If an experimental Matildas team’s 6-0 thrashing of Taiwan was Tom Sermanni’s final game in charge, then the interim coach will depart his post believing he has helped the team “come back to life”.
Sermanni oversaw an emphatic triumph on Saturday night with six different Matildas finding the target on the night they said farewell to departing great Clare Polkinghorne in front of 30,097 fans at GMHBA Stadium.
A permanent coach is likely to be in place when they’re next in action at February’s SheBelieves Cup against Japan, the United States and Colombia.
But after closing out the final international window of 2024, Sermanni said he was prepared to hang around as long as Football Australia needs him – and he believes he’s built the depth required to thrive.
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“I’m still here. I haven’t been tapped on the shoulder yet, so as I’ve been doing since September, I’m just going with the flow,” he said.
“Just as long as I’m required, I’ll be here.
“This has been amazing for me. To be honest, I never dreamt that I would be sitting in this seat here, right now.
“However long it lasts, I’ll just keep going in and doing my job. So if this is the last game, then so be it. I’ll just then become a supporter in the stand.
“If the FA want me to continue, or need me to continue, I will continue.”
Veteran Scot Sermanni came into a Matildas’ environment shattered by a group-stage Paris Olympics exit, and he’s relished the players’ response.
“When I went into the team in Switzerland for the first couple of team meetings, I thought I was turning up at a funeral, if I’m being honest,” he said.
“And what I’ve seen now is, I think the team’s come back to life again and there’s a bit more noise, a bit more enthusiasm and things around the team.
“So for me, that’s really important, and hopefully that will continue.”
Sermanni has attempted to balance youth and experience and in-form attacking midfielder Tameka Yallop, 33, again starred on Saturday.
“She’s suddenly taken her game to to a level that I haven’t seen in a very, very long time,” Sermanni said.
With a plethora of big names unavailable, Sermanni made four changes to his team that had beaten Taiwan 3-1 in Melbourne.
Retiring great Polkinghorne – who had a celebration match against Brazil in Brisbane – started her record 169th and final game, while Bryleeh Henry and Davidson made their starting debuts.
Winonah Heatley started and impressed on the left side of a back-three with her willingness to progress the ball aggressively, while Emily van Egmond (two assists) showcased her creativity.
The wonderful Sharn Freier again demonstrated her daring, unpredictability and explosive speed.
Towering centre-back Tash Prior was composed all night, to go with her imposing presence at set pieces.
“Automatically, now, if I’m sitting down and reassessing at the end of the year, and if I’m looking towards the SheBelieves Cup, there’s much more competition for those 23 spots in the squad than I think there was a few months ago,” Sermanni said.
On her starting debut, Leah Davidson drew first blood, scoring her maiden goal with a terrific header in the sixth minute, before Yallop scored a belting goal five minutes later, then teed up Emily Gielnik in the 40th minute.
Remy Siemsen brilliantly set up Michelle Heyman to score in the 56th minute.
Prior scored her second header in two games in the 73rd minute, and five minutes later Freier lashed home a sixth.
Teenage goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln, 19, and Melbourne City midfielder Laura Hughes both debuted as second-half substitutes.
The special moment came in the 64th minute when Polkinghorne departed the field for a final time to a standing ovation, replaced by Jessika Nash.
She hugged Sermanni, who was also in charge when she made her debut in 2006, before heading to the bench.
“I just said to her, ‘can you believe we’re both here?’” Sermanni smiled.
© AAP