U.S. Soccer has narrowed its seek for the subsequent USWNT coach to a shortlist headed by three candidates: Australia head coach (and former USWNT assistant) Tony Gustavsson, Juventus Girls head coach Joe Montemurro and OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey, in accordance with sources briefed on the teaching search who weren’t licensed to talk publicly on the present standing of negotiations.
Different candidates should still be on the federation’s shortlist, however sources briefed on the search indicated these three names are thought-about to be on the prime of that record. Two sources informed The Athletic that Gustavsson is unlikely to relocate to the U.S. for the function, which may have an effect on his probabilities of being provided the job even when he’s the federation’s best choice.
U.S. Soccer declined to remark for this story.
The USWNT managerial function has been open since August, when Vlatko Andonovski and the federation parted methods after the workforce’s earliest exit ever at a World Cup within the Spherical of 16.
Gustavsson has been one of many prime candidates not solely due to the deep run from the Matildas this previous summer time, however his historical past with U.S. Soccer as a part of Jill Ellis’ teaching workers for the 2015 and 2019 World Cup wins. Ellis herself endorsed Gustavsson as “a robust candidate” for the function in an interview with ESPN earlier than Andonovski had formally left. Gustavsson is contracted with Australia by means of the 2024 Olympics.
The sticking level seems to be the federation’s need to have a head coach take a full-time strategy to the function, although there isn’t a formal requirement for a head coach to dwell in Chicago. He has largely averted commenting on being linked to the U.S. job, although he expressed a need to remain with Australia after the World Cup, assuming the federation will increase funding within the workforce.
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“I used to be additionally clear then and I need to be clear now, I need to see funding — for me to be motivated to remain as properly,” he stated this week. “We will’t be complacent and assume we’re carried out. That is the beginning and the platform. And I need to see funding.”
Montemurro could also be U.S. Soccer’s subsequent possibility. The Australian supervisor acquired his begin teaching within the males’s sport however shifted to teaching girls in his residence nation, first guiding the Melbourne Victory, then Melbourne Metropolis within the W-League, earlier than leaving for Arsenal in 2017. Arsenal gained the Girls’s Tremendous League title within the 2018-2019 season beneath his steering, and after his departure from England, he was appointed the top coach of Juventus and gained the home treble in his first yr. The membership is at present second within the Serie A standings, with an ideal 5-0-0 document to date (Roma is in first resulting from aim differential).
Montemurro signed a contract extension with Juventus forward of the beginning of this season by means of 2026. He doesn’t have expertise on the worldwide stage, both as a head coach or as an assistant.
Harvey has loads of U.S. Soccer expertise, having coached the U.S. U-20 nationwide workforce and serving as an assistant to Andonovski with the senior facet. She additionally coached Arsenal, however is finest recognized to U.S. followers for her time within the NWSL with the Reign and Utah Royals FC. Harvey is a three-time NWSL coach of the yr, and the Reign have gained the NWSL Defend 3 times with Harvey as coach. In July, the Reign and Harvey reached a two-year contract extension by means of 2025.
Of the three prime candidates, Harvey has essentially the most familiarity with the present USWNT roster and participant pool, however U.S. Soccer could also be hesitant to rent from the NWSL once more contemplating how Andovski’s time with the USWNT went.
U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker outlined the hiring course of in September, saying it could be data-driven. U.S. Soccer began with a knowledge cross that supplied a whole lot of names in a candidate pool for the federation to think about, narrowed first by a technical evaluation to find out in the event that they match the specified fashion of the USWNT. By September, Crocker and his workers had moved into an evaluation of human expertise with the record all the way down to double-digits. Sources briefed on the teaching search informed The Athletic that in-person interviews had occurred for a minimum of two candidates, which Crocker promised in September would come with each a technical and tactical evaluation, plus an extended interview in regards to the cultural match.
As soon as Crocker makes his last choice, he’ll current it to U.S. Soccer president Cindy Cone, CEO J.T. Batson and the federation’s board for approval. The federation has aimed to have the brand new coach in place forward of the ultimate FIFA window of 2023, scheduled to begin on Nov. 27. The USWNT will play China twice in December, first in Ft. Lauderdale on Dec. 2, then within the last sport of the yr in Frisco, Texas, on Dec. 5.
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(Pictures: Getty Pictures)
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