Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster has given a coy response when gauged on his interest in the vacant Matildas head coaching position.
Football Australia confirmed after the Matildas bowed out of the Paris Olympics in the group stages they had reached a mutual agreement with Tony Gustavsson to not renew his contract for the next four-year cycle.
Foster was put on the spot about potentially replacing Gustavsson when speaking to Nine’s Today on Thursday morning.
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Craig Foster gave a coy reaction when asked his interest in the vacant head coach position with the Matildas. Nine/Getty
“Nah, look,” Foster began through a massive grin before stumbling over his words.
The reaction prompted laughter from the desk and from Foster, and when pushed further he still didn’t shut down the suggestion entirely.
“Don’t be cheeky, don’t be cheeky … maybe ambassador, something like that. That’d be enough.”
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FA boss James Johnson told AAP this week he would consult the players while hunting for the next coach, but stated final say in the decision would remain with FA.
“We need the players involved. That’s important,” Johnson said.
“The players don’t make the decisions. We make the decisions.
Former Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson. Getty
“But I think the more we can understand the players’ perspective of what went well and what didn’t go well, what they want to maintain, what they don’t (the better), and then it’s for us to decide how much of that is relevant.
“Certainly listening to the players is going to be important, and we’re going to do that.
“But ultimately we will make the call, and we will make the call on what we believe is in the best interest of this team going forward.”
While the revelation was met with a mixed response – some questioning why players would need to be consulted – it’s a strategy Foster agrees with.
“I think that’s totally appropriate,” he said.
“(The players) should be able to advise as to where we are, what we’re missing and the sort of candidates we’re looking at.
“They need someone at the very top, that’s for sure.”
The next four year cycle will include the 2026 Asian Cup, the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
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