Matildas appoint Melbourne's Joe Montemurro as new head coach
- Ethan Wright
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Football Australia has today announced that former Arsenal and Juventus manager Joe Montemurro, most recently at Lyon where he won the French league title this year, will succeed Tony Gustavsson as Matildas boss almost a year after the Swede quit the role.
Having started his women's head coaching career in the then W-League with Melbourne Victory, his move to cross-town rivals Melbourne City saw his side clinch an undefeated debut Premiership–Championship double to go with a second Grand Final win before becoming the first Australian to manage Arsenal.
Named as the League Managers Association's Manager of the Year in 2018/19 as he led the Gunners to the FA Women's Super League title, he moved to the Italian giants Juventus, where he would again win a first-year Manager of the Year award to go with a Serie A Champions medal.
Winning five trophies in his time in Turin, the 55-year-old made the move to the French heavyweights Olympique Lyon, winning once again the league title alongside Aussie Ellie Carpenter on the way to a UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final defeat to eventual winners Arsenal: a side featuring three of his new charges in Steph Catley, Caitlyn Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
The 2019 'The Best FIFA Football Coach' nominee takes charge on June 16, ahead of a packed three years ahead for the Matildas, with the home AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2026 followed by the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil and the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Montemurro knows just how important the upcoming period is for the team, and wants to kick on and inspire the country.
“To be appointed Head Coach of the CommBank Matildas is the honour of a lifetime." Montemurro said in a statement.
"This team means so much to so many Australians, and I’m humbled by the opportunity to help shape its next chapter. I’ve followed their incredible journey closely and am energised by the passion, resilience, and identity they’ve built."
"There’s a generation of talent coming through and major tournaments on the horizon. My job is to honour the legacy, harness the momentum, and help this team play football that inspires and unites the country.”
Football Australia Interim CEO, former Matilda Heather Garriock, lauded the experience of Montemurro, who had previously missed out on the role to Gustavsson in 2020.
“Joe brings world-class experience, a deep understanding of the Australian football landscape, and a genuine connection to our national identity.”
“Importantly, he has spent the last decade coaching at the very highest levels of the women’s game in Europe and brings with him an unparalleled understanding of what is required to compete and succeed at the top of modern football."
Garriock reiterated the appointment was based on matching FA's values with a coach, not the other way around in a press conference this morning.
“Joe has shown an ability to build high-performing teams that play with tactical clarity and attacking intent, and we believe his vision and values are the perfect fit to lead the next era of the CommBank Matildas with professionalism, vision, and distinction."
“We undertook a considered and rigorous process to ensure we would secure the strongest candidate to lead one of the most beloved national teams. It was about getting the right coach, not the first coach.”
Tonight's friendly against Argentina in Canberra will be the last under Interim Head Coach Tom Sermanni, who's been in the position for almost nine months, and will bring up his 151st game in charge of the national team across three stints across as many decades.
The length of the interim tenure has reportedly caused frustration amongst the playing squad, who were looking for direction following a poor Olympic campaign in Paris. Arsenal star Caitlyn Foord told The Age in April that the team felt like it was "wasting time" in the lead up to the 2026 Asian Cup on home soil.
The UEFA Pro Licensed coach, who holds a Master of Sports Coaching from the University of Queensland alongside an AFC/FFA A License, has signed a deal that will take him to the end of the current four-year cycle: the LA 2028 Games.
Montemurro will take charge of the Matildas for the first time at Perth's HBF Park, where the Australians will play host to Slovenia in a two-match series before Panama visits Bunbury and Perth for the same.
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