Matildas The Matildas Thread

[giggler99]

Sad to see her retire, But a good interview on the insights behind the senses the pressure as well as the good times of women's football.

 

[swingdog]

Sad to see her retire, But a good interview on the insights behind the senses the pressure as well as the good times of women's football.

She’s the sort of player we need complementing Kerr.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

 

[swingdog]

This stuff was floating around when Stajic was dumped and rumours were that it was part of the reason Mary Fowler's family wasn't happy about her going into Matilda's training camps. Needs to come out in the open.

Meanwhile, if you're interested in on-field action from the WCL in Europe, this is a good YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgii5f9u4YgXCeubCozbEA

Barcelona starting where they finished last season, demolishing an English team.

 

[swingdog]

More:

Toxicity and Sexual Harassment: Matilda’s only play a small role in a much larger issue

Following Lisa De Vanna’s shocking take on the toxic environment and sexual harassment present at the Matilda’s, I caught up with ‘Q’ (a pseudonym) to discuss how this cultu…

leftrightoutau.wordpress.com

 

[acm21]

Meanwhile, if you're interested in on-field action from the WCL in Europe, this is a good YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgii5f9u4YgXCeubCozbEA

Barcelona starting where they finished last season, demolishing an English team.

That's the official way to watch the games.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Quite predictably, the media types who were so outspoken in their defence of the sacking of Stajcic are nowhere to be found when it comes to De Vanna's story. Holmes and Zelic in particular should hang their heads in shame. We're still yet to find a coach who can bring the best out of the Matildas since he was given the axe in 2019.

 

[giggler99]

More:

Toxicity and Sexual Harassment: Matilda’s only play a small role in a much larger issue

Following Lisa De Vanna’s shocking take on the toxic environment and sexual harassment present at the Matilda’s, I caught up with ‘Q’ (a pseudonym) to discuss how this cultu…

leftrightoutau.wordpress.com

wow some of the quotes from that article

Appalling behavior!

 

[stax on the mull]

Its hard to put into context because Lisa De Vanna is talking about incidents from 20 years ago and you would hope the culture had changed since then but the Rhali Dobson ones would have to be quite recent - whether its from her time at W League clubs or being with the Matildas.

Lisa hasn't exactly been a saint either. I can recall she was disciplined back in 2010 for posting sexual images on social media.

Matilda soccer star Lisa De Vanna in sex outrage | The Advertiser (adelaidenow.com.au)

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Elia Santoro has been tweeting a lot about what Lisa De Vanna has been quoted as saying. I'm not fully across the relationship between Santoro (who I believe lives in Sydney) and De Vanna, but it appears to be a fairly close relationship, and it seems that what was quoted in the Daily Telegraph is still only part of the story. I think I started following her twitter account in the wake of Stajcic getting sacked by FFA, and from recollection, she was very critical of the move to oust Stajcic from the job.

 

[stax on the mull]

I wouldn't vouch that Elia Santoro follows women's football that closely. She seems to be a Sydney FC fan.

During a W-League Grand Final between Sydney FC and Perth Glory a couple of years ago she posted after Sophia Huerta scored a long range shot to open the scoring that she had to look up who she was to find out why she wasn't in the Matildas squad - then to discover that she wasn't even an Australian player - even though Huerta had already played a couple of seasons in the W-League and it was well known that Huerta was seeking to play for the US after previously representing Mexico.

 

[stax on the mull]

I wouldn't know the sexuality of all the players in the Matildas squad. Sometimes its revealed publicly by the players.

It would be complicated when you're in a team/squad where players are in sexual relationships.

With the Matildas there was also the situation where the assistant coach was the father of one of the star players.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Surely this should've come out during the Our Watch-led interrogations that claimed Stajcic's scalp. Angry lesbians covering for angry lesbians!

 

[acm21]

While it is not appropriate to discuss individual cases, we have met with Lisa De Vanna and heard her grievances, and can confirm that the specific allegations made public were not raised with us in that meeting. We have no knowledge of what steps, if any our predecessor organisation, Soccer Australia, undertook in 2001. In the event that Lisa chooses to lodge a formal complaint through the appropriate channels, we will be in a position to investigate and, if appropriate, act accordingly. The same process is open to Rhali Dobson and other former players and staff to formally bring forward any claims.

Statement from Football Australia RE allegations of historical player misconduct

In 2019, Football Australia initiated and backed the Independent Review of National Teams Management – a process whi

www.footballaustralia.com.au

 

[chazwazza]

More:

Toxicity and Sexual Harassment: Matilda’s only play a small role in a much larger issue

Following Lisa De Vanna’s shocking take on the toxic environment and sexual harassment present at the Matilda’s, I caught up with ‘Q’ (a pseudonym) to discuss how this cultu…

leftrightoutau.wordpress.com

Good article and pretty well how I assumed the Stajcic sacking played out

 

[stax on the mull]

Does that LeftRightOut article suggest it was a minority or a majority of players that got Stajcic sacked - or one player that played a vital part in convincing the others.

Stajcic was the coach and De Vanna was the captain, which would give that player an enormous amount of influence in the Matildas set up.

“[Alen] Stajcic tried to change the culture leading up to the [2019] World Cup because the girls wanted to sleep in the same beds and some were dating at the time,

“They (Matilda’s) didn’t like that he [Stajcic] was trying to change the environment into a professional one, and that’s why the girls complained and got him sacked,

“However, that has never been officially said. I think [redacted player] played a vital role in this.”

Its a slightly different narrative to the one at the time which suggested that all the players loved Stajcic, pointing to their farewell messages on social media, and that it was a couple of senior women in administration that got on the board of the FFA and convinced the others to sack Stajcic.

Those quotes in the article come from an anonymous figure called Q (as if we already have enough Q craziness) who is apparently

"closely tied to women's football"

but also

"believes that the more particular and grisly accusations revealed to me would be better off disclosed by somebody closer and more involved to the issue itself"

If they're discussing sackings as part of the toxic culture then they should also be talking about how the previous coach to Stajcic, Hesterine De Reus was purportedly sacked by a players revolt.

 

[GOALden Hawk]

Some worrying social media posts going around about current players been involved as well. Hope it's untrue - would derail a 2nd straight World Cup campaign, and seriously damage the build up to the 2023 WC.

Nothing can find a way to shoot itself in the foot like Australian soccer.

 

[jhong]

Its good this is out in the open , better to fix this now than have it burst out during a World cup . Like all fans i hope this is not indicative of the current Matildas , but if any of the allegations are true it needs to be investigated and fixed now .

 

[raven echo]

Yeah, not great. Especially the names being bandied about on social media.

Need a cultural reset by the sounds of things. If anything it sounds like Stajcic got the arse for trying to clean up the culture. Can't have the tail wagging the dog as it appears the case has been for some time.

 

[swingdog]

Yeah, not great. Especially the names being bandied about on social media.

Need a cultural reset by the sounds of things. If anything it sounds like Stajcic got the arse for trying to clean up the culture. Can't have the tail wagging the dog as it appears the case has been for some time.

Have missed it - what's the lowdown?

 

[stax on the mull]

Squad for Brazil games

Commonwealth Bank Matildas squad named for Brazil home series | Matildas

Bryleeh Henry (WSW) Jamilla Rankin (Bris) Remy Siemsen ((Syd) FC seem to be the new players, although I think Rankin might have made a previous squad.

Defender Roestbakken named for the first time in a while. Wheeler and Beard who both made debuts against Ireland keep their places in the squad.

Micah, Carpenter, Van Egmond, K Simon and Foord are all named after missing the Ireland game.

Logarzo out with an ACL injury sustained in the Ireland. Geilnik toe injury. Raso shoulder.

 

[stax on the mull]

Story from yesterday outlining some of De Vanna's reason for speaking out and also mentions a more recent incident that didn't involve her but another unnamed other player.

Lisa De Vanna column: Matildas great reveals why she spoke up about football’s abuse shame | Daily Telegraph

(not a pay to read link at the moment - but I'll post the text below in case that changes)


Lisa De Vanna column: Matildas great reveals why she spoke up about football’s abuse shame
Lisa De Vanna has revealed she feels powerless to help those who have bravely spoken out to support her abuse allegations, accusing Australian football of being “broken”.

Me speaking up has never been about me … it’s been about player welfare and the future of the game.

When I started, I was a kid from Perth and all I wanted to do was be the best I could be and play for my country.

I didn’t come from an institute, I didn’t know anyone … and we didn’t have systems in place to deal with what I went through, and it was hard.

After what I went through, I put a report in and it didn’t change anything … I came home from that camp not wanting to play for my country any more.

Football Australia don’t want to admit there is a toxic culture in the sport but 20 years on, what I went through is still happening.

Harassment, bullying and intimidation … from grassroots through to the elite level.

The trigger to speak up now was a recent incident that didn’t involve me at all, that the board knows about and hasn’t acted on – it has never been about sexuality or gender, it is about abuse. Abuse is abuse.

I love the game of football – always have, always will and that’s why I decided to speak up about what has been going on for decades in the sport I love.

I’m not perfect … but I am not afraid to stand out on my own, I have made mistakes but I am strong enough to always own my shit.

I was hurt by Matildas’ recent statement. I was a part of that family too and so is every other player who has worn that jersey.

But I am not surprised. I have always felt like I am on the outer but I have to stay true to myself.

I’m part of that family and family is not about being rejected or abandoned but that is what they — and CEO James Johnson — have done to me.

They have let me down.

Their statement doesn’t change the fact that things have gone on and are still going on at all levels of the game.

For me, the statement is something I would never have signed. That jersey belongs to the game and the game belongs to everyone. If we know something is bad in any part of our game, at any level, we should be making it better for future players to come.

I thought long and hard about the timing … I didn’t want to do it before the Olympics because I still care for the players and the team and it was never about hurting our game that we all have worked too hard to build.

What these players don’t realise yet is that the jersey doesn’t belong to them, it’s a privilege and a responsibility you are holding for the next player.

That you are just holding on to it for the next player – and that is the point of speaking out.

There is more to just playing for your country … we need to put in place systems that look after the game as it continues to grow at all levels.

When Elissia (Carnavas) and Rhali (Dobson) and I decided to speak out we knew there would be a backlash.

We knew we would upset teammates and lose friendships … but it is about making our game better and safer from grassroots through to the top, we are the role models for our daughters and their daughters to come.

I want to thank them for being so brave, and Luisa Bishop-Marzotto and everyone else who has spoken up.

What has been disturbing is the amount of people that have reached out to me. The system is broken – I can’t sleep at night because I don’t know how I can help them.

I didn’t realise my words would have such an impact. Some of what I’ve read and heard is 10 times worse than what I’ve experienced.

I want to say to them I’ve heard you, I feel for you and things need to be better.

Not just in women’s football but at all levels of sport and business. For athletes in all codes and from different countries, we need to be their voice. We have to put something in place where people can talk about this and not feel retribution or shame.

That’s been the hardest thing about the past two weeks – just how broken the system is.

For me, it’s not just about leaving a footprint on the football field but a legacy off the field. I hope that my bravery to speak up continues to give others the courage to speak up for change also.

This is bigger than the Matildas – Football Australia could be the benchmark of change right now for other codes to follow.

This is women’s sports Me Too movement.

It’s up to them to make some big changes … and it starts with listening to players from all levels of our game.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Not expecting much from the game. Still don't rate Gustavsson as a coach and he's gone with Polkinghorne and Kennedy in central defence. We are two years out from a world cup and we have no clue who will be the central defenders because I sure hope he doesn't think Polkinghorne and Kennedy will carry on to then.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

 

[juss]

Great they have gone back to a back 4. Suits our players better, gets Carpenter in her natural position being able to attack down the right wing.