Matildas turn to Sermanni as interim boss after Olympic stumble

Tom Sermanni has been named interim coach of the Matildas as Australia's women's football program shifts direction following a dispiriting finish at the Paris Olympics.

The 70-year-old Scot takes over from Tony Gustavsson, whose four-year tenure concluded in disappointment when the team failed to escape the group phase at the Games. The appointment has drawn immediate backing from veteran defender Alanna Kennedy, who has been coached by Sermanni twice before during her international career.

Kennedy, 29, received her first Matildas cap from Sermanni in 2012 — a span of 12 years — and later played under him at Orlando Pride in the United States. With 127 caps added to that debut, the Manchester City defender now stands as a senior voice in the squad, making her endorsement significant.

"He's a great coach and an even better person," Kennedy told AAP. "I'm looking forward to working with him again. He obviously knows women's football really well across the board, but also in Australia. I'm sure he knows what's required for him in an interim role. I can't say many more great things about him. He is just such a legend."

The Paris disappointment represents a clear break from Australia's recent major tournament record. The Matildas reached the top four at the previous Olympics and the World Cup that followed, evidence of sustained improvement over successive campaigns. This Olympic exit marks an unexpected reversal, and Kennedy acknowledged the need to learn from the setback.

"Obviously the Olympics didn't go as well as we had planned for and there's a lot to learn from that tournament," she said. "But we can't forget the success we've had – we finished in the top four in the previous Olympics and the World Cup just gone as well. Consistently across the board in those major tournaments we've improved a lot over the years, and the Olympics just wasn't our tournament."

Kennedy also stressed that the timing of this transition offers the squad breathing room. With no major tournament on the immediate horizon, the team can reset and rebuild under new leadership. "There is a bit of change coming, so I think for us we just have to embrace that and see what the next few months have in store," she said. "We won't have a major tournament for a while now so it's a good time for us to transition."

Sermanni's interim tenure begins this month with away fixtures against Switzerland and Germany, providing early tests as the team recalibrates after the Games.

Off the field, Matildas players are developing experience at elite European clubs. Manchester City, featuring Kennedy and Mary Fowler, have reached the Champions League group stages and will compete against holders Barcelona, along with Austrian side St Pölten and Swedish club Hammarby. Kennedy expressed optimism about how these club experiences will strengthen the national team.

"We have a lot of players playing in great teams across the world," Kennedy said. "The experiences that people are getting at their clubs — and there's a lot of players who get to play together at club as well — are hopefully going to benefit us as a national team."