Former Coburg United (now Hume City) manager Joe Montemurro’s football journey has taken him to Port Moresby, London, Turin, Lyon and now back to Melbourne with the Matildas.
Montemurro went for the Matildas job in 2020 and missed out, with Tony Gustavsson ultimately landing the role.
“It didn’t hurt,” Montemurro said.
“It was understandable and I understand the decision that was made.
“I took the positives out of it and continued the journey to grow as a coach and that journey took me to some of the biggest clubs in the world.”
When Gustavsson departed last August, Montemurro was the top candidate.
After a protracted 10-month recruiting process, Football Australia got their man.
“Hume City FC would like to congratulate Joe Montemurro, who was recently officially named head coach of the Matildas,” Hume City FC said in a statement.
“Before taking charge of giants like Arsenal, Juventus and Lyon, Joe was right here in our backyard, leading Hume City FC (then North Coburg United) to their first-ever promotion to the Victorian Premier League back in 2008-09.
“From State League 1 to the world stage, what a journey.”
The 55-year-old started his involvement in football at Brunswick Juventus, rising through the junior, then senior ranks.
His playing career involved stints in Switzerland and Italy before returning to Victoria to play while kicking off his coaching career.
Montemurro found a home in the lower tiers of the Victorian football pyramid, with several of the Italian backed clubs that amalgamated to form what is now Essendon Royals, ultimately concluding his playing career at the Furlan Club with Thornbury United.
Montemurro’s early foray into coaching was a constant work in progress. He held assistant and youth team positions with Green Gully, Melbourne Knights and South Melbourne before he landed the head coach role at Sunshine George Cross in 2006, relieving Chris Taylor of his position after the club sat at the bottom of the Premier League table. While he helped the Georgies avoid relegation, he resigned just nine games into the 2007 season.
Second tier Coburg United (now Hume City) pounced and he took the fledgling club to promotion, finishing second to Frankston Pines but he departed midway through the club’s maiden Premier League campaign. A return to South Melbourne as youth and assistant senior coach suggested a career in the Victorian Leagues was on the offing once more, before a move abroad to Port Moresby in 2013.
“I understood that not having an illustrious playing career or a good playing career, the journey was going to be a little bit different,” he said.
“So I basically went out and educated myself as much as possible. It was just to develop as many tools as possible, both as a coach and as a leader – and that journey never ends.”
