So today I'm roaring, on what I think is one of the most interesting questions heading into
Germany, what will happen to Lisa De Vanna?
You can read the story here, but what's even more interesting is the media release that Perth Glory
issued yesterday with the W-League team for 2010/11.
In it, coach John Gibson explained his decision not to re-sign the Westfield Matildas pocket
rocket.
A 2-1 defeat to current FIFA World Cup winners Germany is certainly not a bad thing, but I think
the most interesting point to come from this is just how different it was from playing in Asia. Cue
Kate Gill's comments,
"The football here is very different to Asian Football. They are more physical in Europe," she
said.
The Matildas have a busy month ahead of them, with the Peace Cup in Korea and then a friendly
against Germany in Germany on October 28. Yes, that's right, Germany, the second best women's team
in the world. What a test that will be.
Here are the players that went into camp today at the Australian Insititute of Sport in Canberra
-
Emma Wirkus (Adelaide), Victoria Balomenos (Adelaide), Collette McCallum (Perth), Sam Kerr (Perth),
Laura Alleway (Brisbane), Karla Reuter (Brisbane), Kim Carroll (Brisbane), Clare Polkinghorne
(Brisbane), Amy Chapman (Brisbane), Brooke Spence (Brisbane), Joanne Burgess (Brisbane), Elise
Kellond-Knight (Gold Coast), Casey Dumont (Gold Coast), Aivi Luik (Gold Coast), Tameka Butt (Gold
Coast), Melissa Barbieri (Melbourne), Lydia Williams (Canberra), Emily Van Egmond (Canberra), Sally
Shipard (Canberra), Caitlin Munoz (Canberra), Ellie Brush (Albury), Kyah Simon (Sydney), Thea
Slatyer (Sydney), Kylie Ledbrook (Sydney), Leena Khamis (Sydney), Teigen Allen (Penrith/Sydney),
Michelle Heyman (Sydney), Ellyse Perry (Sydney), Danielle Brogan (Sydney), Caitlin Foord
(Sydney)
Head Coach: Tom Sermanni, Asssistant Coach: Robbie Hooker, Goalkeeper coach: Paul Jones
Obviously this camp is missing all those Matildas who do ply their trade overseas, Sarah Walsh,
Heather Garriock, Katie Gill, Lisa de Vanna (who if you didn't already notice, has been splashed
across news today for all the wrong reasons) and Lauren Colthorpe.
So apologies again for the sporadic posting that has become a trademark at GirlsWithGame. But here
is my compromise, in the lead-up to the W-League, a monthly wrap of all the happenings and then
from November a more consistent focus on the W-League. Heading into next year's FIFA Women's World
Cup, it's going to be a cracker of a season.
So news today is that the 2010/11 season of the W-League will start on November 5 and will another
10-round competition, but without the Central Coast Mariners.
First of all, it's hardly a surprise, given that Football NSW and NSWIS were supporting two teams
(Sydney FC and the Mariners) and the Mariners girls were actually based in Sydney, not at all near
Gosford like their men's counterpart.
So now the World Cup is on and all of Australia's focus is on the Socceroos, although, after the
first game, I think there is probably a few broken hearts around the country. But anyway, what is
means is that the Matildas are out of the worldwide spotlight.
But that doesn't mean girls have to be completely, and it's today I'm going to ask you to do a
little something for me, and sign up to the 1GOAL campaign.
So this time last week the Matildas were just about to get their hands on Australia's first ever
Asian Cup, and since then they've been able to soak-up a little of the spotlight. Here is my
round-up of the best stories that appeared in the last week.
One of my all-time favourite writers Greg Baum, tackles the entire issue of Matildas and other
women's media with perfect prose.
WAIT...stop there for just a minute...I know what you are thinking, it's just another rant about
the Matildas should be getting more media coverage. But my point is different.
I think it's about time they stopped whining about it and did something instead.
Now, don't jump straight to the comments, just let me explain myself.
Wow, what a final, for a host of reasons and not all of them good. (Um, did you see the pitch? More
like a swamp), but this is how the final moments of the AFC Womens Asian Cup in Chengdu went.
After tied of 90minutes of normal time, then another 30minutes of super-painful extra-time, no-one
could have made playing in that torrential rain and the swamp easy, it all came down to penalties.
Anyone else notice anything different in that pre-match interview? Umm, yes. Where is your mo and
silver locks Tom? It seems they have been the victim of the Matildas success.
Thanks to Sal Shipard's insight here, Sermanni made the promise that the girls could get rid of
said moustache and dye his hair if they qualified for the World Cup, so hello Germany, goodbye
facial hair!
So it's almost time, in just a little under an hour we'll be able to find out whether this Matildas
team can make a little history of its own. Which is all pretty amazing really when we think about
where the Matildas have been since the last Asian Cup, there has been retirements of legends and
plenty more who had a break from the game, but also a new women's league in Australia and with it
more games and more time for the new generation to develop.
It was close, it was sometimes scrappy and sometimes brilliant, but Katie Gill's half-time goal was
just enough last night to clinch the Matildas place in the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup final and
with it, a place in next year's FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany.
So yay for that! Great effort girls!
Oops-a-daisy, but unfortunately this whole travelling through Canada thing hasn't helped when it
comes to regular internet access. Luckily I've been able to catch-up on all the Matildas news
thanks to kind people who have emailed me, but if you missed it, here is a recap.
What happened in their Group B matches?
So the Matildas kickstarted their 2010 AFC Asian Women's Cup with a win! And even more interesting,
in the other match in Group B, Korea Republic and China played out a 0-0 draw. That has two great
benefits, that Australia already have three points while the two teams they really have to beat to
get into the finals only has one and the Matildas already have a better goal difference.
The latest news on the squad that is set to start the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup opener for
Australia is this, Lydia Williams in goal, Melissa Barbieri on the bench. Defender Thea Slatyer
will wear the captain's armband. And two wonderful stories in that Aivi Luik will play, completing
the journey she set out to when she came back to Australia from America at the end of last year,
with a goal to get into the Matildas, and so will Sally Shipard, who is back on the international
stage after a two-year-break and a W-League season where she signed for Canberra United but
couldn't play at all due to an international transfer hold-up.