Brisbane Roar coach Mel Andreatta has all but ruled herself out of the running for the vacant Matildas job and admits she has not got the experience yet for the role.
The Queenslander was U17 Assistant Coach in 2013/14 and more recently was an assistant with the Matildas as part of FFA's Female Coaches Mentor Programme.
However, after Roar's 3-1 defeat at the hands of Sydney FC on Saturday afternoon, the inevitable question at the post-match interview popped up: Would Andreatta want to coach the Matildas?
"I've been asked this question many times even after the last season and some of the achievements we've made," she said.
"I'll say the same thing now as I said then, I don't know about the future. For me, I'm still an apprentice senior coach and this is my third season only and getting the experience and learning in this environment first is the most important."
Andreatta joined Roar ahead of the 2016/17 season and was previously part of the National Training Centre and Football Queensland Girls State Team as a coach.
She won the 2017/18 Premiership with Roar after finishing seventh the previous season and was undefeated on the road for eight games consecutively.
Despite the buzz linking her with the Matildas, Andreatta says her focus is solely on her role with Brisbane and becoming a better coach with the club.
"I have to focus on being better here, leading this program, staff and players before I look ahead. Every coach is aspirational, we all want to test ourselves at the highest level," Andreatta said.
"If those opportunities down the track are presented then cross that bridge but I'm nowhere near thinking about that. I'm focused on this lot and bouncing back from a loss."
Sydney coach Ante Juric has been linked with the Matildas after Stajcic's shock removal.
The former Socceroo has been around the coaching scene since the inaugural W-League season, where he was an assistant coach under Stajcic at Sydney FC before a stint as FFA's Assistant Technical Director of Women's Football.
While he was open to the opportunity, he was also quick to throw his backing behind his former boss.
"If it happens great, but I'm focused on these girls," he said. "I don't know. Staj should still be there, I don't know why he is not. It's a little bit of a shame."
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