The man with a bun at Jill Ellis' side at the 2019 World Cup is to be at the helm of the Matildas until 2023.
Almost 15 months after enjoying the US women's national team victory at the 2019 World Cup in France as assistant to Jill Ellis, it appears that 47-year-old Tony Gustavsson is soon to be named as coach of the Matildas.
Since the World Cup – where he gained some notoriety for his 'man bun' – Gustavsson has worked with GIF Sundsvall and Hammarby in the Swedish league, where he also had a 16-year playing career interrupted by one year with the Orlando Lions in the USA.
Reports suggest that the appointment of Gustavsson is likely to be met favourably by most players, with senior Matildas said to strongly prefer Gustavsson over the other shortlisted candidate, Italy's Carolina Morace. Gustavsson was favoured by players and some members of the appointment committee headed by Board member Remo Nogarotto, while Morace, who currently lives in Perth, was favoured by leading figures in women's football locally, including another Board member.
While one might debate whether, or the extent to which, players should have a say in a coaching appointment, Gustavsson nonetheless has solid credentials to lead the Matildas at a home World Cup.
He was one of the three candidates for Jill Ellis' job in 2014 after the Football Ferns now coach (and former Matildas coach), Tom Sermanni, was fired by US Soccer. Ellis hired Gustavsson as her assistant, having worked with him previously, and was highly regarded by Ellis and the players for his tactical nous.
As well as back-to-back World Cup wins, Gustavsson worked with the US women's team as assistant to compatriot Pia Sundhage, winning an Olympic Gold Medal at London 2012. Sundhage is now coach of Brazil.
Critics, however, suggest that being assistant coach to the “world's greatest sporting team” makes his former role one of the easiest jobs in the world.
Gustavsson had his first women's coaching role in 2012 with Sweden's Tyresö FF with the team winning a first division title and reaching the UEFA Champions League final in 2014, losing to Wolfsburg 4-3. Tyresö FF lost its license the following year after becoming insolvent – the type of experience that might make him particularly suited to the vicissitudes of Australian football.
He was also considered one of the favourites to take over from Ellis, but US Soccer announced the appointment of former Reign FC coach, Vlatko Andonovski, to the role in October last year.
The announcement is exepcted to see Gustavsson guide the Matildas for the Tokyo (2021) and Paris (2024) Olympic Games, as well as the Asian Cup in 2022 and the World Cup in 2023 to be played in Australia and New Zealand.
The Matildas, who have been on full pay from FFA during the COVID shutdown, are expected to have a training camp in November with Gustavsson at the helm.
Gustavsson talks to the players while Jill Ellis looks on during the World Cup semi-final between England and USA in 2019