She is currently at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup with Optus Sport, providing the kind of insight, behind the scenes access and support only someone who has walked in the shoes of these Aussie players, can provide.

Former Matildas teammate, Sarah Walsh, who is also covering the World Cup was the one who put Ferguson-Cook forward for the job and it was one that she couldn’t refuse.

“I was having a chat with Walshy and she let me know about the Optus gig because she’d done some work with them before and wanted to recommend me to cover the Women's World Cup,” Ferguson-Cook said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What could possibly go wrong with @swalshy9 in Paris???

A post shared by Alicia Ferguson-Cook (@eeshferguson) on

Optus clearly saw the benefit of having someone with first-hand insight, jumping at the opportunity to have the Brisbane Roar alumni onboard.

“I had a chat to Richard Bayliss at Optus and he was really keen to have someone who was quite familiar with the players and it was a no brainer for me,” she said.

“We’re covering every single game, that’s the biggest thing - I love that the investment in this World Cup – even their investment in me is so huge, so I was really excited to be a part of that because we’ve never had that in Australia before.”

As the Matildas head into their Round of 16 match against Norway, Ferguson-Cook knows exactly how the team would feel, competing in two World Cups, an Olympic Games and working the 2011 World Cup.

Going into such a ‘do or die’ type match would rattle even the toughest of athletes, but Ferguson-Cook said, that isn’t the case for the Aussies because the Matildas are at their best under pressure.

“I think they’d be focused on trying to get a really good coffee, going for a swim and having an afternoon nap today,” she said.

“I just think we play so much better when we’re under pressure, where we’ve got our backs up against the wall and we have to really fight for something. We have to fight today and I think that’s when we’re at our best.

“These girls are really experienced, so right before kick-off there will be a few butterflies, but they know they’ve got a job to do and they’re professionals, they’ve been through it before so I think there will be more excitement than nerves tonight.”

Ferguson-Cook’s special bond with the team is well documented, you only need to go back to last week to find an incredible shot of Lisa De Vanna jumping into Eesh’s arms after the Matildas emphatic 5-1 win over Jamaica.

“Apart from playing in the Aussie team together, Lisa came and played for Brisbane Roar for a season and she lived at my house with me, we formed a pretty close bond then and it’s great," she said.

“Lisa and I have one of those friendships where you don’t always talk, you don’t always see each other, but nothing ever changes.

“She’s come to London a couple of times after the Algarve Cup or after tours, her family have stayed at my house with my husband while I was over here and she is going to come and stay with me when the tournament finishes.

“We’ve just known each other for a very long time and I love the fact that we can talk openly and honestly.

“We caught up for an ice cream yesterday and spoke about her, how she’s feeling, about me, about the team and it’s just easy.”

Taken by Rachel Bach (@bythewhiteline)

Ferguson-Cook’s influence extends to the team as a whole, but her affection and sentimentality towards her former teammates and close friends, don’t muddy the water when it comes to game time.

“The time I got to spend with the Matildas in Turkey, at the pre-tournament camp, was really good,” she said.

“I had a bit more of an opportunity to just catch up with players like Tameeka Yallop, Elise Kellond-Knight, Clare Polkinghorne, Lydia Williams. These were all the youngsters that now form the main part of this team.

“Seeing them going from being the young ones to now maturing into the players they are, is just really heart-warming.

“But me as a person and a player, I’ve always been very honest and transparent, so it’s not hard for me to remain objective,” she explained.

“If I had some critiquing or constructive criticism to give them as a player, I would do that and have a discussion with them – and that hasn’t changed.

“We have open discussions about what’s working, what’s not and it all comes from a place of respect, because I would appreciate that feedback as well and that’s always been the same from when I was a footballer, until now.

“Generally, I’m not too far off understanding their mindset and what’s going on for them, so it helps from that point of view.”

Ferguson-Cook said what sets this crop of Matildas apart is the arsenal of attacking options available, with this perhaps being the X-factor they need to win the WWC.

“Our depth of attacking options for this group of players is something that I haven’t seen in the Matildas for a long time,” she said.

“Historically, we’ve always been very strong defensively, relied on the physical side of the game more so than the tactical or the technical, but if you just look at all our attacking options in this team - it just constantly excites me.

“I mean, we’ve got Sam Kerr, one of the best strikers in the world playing for us. She may have been a bit quiet in the first game, some people were a bit critical of her, but then she turns up with four goals, a thank you very much and a suck on that one!”

On her thoughts on Kerr’s controversial catchphrase, Ferguson-Cook said it was all in good fun.

“Personally, I thought it was great. It was a very Australian thing to do, it was a spur of the moment, she was having a bit of a giggle about it and I still have a bit of a chuckle when I see everyone walking around with their 'Suck on that one' shirts."

As for the upcoming Round of 16 matches against Norway, Ferguson-Cook echoes the thoughts of many fans, punters and coaching staff alike.

“If we want to keep winning, we need to tighten up defensively, and we know that – Ante has been very honest about saying in our transition, where we’re losing the ball, where we’re turning over possession and we need to sort that out against Norway,” she said.

“The good thing is, I think we are very similar teams in the physicality of it and if we sort those things out, don’t try and press so much and allow Norway to play a little bit, we can win the ball back in more important areas.

“I’m confident if we keep it tight at the back, then we’re going to have plenty of options going forward and attacking-wise.

“I think it was great for Sam to score four goals against Jamaica, but we need to start creating more clear-cut chances and be more clinical with our final pass in the final third. We’re not too far off and under pressure – this is the perfect game for the sum of all parts to come together and work really well – and it has to because we have to win.