Joe Montemurro believes it's time for Australian soccer to stop putting itself down. The Matildas coach has backed former national team boss Alen Stajcic's recent comments about the game's self-destructive tendencies in Australia.
"I've said this from day one - sometimes we put ourselves down for no reason," Montemurro told reporters in Adelaide. "We just think we're so far behind and have this inferiority complex about the rest of the football world."
The comments come as the Matildas prepare to host New Zealand in Adelaide on Tuesday night. This friendly marks their final match before next March's Asian Cup, adding extra significance to both the performance and the surrounding conversations.
Australian Soccer's Internal Struggle
Stajcic, who coached the Matildas from 2014 until his controversial sacking in 2019, didn't mince words about the state of Australian soccer. Now leading Western Sydney in the A-League Men, he described the situation vividly: "We're infighting all the time. We're like two seagulls fighting over one chip."
Montemurro strongly agreed with this assessment. He pointed to Australia's impressive global footprint as evidence the nation should have more confidence in its soccer prowess.
"We've got coaches all around the world. We've got top players all around the world at top clubs," he emphasized. "So we must be doing something right and we should be celebrating that."
Building Toward Asian Cup Success
Following Tuesday's friendly, Montemurro's focus will shift to maintaining communication with Matildas players as they return to their clubs. This coordination becomes crucial with Australia hosting the Asian Cup next year – a tournament where expectations will be high.
"What we've tried to do is stabilize the playing squad and staff," Montemurro explained. "It's what we do from now with the players going back to their clubs – the information we give them, how we monitor them, their physical load."
For bettors looking ahead to the Asian Cup, this stability could be significant. A settled squad with clear direction typically performs more consistently, potentially making the Matildas a more reliable proposition in tournament markets.
Despite missing stars like Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler at various points over the past two years, Montemurro remains confident in the team's foundation. He believes the quality of competition his players face at club level will maintain the national team's strength.
"They're plying their trade in big clubs, in big competitions," he said. "As long as they're at that level, we'll always have a healthy national team."
Tuesday's clash against New Zealand offers punters a final opportunity to assess the Matildas' form before the Asian Cup. Watch for signs of the unity and confidence that Montemurro is trying to instill – it could be the difference-maker in their upcoming campaign.
