In August of 2020, just about a month before hiring Tony Gustavsson, Football Australia chief executive James Johnson told ESPN that the appointment of the next Matildas coach would serve as a test of "Football IP." It was a litmus test for the federation as it searched for someone to be entrusted with a golden generation of players and raise them "to the level that is required to optimise this team's ability," ahead of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that was a home Women's World Cup.
Now, four years on, with two Olympic campaigns, an Asian Cup, and that precious World Cup in the rearview mirror, another test awaits.
Gustavsson, the individual Football Australia's collated IP ultimately settled upon, officially parted ways with the Matildas last week, less than 24 hours after the team's elimination from the Paris Olympics. Given the relative painlessness that comes with letting the contract of a coach expire as opposed to sacking them, Gustavsson's exit was a likely outcome regardless of the results in Paris even if the side had won a medal. There was a feeling from all parties, the Swede included, that now was the right time.
There have been accusations following the tournament that the squad was "pampered" and that some sort of extravagance was behind the Matildas' poor showing at the Olympics. In reality, the squad's conditions are governed by a CBA, enshrining equal treatment between themselves and the Socceroos. Meanwhile, the USWNT -- who, like the Matildas, have fought hard for and received a world-leading CBA of their own -- will play in the gold medal match. Saying treating elite athletes like elite athletes is a bad thing is not in keeping with reality.
But with all the furore that that hatchet job caused, it has made it more difficult to assess and scrutinise Gustavsson's side in a manner elite sporting teams should be -- because, in the end, the team did not play well in France. And when attempting to contextualise Gustavsson's tenure and what's to come, it's important to remember that the Swede did receive consistent public backing from Football Australia across his four years. Coaches never operate in a vacuum, and reviews are undertaken as a matter of policy by the federation after all tournaments, assessing the trajectory of every national team and providing ostensible oversight. So, if Football Australia officials were taken aback by the Matildas' poor performance at Games, the question that should follow is: why? It's not just about what Gustavsson missed but what scrutiny and procedures were being put in place around him to prevent that.
Before these Olympics began, Johnson declared the Matildas "won't be defined" by their results in France but, instead, "by the legacy that they've already created." It was a calculated statement, to be sure; when the Matildas have become such a commercial juggernaut, one wants to future-proof their marketability by broadening how their success is measured. But following the side's unexpectedly early exit there was a tonal shift, with Johnson telling The Australian that the side "need to win something" in the years ahead, particularly with the opportunity -- both footballing and commercial -- set to be afforded by hosting the Asian Cup in 2026. And it is here where Johnson and Co. will be tested.
Under Football Australia's watch, the Matildas have turned into a brand that transcends sport; a cultural phenomenon that will be studied in marketing for decades. It's been a blessing, the money brought in reinvested in endeavours such as the creation of an under-23 program for women, and supporting the under-20s women's program that has qualified for back-to-back World Cups. But football is about winning things and much of this explosion has centred on the Matildas' ability to take it up to the world's best and challenge for major silverware. This is an elite sporting team and, regardless of the narratives that can be painted surrounding their impact off the field, the foundation will disappear if they cannot fill that core remit of winning games -- which is the point of the sport.
Finding the right coach, then, is now the most immediate task in this mission. With the Matildas not in action until the October international window, Johnson has said there is no rush to find Gustavsson's replacement, albeit that was almost immediately juxtaposed by his declaration that there will be no interim coach. Getting this appointment right, finding someone who can not only deliver trophies but also foster a period of squad rejuvenation, is critical. It's also an opportunity for Football Australia to lay down a marker about how it wants this team to play; how it wants a side that has become so embraced by the Australian public to reflect their nation on the pitch. Because fighting spirit and bravery in football have never just been about effort and desire. In keeping with those themes of rejuvenation, so too is finding a figure willing to base themselves in Australia for large portions of the year; if the next cycle is going to be about bringing new talent in, it would be helpful if a new coach was more visible than Gustavsson and appear at more than a handful of A-League Women games.
Most importantly, Gustavsson's successor will need to have an eye on not just the next window, or the next tournament, but years ahead, given the challenges associated with the current squad's looming twilight. The core of this Matildas side represents a golden generation, a group that was able to force themselves onto the scene at an incredibly young age and -- thanks to a combination of their own professionalism and work ethic -- serve as the core of the national team for over a decade.
But perhaps the only thing more difficult than unearthing a golden generation -- to the extent you even can, as opposed to being blessed by fortune -- is replacing one.
Of the Australia's 18-player squad that went to the Paris Olympics, 10 were aged 29 or above. The Matildas' average age of 27.6 was the second oldest behind only host nation France's 28.3. Michelle Heyman, Clare Polkinghorne, Tameka Yallop, Katrina Gorry, Emily van Egmond, Steph Catley, Hayley Raso, Caitlin Foord, and Alanna Kennedy possess 1089 caps between them, but all will be in their 30s by the time the 2026 Asian Cup rolls around, let alone the 2027 Brazil World Cup. The new coach will have some difficult conversations on their hands because, at some point, some of those senior players will need to be transitioned out of the side. And, as much as Sam Kerr's return will provide a boon for the squad, her powers are going to begin to wane too -- the Chelsea superstar is 31 years old next month and coming off an ACL injury.
It's the kind of cruel irony that football specialises in, the Matildas' great strength across the past decade could now become one of their major vulnerabilities. Should the end come rapidly for some -- it doesn't even need to be all -- of the squad, a chasm will open not just on the field but also in the dressing room, meaning it's incumbent on a new coach and Football Australia's technical apparatus to have done the adequate work to ensure that the hole isn't too large. It's not about ensuring that there's no drop off after a golden generation moves on -- that's impossible, it wouldn't be called a golden generation if it was -- but instead ensuring that the transition doesn't lead to any kind of long-term malaise before an upward trajectory is restored.
That goes far beyond simply which players get picked in squads and which don't, too, but reassessing roles. It's plotting a course wherein the needs of the now are balanced with the need to prepare for 2026, 2027 and beyond. Some players will inevitably make the generational change simpler by announcing their retirement but, especially with the chance to lift silverware at a home Asian Cup, others won't. And it will be here where not just a new coach, but the system surrounding them at the federation, need to be confident in -- and willing to live or die on -- their processes and long-term planning. Johnson hinted at this in remarks last weekend, discussing how after appointing a "tournament coach" in Gustavsson, his successor would need to juggle the search for wins with bringing players through. It won't be easy.
All of which highlights just how vital the systems of assessment and scrutiny around the Matildas' new coach will be. In a perfect world, the coach of the senior national side wouldn't be the smartest person in the room during review. Sure, they should probably be the best coach -- accounting for the all-around nature of the role -- but when it comes to more technical aspects, they need to be challenged. A task of this magnitude can't simply be the responsibility of one head coach and their assistants.
Because the real scrutiny will come from the ever-growing Matildas fanbase -- one that, at present, is almost unmatched in Australian sport. Fans have been on as much of a journey with this squad as the players themselves, while some pioneers have toiled for decades to get the team to this kind of level.
Appointing the right person to help transition Australia -- the team, the supporters, the federation -- to the next chapter? Of protecting this legacy? That's the size of the task facing Football Australia.