The Matildas must adapt to the philosophies of a new head coach to fire at big future tournaments, says Hayley Raso as interim boss Tom Sermanni remains unsure how long he will remain at the helm.
Australia will host the Asian Cup in March of 2026 but Sermanni won't be in charge. Two friendly losses to Brazil - a 3-1 defeat in Brisbane followed by a 2-1 loss on the Gold Coast - highlighted flaws in the team both defensively and in attack.
Fixing the issues will be paramount to winning silverware. Raso, who was outstanding in both fixtures against Brazil, was asked what the Matildas learned and what they needed to fix ahead of the Asian Cup.
"Brazil are obviously a tough opponent," she said.
"They just came second in the Olympics so we knew it wasn’t going to be easy.
"We are in a period now where we have got time. I think first and foremost it is about getting a coach in.
"After that we will probably start working on a philosophy and finding our feet but we have got time to work on those things ... before the Asian Cup.
"It’s important to get the coach in but at the same time we need to get the right appointment."
Australia will host two more friendlies against Chinese Taipei in this international window - in Melbourne on Wednesday and Geelong on Saturday - before playing in the SheBelieves Cup in the USA in February against Japan, USA and Colombia.
Sermanni said he would prepare as though he would be at the February blockbusters but was unsure whether the Chinese Taipei campaign would be his last.
"I don’t know at this stage. I am in the job and I am doing the job until such time as someone at the FA comes and says to me the time is up," he said.
"I'm quite comfortable in the interim role. The federation are looking for someone who is a longer-term person.
"The important thing from my perspective from these (friendly) games is, looking ahead, what the team might look like come Asian Cup time."
Sermanni identified decision making and a lack of finesse in the final third of the pitch as areas where the Matildas were outplayed by Brazil, but fixing it is another matter.
“You need time to get synergy between the players ” he said.
“It is about getting opportunities in a training and playing environment and that is a challenge.
“When I look back at my time (previously) as a Matildas coach we were fortunate most of the players were (based) here so you had time with them.”
Australia’s guns mostly play overseas so that time is just not available. The coach is leaving a legacy and giving the next generation a crack in the friendlies.
Sermanni liked the look of debutant Natasha Prior and midfielder Daniela Galic in the loss to Brazil on Sunday after forward Sharn Freier and Winonah Heatley, playing as a defensive midfielder, caught his eye in the first friendly.
Providing opportunities will again be on his agenda against Chinese Taipei.
"We will have eight players leave so we have a limited squad but I think it is an opportunity to look at players who have not been starters and not been in the national team to see how they play," he said.
