Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni has delivered a scathing criticism of theA-League Womencompetition’s professionalism and says Australian football remains “grossly underinvested” in the women’s game.
That the league is not yet fully professional is particularly “irritating” for Sermanni, given the blockbuster success of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Every player in theMatildassquad has played in the ALW at some point, including six players currently in the domestic league.
Speaking ahead ofFriday’s international friendly against Argentina, Sermanni, typically a happy-go-lucky character, unleashed both barrels.
“We really need to have, at A-League level, a real rethink,” he said.
“The league has been going for 17 years. When we started the league, and the coaches came from our institute programs, we had full-time coaches and more full-time staff than we have now, 17 years in.
“The A-League separated five years ago and what we have done since then is we’ve got home and away, which is an improvement, but we are still grossly underinvested in the women’s game here.
“I don’t know if there’s a thought process going forward about where they want to take the league or what they want to do. But there’s a huge amount of work that actually needs to be done.
“It’s even more irritating, when you think how we had the most successful World Cup ever two years ago, and A-League Women are in the situation that they’re in now, it’s just not good enough.”
The ALW, formerly W-League, started in 2008.
“At that time, our league was the forefront of women’s leagues, to be perfectly honest,” Sermanni said.
“It’s still very important, and coaches, staffs and players are doing exceptionally well. But the league itself is in need of significant improvement in its professionalism.
“There are three clubs that are suitably staffed – that’s Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix. And the rest of the clubs are completely inadequately staffed. Players get 35-week contracts now.
“A league has just started in Canada – football wise, we’re well in advance of Canada – where the base salary is twice what our basic salary is, where there’s full-time staff, full-time players.
“And we are still trying to produce players when we have a space of three months where the club has got no contact, no control, no reference point for the players, to actually keep them and know what’s happening.”
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Professional Footballers Australia has warned of the potential for a “player drain” from the ALW and its effect on developing Matildas if the league isn’t fully professionalised.
The PFA’s chief executive, Beau Busch, reiterated professionalisation needed to happen by the 2026-27 season to capitalise on next year’s Asian Cup.
“Setting that as our target and achieving it will prevent us falling further behind as global standards continue to rise at pace,” he said.
The Australian Professional Leagues have been contacted for comment.
In Canada’s Northern Super League, where new Matildas call-up Kahli Johnson plays, the minimum wage is A$56,000, more than double the ALW’s $26,000, with a salary cap of A$1.8m compared to $600,000.
Sermanni will coach the Matildas for the 150th time across three stints in Friday night’s clash with Argentina at Marvel Stadium, with Central Coast’s Emily Husband and Western United’s Kat Smith among his assistants.
Arsenal trio Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross are unlikely to start after only arriving in camp on Wednesday night after their Women’s Champions League triumph.