The Matildas’ next coach needs to deliver results, a top style of football and restore the team to the world’s top 10, says vice-captain Ellie Carpenter.
And the dashing defender is adamant that process can start under interim coach Tom Sermanni.
Football Australia has consulted with the Matildas’ leadership group of Sam Kerr, Steph Catley, Carpenter and Emily van Egmond, regarding the hunt for Tony Gustavsson’s successor.
That coach will be charged with the next four-year cycle, headlined by the 2026 Asian Cup, 2027 Women’s World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
The Matildas haven’t won the Asian Cup since claiming it under Sermanni in 2010, and their best finish at both the World Cup and Olympics is fourth.
“Yeah, initially we had some conversations, but at the end of the day we trust them for that process and to make the right decision,” Carpenter said.
“For us it’s simple: we want a coach that can bring the best out of all of us players to play the best football and to get results.
“We are 15th now in the world, and I think we’re not satisfied with that, and, yeah, we need to produce results in these next couple of years and this is a very important start of a massive cycle for this team.”
Experienced mentor Sermanni’s interim tenure kicks off in earnest against world number 25 Switzerland on Saturday morning (AEDT) and world number four Germany three days later.
“With Tommy being only the interim at the moment he’s voiced that he’s all-in with us, 100 per cent, and I think that’s important to have that right from the get-go,” Carpenter said.
She said she expected Australia to play with confidence and freedom against Switzerland and Germany — and return to the form that allowed them to beat top-10 nations.
“The girls really want to buy into that and get back to winning ways,” Carpenter said.
“Because we’re 15th and results for us from now onwards matter, especially leading into the World Cup with rankings.
Ellie Carpenter says Australia needs to be back inside the world’s top 10. (Getty Images: Catherine Ivill)
“So we’re out to do a job, we’re out to perform and we want to get us back in the top 10.”
Carpenter was confident winning wouldn’t come at the expense of playing exciting football.
“Football is football and sometimes you do win ugly,” she said.
“But for us, we want to play well. We want to play our style of play, the Australian way, and I think for us we’ve got to go out there and play, represent our country and get back to winning ways.
“This new fresh cycle, it’s kind of just starting from scratch.
“But it is important for us to get results. We want to win. We don’t like losing.”
Right-back Carpenter is still enjoying her football at Lyon, playing a “free role” under Australian coach Joe Montemurro.
“In my form at the moment, I’m feeling really good,” she said.
“Hopefully I can bring that form from this set-up into the national team.”
AAP