- The national team did not make it past the group stage in Paris
- He conceded nine goals in a terrible defensive display
The Matildas are searching 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 get the Matildas out of the group stages at the Paris Olympics, prompting many angry Australian fans to call for his sacking.
The FA said in a statement that the decision not to extend Gustavsson’s patchy reign was mutual.
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 team and the US women’s national team.
Gustavsson opted to see out the final year of her contract with Australia and in a cruel twist of fate, it was the USA who all but ended the Matildas’ Olympic medal hopes in the early hours of Thursday morning by sealing a 2-1 victory.
Australia clung to hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals in France as the best third-placed team, but results in the other groups counted against them.
It marks the first time in 24 years that Australia has failed to reach the knockout stages of the Games.
The FA’s decision to act quickly was made in an effort to attract the highest calibre candidate, although the most likely local contender – former Melbourne Victory coach Joe Montemurro – recently signed a deal with French club Lyon.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson’s time with the team ended after the Australians failed to make it past the group stage at the Paris Games (pictured, Gustavsson receives a yellow card during his team’s loss to the US on Thursday morning)
The Swede’s contract with Football Australia will not be renewed after his impressive performance at the Olympics, it was announced on Thursday.
The Matilda stars learned of Gustavsson’s departure from the team shortly after losing to América.
The FA hopes hosting the 2026 Asian Cup will also strengthen its chances of attracting a top coach.
Gustavsson informed his players of his departure after the defeat against the United States.
Her departure marks the end of a period in which women’s football in Australia has seen an explosion in popularity following the Matildas’ 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 side and backing Mackenzie Arnold as her first-choice goalkeeper.
Those success stories are tempered by concerns about their over-reliance on Australia’s golden generation, their inability to expand squad depth and the fact that the Matildas have struggled to develop a discernible style to match the world’s best.
Gustavsson did not move to Australia during his tenure as Matildas coach and it remains to be seen whether the FA will make that a prerequisite for any of his potential replacements.