If the news about Brianna Davey’s omission from the Matildas 2015 World Cup roster is to stand come the Tuesday squad announcement, then the national team and the whole of Australia will have suffered a big blow. Guest columnist Stocky’s Scribbles has penned his thoughts on the curious case of Bri Davey.
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Today I have heard superlatives like disgraceful, gob-smacked, total dismay, disgusting, stunned and political bias – other more colourful language I cannot share with you, surrounding the potential decision made by the national team hierarchy to omit Brianna Davey from the Matildas World Cup squad.
Ask anyone involved in the women’s game to nominate the best three keepers in the country over the last two years and I would suggest Brianna Davey is in every selection. Ask the players, spectators, media and officials alike, as I have, and I am positive you will be greeted with statistics that back up my claim.
In fact more recently, with the ACL injury to Lydia Williams, Brianna Davey has carried the load for the Matildas in defense very admirably and has been the number one national keeper during this period at the ripe old age of 20. That’s a known fact.
So, fast forward to May 12th, 2015. The final selection of the Matildas squad for the FIFA World Cup in Canada and one would expect alongside the number one jersey would be the name Brianna Davey (GK). She should have been a shoe-in for the number one job based on the facts – Lydia Williams coming back from ACL injury, McKenzie Arnold stand-in replacement for Casey Dumont also victim of an ACL and the addition of the veteran Melissa Barbieri for a possible swan song before retirement.
Well, not so it seems.
In fact, not even in the second keeper jersey or the third keeper jersey positions. How about not even attending the tournament at all after leading the way in Europe and Asia over the last six months?
In a decision that raises more questions than answers about the national coaching staff and the selection process undertaken, Brianna Davey it seems has been omitted from the national team completely for the FIFA World Cup squad. Natural responses has been, “What has she done?”
The hoards of people I have spoken to over the weekend are gob-smacked, shocked and disillusioned by the impending decision and many have indicated this is reflective of the clique that exists today in the national coaching staff and officialdom. The so called “untouchables”. Apart from bad behaviour or serious breach of contract, what could have caused Davey’s omission from the team she has played a valuable part of for the last two years? If the decision stands and she’s not on the plane to Canada, one may question if players were selected on merit. Is it as trite on her as she is a Victorian?
Let’s go back and investigate things in a little more detail.
If anyone has been lucky enough to be exposed to the national football landscape at any age level, you very quickly learn as a parent and a player to lower your expectations because there are too many things beyond your control. Across any level of the game, the coaching fraternity have their favourites based on many variables such as communication, leadership, intelligence, commitment and desire to name a few. Politics should not be in the decision process but as we all know, it’s rife and especially so in football at the national level.
And what also seems to be very pertinent over the last few years – many players are overlooked based on their game style and/or what seems to be their state of origin. Especially so, if you are not domiciled from where the coach prevails. Familiarity seems to be a key criteria in selection these days.
Skill, fitness and knowledge of the game are a given at the national level but the selection patterns have raised eyebrows to say the least. Visit the FFA website to dive deeper into this claim and draw on some statistics to support this point.
In 2012/2013, the U16 Mini Matildas squad led by a Queensland coach comprised of the following – seven QLD players, seven from NSW, four Victorians, two South Australians, two ACT and one from WA. In the final game against China, the starting eleven comprised of six Queenslanders accounting for over 50% of the team.
OK so maybe a coincidence you might say. Let’s move forward to 2014.
The most recent 2014 Mini Matildas squad had a change of coaches with both from NSW. This squad comprised of 12 NSW, four VICS, two QLD, two ACT, two SA and one Tasmanian. In the final game versus Korea, the starting eleven comprised six from NSW – sound familiar?
How about we step it up a level. Take a look at the U19/20s for instance in 2014/2015. Well an interim NSW coach is nominated and he appoints a South Australian assistant. The final 23 players in the squad comprised nine from NSW, six from SA, four QLD, two WA and one each for VIC and TAS. Another coincidence maybe? The biggest selection of South Australians at the national level ever and all under the leadership of an SA appointed coach that year.
Surely this does not hold sway at the senior level?
Well we all know who the current coach of the Matildas is. Alen Stajcic was the previous coach of the Sydney FC women’s team before taking on the national role and his many assistants all have been appointed, possibly without public advertising of their positions to boot. The current Matildas squad comprises of 11 from NSW, six from QLD, two from VIC, two from WA, two from Canberra and one from South Australia. Is there a pattern emerging again? You can draw your own conclusions from the data presented.
Back to the main item of the article; Brianna Davey and the decision to omit her from the World Cup squad. Imagine the USA deciding to omit Hope Solo as the goalkeeper and the scrutiny this would attract? The Davey decision needs to be publicly ratified for a number of reasons and the FFA should strongly consider an immediate audit of the process and policies around the selection criteria at every level within the national female program.
How can anyone possibly believe this was a good decision for Brianna Davey, for the national team’s morale, for the country she represents, the supporters and the women’s game in general. What level of confidence does this decision reflect in any of our young girls looking to dedicate their future to playing football for their country if we allow this ludicrous decision to stand without scrutiny? As mentioned, unless she was in breach of her contractual terms or committed a significant offence, Davey should be the number one keeper without question.
Looking at the facts behind this young Victorian player, Brianna Davey, although only 20 years old, has represented Australia as an international some 18 times with the majority as the starting goalkeeper over the last 12 months.
Ironically, Wikipedia suggests she is best known for displacing previous Matildas captain and former number one goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri at Melbourne Victory, forcing her to find another club. Since then, Davey has had 38 appearances for the Melbourne Victory in the W League along with the 17 caps for Australia as the number one goalkeeper in 2014 and 2015.
So the question still remains?
What is behind this ill-conceived decision by the current coaching staff to omit her from the squad completely?
The FFA’s Whole of Football Plan suggests women’s football is a pillar for the future of our game in Australia. I suggest CEO David Gallop may have an issue if decisions of this nature plague our game at the very top. Failure to at least uncover a valid reason behind this forthcoming announcement only breed a lack of confidence and disillusionment for the game.
My heart go out to Brianna Davey, her teammates and her family. Australia’s chances of advancing through the World Cup have just taken a massive hit.
If the decision stands, I for one will not be watching the tournament in protest and I highly doubt I’ll be the only one.