Matildas coach fumes over speculation he is set to join a rival nation, but refuses to commit to Australia beyond Paris Olympics
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson says he is 'not too happy' with the attention being drawn to him amid speculation over his future. He reiterated his commitment to qualify his team for next year's Olympics, without confirming he would be in Paris.
Speaking for the first time since being linked with the role of head coach of the Swedish men's team ahead of the two-year-ending clashes in Canada, where a host of new faces will be given a chance, Gustavsson said he had spoken to his players about the reports.
While he tried to deflect questions on the matter, he was confident that their professionalism and ambition would ensure that speculation about his own future would not distract them from their goal.
Gustavsson, who is under contract with the Matildas until the Paris Games, would be one of the three final candidates to fill the vacant role for a team that has slips among the Socceroos in the FIFA world rankings.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson isn't happy that the conversation is centered around him and not his team as they prepare to take on Canada
The Matildas shocked Canada at the Women's World Cup and the Canadians will be looking for revenge at home this weekend
Gustavsson has been linked with a possible move to become national coach of the Swedish men in 2024
Several players have stated in recent days that the 'buzz' surrounding Gustavsson would have no impact on them, and without explaining where his future lay outside Paris, the Matildas boss said they were all aware such speculation was part of the affairs of the world game.
Gustavsson also did not commit to being in charge after February's Olympic play-off with Uzbekistan.
“That's part of the business, especially when you have players or coaches whose contracts expire in 12 months,” Gustavsson said.
'There will always be speculation (about) what next? Whether there is a dialogue with the Australian FA about an extension or whether he moves on to this or this job.
'I have to thank all of you (media) for all the work you do and especially with the interest in this team, the interest in this team will only continue to grow, which means there will always be speculation as to whether it is me or a player.
'What I want to be clear about here, which is important to me, is that my sole focus is on the Matildas and whether they can qualify for the Olympics – and we have unfinished business with this team.
“And I've said that from day one, and I know there will always be people who interpret that quote differently and speculate about it.
“But the one thing I want to be very, very clear about is that I am extremely passionate about working with this team. I love this team.'
Gustavsson said he had a “very, very, very close relationship with the players” and made sure he discussed the reports with them, aware that he was coming to grips with anything that “could disrupt our performance.”
“One thing would be speculation about the coach's future,” he said.
'We are always open about everything and what I really like about this team is the professionalism.
“They say, 'It's part of the business.' Let's move on, let's prepare for the Olympics.' This is about the next training and the next match and that is what we are focused on.
'One of the main reasons why we perform so well at the World Cup is that as a team they are extremely connected on everything and we look inward and not outward. The players and I are focusing 100% on the Olympic Games.
“The only thing I might not like is that this is about the players, not Tony, and I'm not too happy about the focus being so much on me.”
The loss of Gustavsson would be a major blow to the Matildas after his attempts to elevate them to a world power
The Australian coach is contracted to manage the Matildas until the end of the Paris Olympics but will not be contracted beyond that point
Without a host of injured players, including captain Sam Kerr, who was ruled out with a foot injury, and No. 1 goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, Gustavsson said the two clashes with the Olympic champions could help introduce more players to international football and strengthen the selection of his team. depth.
“You're going to see a lot of new faces in this first game. We really need to seize this opportunity and have the courage to do it,” he said.
'We are now in a process where we have to test players to see who can earn a place in the Olympic squad, but also test things and what we do now in terms of developing our playing style.
“To do that against a top-flight team is a perfect opportunity for us and I don't want to miss that period.”
The Matildas will play the first game on Saturday afternoon, followed by a second game in Vancouver on December 5.
Canada v Matildas
Game 1
Date: Friday 1 December 2023 (local) / Saturday 2 December (AEDT)
Kick-off: 7:30 PM PST (local) / 2:30 PM (AEDT)
Location: Starlight Stadium, Langford
Game 2
Date: Tuesday 5 December 2023 (local) / Wednesday 6 December (AEDT)
Kick-off: 7:00 PM PST (local) / 2:00 PM (AEDT)
Location: BC Place, Vancouver