cooney Cross, we have players who rate technically with the best.
Also, we have players spread across the best Leagues in the world.
Nevertheless, at the development level we need to advance players at a technical level, rather than implementing systems which restrict individual development.
R.S.
Are the senior players performing to their best?
T.S.
I believe in the matches so far they have and are still our most consistent performers.
Don’t forget, despite the Paris Olympics failure, we did qualify for the semi finals of the previous Olympics and the 2023 World Cup.
R.S.
Is it time to blood young players in the squad, and what is your general opinion of the talent scouting process employed to unearth new players?
T.S.
If I’d come in as a new coach for the next campaign, rather than an interim coach, things may have been different.
I emphasise again my role is to instigate stability in an effective way and my successor in a permanent role will decide where the squad will go forward from there.
For me , the role is to plan for the present and the future so it’s a balancing act.
In the modern game it’s difficult because you don’t get enough time with the players who are mainly based overseas.
This is in contrast with my last stint with the Matildas when most of the players were home based so we had complete access to them for local camps .
Importantly, this allowed us to develop players within the team structure.
It’s getting harder to bring in new players because of the time limits you have to work with them.
Obviously, you’re continuing to strengthen your squad by bringing new players in but moving forward the new coach has to reassess the current squad and also be mindful of other players to be given an opportunity to see if they are better than the current players.
Naturally, there will be a turnover of the squad due to ageing of senior players so we have to provide a better way of bringing younger players through.
With the huge increase in playing numbers in women’s football , there should be a lot of new talent coming through the system to be considered for Matilda selection.
Unfortunately ,there hasn’t been an organised plan since the Institutes fell by the wayside and resources aren’t being committed to a cohesive system.
R.S.
How important is Mary Fowler to the squad?
T.S
She is critical because she has that X-factor and those qualities to become a superstar.
Some of the senior players are now at their peak in their late twenties and Mary in her early twenties has the world at her feet to become a world class player.
Along with Ellie Carpenter whose workrate and football awareness are phenomenal, it should be our aim to continue unearthing such talent in the W- League.
R.S.
What is your opinion of the A-League Women?
T.S.
Unfortunately, it’s not fully professional and it needs more resources to make it the best league it can be because at the moment it’s a development league for domestic players.
However, we need as many young players to be competing in the League and over time it would be ideal for overseas players to come back to the League to contribute to its progress.
However, the League is certainly a great place for supplying national youth team players.
R.S.
Can you tell us more about the She Believes Cup, the Matildas are competing in the U.S. from February 19-27 against U.S.A., Japan and Colombia?
T.S.
It’s a proper, competitive tournament, not a series of friendlies so there is a great incentive to win.
We play the first game and then travel to two other cities to play so there’s limited time for preparation.
Clearly, it’s an important tournament to play serious opposition with different styles on show and for players to maintain their place or for new players to emerge.
R.S.
After your interim role ends, would you like to be still involved with the Matildas in some way?
T.S.
If there was a role for me which was suitable I certainly would take it because I’m really enjoying the current position.
