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Matildas enjoying life under new coach

3 minute read

Matildas stars Hayley Raso and Caitlin Foord agree their first experience working under new coach Tony Gustavsson has been an encouraging one.

HAYLEY RASO.
HAYLEY RASO. Picture: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Life under new coach Tony Gustavsson is off to a good start for Matildas stars Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso.

The attacking duo have spent the past week in camp in Holland ahead of friendlies against European heavyweights Germany and the Netherlands in what is Australia's first action in over a year.

Gustavsson's reign as Matildas coach officially began in January but the past few days have been the first chance for Australia's best players to work on the pitch with the Swedish boss.

Arsenal striker Foord says the first impressions have been encouraging.

"We're just trying to get to understand him and how he wants to play and vice versa," Foord said.

"Him trying to figure out us and and how we're going to play and stuff like that.

"It's just building that relationship and from what we've seen so far, it's really good."

Raso is entering the camp on a high after scoring a hat-trick for Everton in a recent Women's Super League clash with Brighton.

The 26-year-old says getting back in to camp with her Australian teammates after such a long time away from national team duties is an exciting moment.

"It's been good for us being in Europe and playing a different style of football," Raso said.

"With all of the Matildas kind of being overseas at the moment it will help when we then come back into the national team and have these games against Germany and Netherlands, which are two top quality European opposition.

"It will be a test for us and we haven't been together for a long time ... we kind of need to be playing these top opposition to see where we're at."

Raso is also confident the team can overcome the setback of not having Ellie Carpenter and Amy Harrison link up with the squad due to COVID-19 protocol issues.

"Obviously two big losses for us and it's disappointing for those girls that they're not in camp, but I think we have versatility within this team and everyone's pretty adaptable," Raso said.

"We'll be able to fill those positions and we know that whoever we put on in those positions on the day, that they'll do their job."

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