Tony Gustavsson departs as Matildas coach as fans call out Mary Fowler detail at Olympics

On the back of the worst Olympic Games performance in Matildas history, Football Australia (FA) and Tony Gustavsson have mutually parted ways. Just hours after the Matildas 2-1 loss to the USA knocked them out of the Olympics, FA announced the Swede - whose contract was set to expire in September - would not be given a new contract.

Gustavsson has already informed the Matildas squad that he will no longer be their coach after their campaign came to an end in Marseille, spelling the end of his four years in charge of the Australian women's side. FA said in a statement that the decision to not extend Gustavsson's up-and-down reign was mutual.

“Gustavsson has been an integral part of the Matildas journey over the past four years," FA CEO James Johnson said. “We thank him for his strong contribution, passion and commitment during that time and wish him every success for the future.

“While our Olympic Games campaign has ended, we are proud of the commitment of our players and staff. The Matildas have shown spirit and resilience throughout the qualification run and the tournament in France.

“This group of players have over the past four years made a significant impact on Australian football and we are looking forward to the next four-year cycle of the team. As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we will conduct a thorough review of the campaign as we do with all our national teams following the conclusion of tournaments and each cycle.

“This review will identify areas for improvement and ensure we are well-prepared for future challenges. The process for the recruitment of the Matildas head coach will also commence immediately,”

The 50-year-old's future has been a hot topic since last year's Women's Women World Cup on home soil after he was linked with the Swedish men's side and the US women's national team. Gustavsson opted to see out the final year of his deal with Australia and in a cruel twist of fate it was the US who all-but ended the Matildas' Olympics medal hopes in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Australia clung to hope they could squeak through to the quarter-finals in France as a best third-place finisher. But the loss - coupled with Canada's win over Colombia - left the Matildas as one of four teams eliminated in the group stage due to their poor goal-differential. A Colombia win or draw would have seen the Matildas advance on three points, but it was the Canadians moving on instead.

Throughout Gustavsson's reign as Matildas coach his tactics and rotation of players have been a constant source of criticism, and it was no different during the Olympics. With superstar captain Sam Kerr out injured, Gustavsson opted to move Fowler from her usual role in midfield to act as a lone striker in France, choosing a defensive-minded formation.

Matildas coach didn't really use Mary Fowler properly

The use of Fowler has been widely savaged, and she looked completely lost out of her usual role in the midfield. When Gustavsson injected Michelle Heyman up front and moved Alanna Kennedy forward, Fowler went back to the midfield and the team looked so much better.

On Wednesday night, Kennedy scored after a nice header from Heyman and went agonisingly close to a leveller, but couldn't make contact with her head after a brilliant cross. It left angry fans questioning why Heyman hadn't been starting every game - rather than persisting with Fowler up front.

Gustavsson heaped praise on his players after the heartbreaking exit. “There has never been a question mark on any single player when it comes to commitment or wanting to give it 100 per cent,” he said.

“What we have talked about is the form going into this tournament, considering the amount injuries we had in the six months and the lack of club minutes and maybe also the lack of games against top ranked opposition. We’ve done everything we can to control the controllables and make the team as ready as possible.”

Gustavsson made the staggering admission after their opening loss to Germany that his side weren't ready. “We feel the form now is actually better then when the tournament started, it is almost like club land when you are in pre-season – the first couple of games you need to grow into it and I think the performance tonight shows that we are definitely ready for this type of opposition," he said.

From Adam Lucius of Yahoo Sport Australia:

Football Australia will conduct its usual post-tournament review into the debacle and coach Tony Gustavsson will be the first casualty. The Swede’s tactics and team selections were bewildering at times, as were some of his statements.

The Matildas have wanted for nothing since their World Cup heroics transfixed a nation in 2023. Their every whim – from transport, accommodation, staff and facilities – has been met by an infatuated Football Australia, keen to ride the Tillies train for all it's worth. For Gustavsson not to have the Matildas ready from the off is unforgivable.

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Football moves on quickly and the Matildas' World Cup achievement last year is now very much in the rear-view mirror. There's a growing belief they have become more about style than substance.

Former Socceroo Robbie Slater reflected the views of many when he wrote: "Here’s an idea - how about the Matildas concentrate on playing football and forget about the off-field hype. While it’s all well and good talking about ‘legacy’ and ‘brand’, the best way to build ‘legacy’ and ‘brand’ is by winning."

FA’s greatest challenge is to ensure the hype around the Matildas remains and is turned into something tangible on the field – and soon. Losing is a killer at the box office – no matter how many cute social media campaigns and shopping centre appearances you make.