'I don't think we've planned for the future': Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni's alarming claim
Tom Sermanni fears the lack of forward planning for the Matildas development will place a cloud of uncertainty over his unknown successor as a new look team prepares to face Chinese Taipei.
Sermanni is set to field a number of local talents against Chinese Taipei with the absence of several regular starters opening space for others to gain experience on the international stage.
The creation of the core Matildas playing group was a key focus of former coach Tony Gustavsson but the depth of talent in the development program was rarely used.
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Just 14 of Gustavsson's 23-member squad was fielded for more than 30 minutes when the Matildas hosted the World Cup last year.
Sermanni has been left without the likes of Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord for the upcoming friendlies, who have all returned to club duties in England.
Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso, Alanna Kennedy, Teagan Micah and Courtney Nevin are also unavailable for the matches, while Tottenham duo Clare Hunt and Charlie Grant will only feature in the first match.
Looking to fix the errors visible in the back-to-back defeats to Brazil, Sermanni declared his desire to provide greater opportunities for inexperienced players to learn what it takes to compete on the international stage.
"When you become a coach, you just get used to dealing with whatever you have to deal with," Sermanni said.
"The Matildas have had a very consistent squad for four years and what's happened with that is it hasn't allowed opportunities for other players.
"One of the key things as a national team coach is you've got to play for the present but plan for the future. And I think, in all fairness, I don't think we've planned for the future well enough.
"So part of the task for me and whoever comes in on a permanent basis, has to be that we're doing a little bit of balance of both.
"That encompasses looking at other players [while] trying to balance everything else, getting results, good performances, all those types of things.
Matildas Interim Head Coach, Tom Sermanni. Getty
"One of my aims this week is to give opportunities to as many players that I can do.
"But I don't want to make any guarantees about that, because a football match goes in many different ways, and you're never quite sure what's going to happen.
"We do need to look at expanding the competition within what I would call the Matildas program."
Sermanni's effort to build depth in the Matildas squad comes ahead of the team's home Asian Cup campaign in 2026, which will not be led by the Scottish-born interim coach.
However his intent to ensure a level of "continuity" from his tenure to his successor is one he hopes will see newly elevated players resume their roles in the green and gold jersey.
"I'm here as the interim coach and I will be here as the interim coach for as long or as short as the FA need me in this position, it is as simple as that," he said.
"Hopefully there is continuity [between my tenure and the future coach]. I think that is important.
"When I step away, the coach that comes in, he or she will hopefully rely on the staff that are here, as well as perhaps bringing in their own staff.
"But I think that part of the continuity is important for the program.
"If you look at the overall picture, I think what's very important in a job like the Matildas job, is that the head coach comes in and is not just simply a head coach of one team, but that they're the head coach of the Matildas program.
"That encompasses a lot of other roles, apart from just doing the national team.
"Hopefully, whoever that person is, comes in and will, or should certainly, rely on the expertise that's already here."
The Matildas will face Chinese Taipei at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Wednesday night.
