TOM Sermanni, the Glaswegian who has been head coach of the Australian women’s team (twice) and the United States, will not be Anna Signeul’s successor.
Applications for the post closed on Friday evening without Sermanni having declared an interest. The 62-year-old, who played for Albion Rovers, Blackpool, Torquay and Dunfermline before moving to Australia in 1983, is head coach of Orlando Pride, who play in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Had Sermanni been younger, and not gainfully employed in Florida, it might have been different. While not widely known in his home country, he did an excellent job for Australia, putting the pathways in place to develop young players and leading the side to successive World Cup quarter-finals in 2007 and 2011.
He was then recruited by the United States at the start of 2013. The team went through the year undefeated with 13 wins and three draws but despite this he was abruptly dismissed in 2014 following two defeats in the Algarve Cup tournament.
Sermanni, who was a consultant to Canada at the 2015 World Cup, was badly treated, but now has one of the best club jobs in the world. In the circumstances it’s easy to understand his decision not to take on one last big challenge.
Ironically, when Sermanni left the Australia post for the second time one of the favourites to replace him was Signeul – but she declined the job interview and stayed loyal to Scotland.
IT was disappointing to note that Kim Little didn’t feature on the shortlist of 55 players for FIFPro’s 2016 World XI. The international players’ union do a superb job in protecting the interests of professional footballers – but on this occasion they have got it wrong.
It’s not narrow parochialism to state that Little should be on the list. Coaching staff and players at her former club Seattle Reign, including goalkeeper Hope Solo, have acknowledged Little’s status as one of the world’s leading midfielders.
I suspect her omission owes more to the fledgling and haphazard nature of FIFPro’s voting system than this being a realistic appraisal of the best 55 women players on the planet. This is only the second year of the World XI, so hopefully voting modifications will be introduced over time.
It will also help Little in the next ballot that she will have a higher international profile thanks to Euro 2017.
CONGRATULATIONS to Boroughmuir Thistle, who have organised a football festival today as part of their 10-year celebrations. It was thanks to the club that Willie Kirk (Bristol City) and Chris Roberts (Hibs) got their first coaching opportunities in women’s football.
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