Matildas friendlies in June 2026

[rebelliousfeminist974]

No room for Gomez? Amazing

Izzy Gomez can also be fielded by the Matildas in midfield and the expectation is that she'll be a regular part of the playing list going forward.

 

[Decentric]

If the last four Matildas head coaches have all seen value in Emily van Egmond in her current form then clearly there are problems with the selection policy as we have much better options in midfield like Shelby McMahon, Peta Trimis and Leticia McKenna to name a few.

I don’t like using this card, but it may be the case that both Joe M, and Popa, have insights into players’ skill sets and fitting into team game plans, that many fans, devoid of professional coach education, can’t have.

Players with searing pace, high levels of technique in dribbling, and running with the ball, or even a consistent crash tackler, are easier to identify.

EVE might be adept at covering for teammates out of position, more proactive in supporting the ball carrier, have superior vision and game sense. These traits are harder to identify.

 

[libelous]

I don’t like using this card, but it may be the case that both Joe M, and Popa, have insights into players’ skill sets and fitting into team game plans, that many fans, devoid of professional coach education, can’t have.

Players with searing pace, high levels of technique in dribbling, and running with the ball, or even a consistent crash tackler, are easier to identify.

EVE might be adept at covering for teammates out of position, more proactive in supporting the ball carrier, have superior vision and game sense. These traits are harder to identify.

I don’t doubt that coaches see things that we armchair critics don’t but at the end of the day fans want to see results.
My question is how long will they wait before the shine fades.

 

[HonestSpursFan]

No room for Gomez? Amazing

Could put her in Dani Galić’s position and then put Dani as a second striker.

 

[Decentric]

I don’t doubt that coaches see things that we armchair critics don’t but at the end of the day fans want to see results.
My question is how long will they wait before the shine fades.

I thought the Matildas played well with the ball, but Mexico were very good without it. They forced Aus mistakes.

 

[HonestSpursFan]

Exactly, so why did we wait so long for go nowhere?

Football Australia were adamant on getting Joe Montemurro. “Pepe will be our coach” they said without saying it. However, he was still on contract with Lyon till the end of the season. That Lyon team could win stuff without a coach because they’re so dominant in French football, but he only won the league that season (usually nobody else wins domestic trophies there). Therefore, by Lyon’s standards they had a poor season even though they went unbeaten domestically. Lyon under him also got knocked out by Arsenal in the Champions League after bottling a lead.

Anyway, after the season he left the Lyon job and took the Matildas job, as they planned. We already knew he’d get the job, it was written in the stars and interviewers even addressed him to the players as “the new head coach”. Tom Sermanni as interim got poor results but at least we rotated the squad and picked bigger and more youthful squads. I’ve got no idea why, but FA were adamant that the coach be an Aussie, even though it’s quite normal for national teams to have foreign coaches (Tom Sermanni is Scottish and Tony Gustavsson is Swedish for example).

Either way, while it seemed like a good pick, since he has heaps of coaching experience at top European sides, it ended up being a poor one. Not necessarily because he plays terrible football, but because he’s so uncreative with his squad selections and lineups, plus he doesn’t make enough subs. We play well with Aussie spirit at tournaments but otherwise we struggle when we shouldn’t. The players have immense talent: we’ve got the best right back in the world, one of the best strikers of all time, one of the best young midfielders, four European champions, three world champions, etc. But combine that experience with the next generation and you’ve got a winning team.

 

[HonestSpursFan]

I thought the Matildas played well with the ball, but Mexico were very good without it. They forced Aus mistakes.

I don’t think our attacks were enough. There was one instance in which we should’ve easily scored and didn’t because nobody was there to get the ball.

 

[Sutherlandbear]

23,167 @Newcastle.

 

[ashtongate]

I don’t like using this card, but it may be the case that both Joe M, and Popa, have insights into players’ skill sets and fitting into team game plans, that many fans, devoid of professional coach education, can’t have.

Players with searing pace, high levels of technique in dribbling, and running with the ball, or even a consistent crash tackler, are easier to identify.

EVE might be adept at covering for teammates out of position, more proactive in supporting the ball carrier, have superior vision and game sense. These traits are harder to identify.

Of course! Football fans know absolutely nothing about football!
They are such simpletons!
Thanks for your insights decentric.

 

[libelous]

Good crowd in Newcastle last night.It is a pity the Matildas was so poor.It was noticeable when Montemurro was talking to the squad post game several looked stony faced and when he finished Carpenter rolled her eyes and pulled a face.Is there some problem between the coach and the old guard.

That’s all the more reason to show the players, new and old, that selection is not automatically guaranteed.