The first task for US Soccer’s run-up the ‘Women’s National Team Redemption Tour’ in 2027 is to find a coach that will lead them there after this summer’s demise in Australia and New Zealand.

Following the federation’s parting of the ways with Vlatko Andonovski – who led the USWNT to its worst finish ever at a World Cup – the US will look to move in a new direction.

Sources tell Meg Linehan at The Athletic that among the top names listed for the job are Australia women’s national team coach Tony Gustavsson, OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey, and Juventus Women manager Joe Montemurro.

While there is no firm timetable set to hire a new manager, the federation has indicated that they’d like to have the new coach in place before the final women’s international break of the year in December. 

After a disastrous exit from the 2023 World Cup, US Soccer has a shortlist for the USWNT job

Vlatko Andonovski led the USWNT to their worst ever finish at a Women’s World Cup

Sporting director Matt Crocker will take a data-based approach similar to the USMNT search

The USWNT is set to face China twice – once in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on December 2, then again in Frisco, Texas three days later.

Similar to US Soccer’s approach in its decision to re-hire men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter, USSF sporting director Matt Crocker said the hiring process would be data-driven. 

Crocker will conduct in-person interviews as well as technical and tactical assessments of each coach. Sources told The Athletic that those in-person interviews have already been completed for two candidates.

Of the three names at the top of the pile, Gustavsson has had the most experience with this team – having been an assistant on Jill Ellis’ coaching staff when she led the USWNT to back-to-back World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019.

But sources indicated to The Athletic that Gustavsson would be unlikely to relocate Stateside for this role – a sticking point as the USSF wants its coach to take a full-time approach.

While a formal requirement for a coach to move near US Soccer’s headquarters in Chicago doesn’t exist, those sources indicated that it could affect his chances of being offered the job.

Gustavsson has expressed a desire to stay with the Matildas following their glorious run to the semifinals as long as Football Australia increases its commitment to the women’s team.

‘I was also clear then and I want to be clear now, I want to see investment — for me to be motivated to stay as well,’ the 50-year-old Swede said earlier this week.

Atop the shortlist is Australia coach Tony Gustavsson who has experience with the USA

But he’s indicated that he wants to stick with the Matildas and may not want to relocate

It may lead US Soccer to another choice: English coach Laura Harvey of OL Reign in the NWSL

‘We can’t be complacent and think we’re done. This is the start and the platform. And I want to see investment.’

The remaining two hires are both coaches at the club level: one in Europe, the other in America’s NWSL.

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The latter league is where we find England’s Laura Harvey – the former Arsenal WFC manager who has spent time at the Reign and at the now-folded Utah Royals FC.

She’s also spent time with the US U-20 and U-23 teams, giving her a clear edge when it comes to experience with this current crop of American players.

But according to Linehan, US Soccer ‘may be hesitant to hire from the NWSL again considering how Andonovski’s time with the USWNT went’.

Harvey has experience with the U-20 and U-23 teams and is close with many current players

But the federation might not be quick to have another NWSL coach take this job

That could result in the USSF turning their attention to Joe Montemurro of Juventus Women

If that’s the case, that would lead them to the Australian – Joe Montemurro.

He also has Arsenal WFC as a stop on his belt – making the move to England after leading both Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City.

Montemurro won the Women’s Super League title with the Gunners in the 2018-19 season, then won a domestic treble with Juventus in his first season in 2021-22.

They repeated their Coppa Italia success in 2022-23, but finished behind Roma in the Serie A race, got knocked out in the group stages of the Champions League, and fell in the final of the Supercoppa Italiana.

Two things possibly complicate Montemurro’s hire: first, he recently signed a contract extension with Le Bianconere which runs until 2026.

The second is that he has never coached a national side in any capacity: not at youth level, not at senior level, not as a head coach, nor as an assistant coach.

The Australian coach did just recently sign a contract extension up until 2026 with the club

He also has no experience coaching a national team at any level as a head coach or assistant

The USWNT exited the World Cup in the Round of 16 after a devastating loss on penalties

Whoever gets hired will have to rebuild an American side trying to recover from its most embarrassing performance at the World Cup.

Their only win of the tournament came in a 3-0 win in their opening match against Vietnam.

That effort was followed up by two draws: a 1-1 effort to Holland followed by a nail-biting 0-0 tie against Portugal.

In the Round of 16, the US took another 0-0 draw to penalties – where missed kicks from Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith, and Kelley O’Hara doomed the USWNT to its worst ever finish at a World Cup.