Tony Gustavsson era over as Matildas hunt for new coach

The Matildas are on the lookout for a new head coach after Football Australia ended months of speculation and confirmed Tony Gustavsson’s contract would not be extended.

Gustavsson’s four-year tenure came to an end after the Swede failed to steer the Matildas out of the group stage at the Paris Olympics.

FA said in a statement the decision to not extend Gustavsson’s up-and-down reign was mutual.

“It has been a great honour and privilege to have been able to be the head coach of the Matildas over the past four years,” Gustavsson said in a statement.

“This journey with the team has had many incredible moments and memories that I will forever treasure.”

The 50-year-old’s future has been a hot topic since last year’s Women’s World Cup on home soil after he was linked with the Swedish men’s side and the US women’s national team.

Gustavsson opted to see out the final year of his deal with Australia and in a cruel twist of fate it was the US who all-but ended the Matildas’ Olympics medal hopes in the early hours of Thursday morning by sealing a 2-1 win.

Australia clung to hope they could squeak through to the quarter-finals in France as a best third-place finisher, but results from other groups went against them.

It represents the first time in 24 years Australia has failed to make it to the knockout stage of the Games.

FA’s decision to move quickly has been done with a view to attracting the highest-calibre candidate although the most-likely homegrown contender - former Melbourne Victory coach Joe Montemurro - has recently signed a deal with French club Lyon.

FA will hope that hosting the 2026 Asian Cup will also strengthen their chances of attracting a top-tier coach.

Gustavsson informed his players of his departure in the aftermath of the loss to the US.

His exit marks the end of a period where the women’s game in Australia has undergone an explosion in popularity following the Matildas’ run to a fourth-place finish at last year’s World Cup.

Gustavsson deserves credit for turning Clare Hunt, Cortnee Vine and Kyra Cooney-Cross into mainstays of the Matildas set-up and backing Mackenzie Arnold as his first-choice goalkeeper.

Those success stories are tempered with concerns over his over-reliance on Australia’s golden generation, his inability to broaden the team’s depth, and the fact the Matildas have struggled to develop a discernible style to match it with the world’s best.

Gustavsson did not relocate to Australia during his tenure as Matildas boss and it is yet to be seen if FA will make that a prerequisite for any of his prospective replacements.

“As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we will conduct a thorough review of the campaign as we do with all our national teams following the conclusion of tournaments and each cycle,” said FA chief executive James Johnson.

“This review will identify areas for improvement and ensure we are well-prepared for future challenges.

“The process for the recruitment of the Matildas head coach will also commence immediately.”