Sam Kerr in massive Matildas development as search for Tony Gustavsson's replacement ramps up

Football Australia (FA) has reached out to Matildas captain Sam Kerr and her fellow Australian teammates for their opinions about who should be the next Matildas coach. FA chief executive James Johnson revealed the recruitment process to appoint a coach to lead Australia into the home 2026 Asian Cup, the 2027 Women's World Cup and the 2028 Olympics is well and truly underway and says the Matildas playing group will play a crucial role in deciding who is selected.

The fallout from the Matildas' early exit from the Paris Games saw coach Tony Gustavsson depart amid claims he'd lost the playing group. Socceroos legend Robbie Slater also blasted the FA for their 'pampering' treatment of the Aussie women's team and has been highly critical of their preparations for Paris.

There were also claims that the relationship between the governing body and Kerr was at an all-time low. The skipper missed the Paris Games because of injury and was notably silent in terms of her social media activity during the failed campaign.

Johnson, however, not only shut down those claims but said the Matildas captain will have a "very important role to play" in regards to who is appointed the next Australian coach. "We need the players involved. That's important," FA chief executive James Johnson told AAP.

"The players don't make the decisions. We make the decisions. But I think the more we can understand the players' perspective of what went well and what didn't go well, what they want to maintain, what they don't (the better), and then it's for us to decide how much of that is relevant. Certainly listening to the players is going to be important, and we're going to do that."

There is no exact deadline in place for when a coach must be named, but FA hopes to have Gustavsson's replacement settled within the next couple of months. Former San Diego Wave coach Casey Stoney and Sydney FC mentor Ante Juric are being touted as leading contenders, with getting the best out of 30-year-old star striker Kerr of utmost importance.

When asked if FA had already asked for the opinion of Kerr on who should be appointed as the new Matildas coach, Johnson said: "Of course. I'm in touch with Sam as we speak. "She's a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, just an amazing athlete, amazing footballer and we're very, very proud of her.

"It was obviously very difficult not having Sam in Paris, but we're connected. We can't wait to welcome Sam back into the team, and yes, she'll have a very important role to play when I consult with the players moving forward on the new coach."

James Johnson throws support behind Matildas playing group

Johnson said he wasn't concerned about the increased scrutiny the Matildas have received in the last few weeks following their worst Olympics campaign since 2000 - which came after their fourth-placed finish at last year's World Cup. "They're the first ones to stand up and own the fact that the team didn't go as far as we wanted them to go in Paris. They don't make excuses," Johnson said.

"They're professionals, and they'll be part of the review. They're great like that. But look, I've worked with this team now for four and a half years, and what I can say is we have an outstanding group of individuals.

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"They're great leaders, they're great role models and they're winners, and they have a growth mindset. So I believe they'll use the challenges that we had in the Paris Olympics, and they'll use that experience to learn and get better and grow and set themselves up for success for this next cycle. That's been the feedback I've had, and that's why I will always defend this team and these players - because they're brilliant, and we need to protect them so that they're set up for success going forward."

with AAP