The Big Interview: Joe Montemurro
The Australian has taken on the role as Lyon head coach ahead of a new European season. In an exclusive sit down, the former Arsenal and Juventus boss reflects on his journey and new venture...
It’s just a few hours until USA face Germany in the Stade de Lyon, named after the city it resides on the outskirts of.
At the table we sit at, you can just about see the outlines of the stadium through a window no more than two feet in height, but which spans the length of Lyon’s state of the art training ground, sat at the far end of the main car park which is already filling with eager spectators ahead of the Olympic Games semi-final.
Opposite me at said table sits new head coach Joe Montemurro, the Australian who has previously been in charge of Melbourne City, Arsenal and Juventus, and as we make small talk pre-interview, it’s the 54-year-old asking the questions as we discuss the upcoming clash, which he will be making his way across to watch with Lyon’s own Lindsey Horan captaining the USA side coached by one of his former club rivals, former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.
Montemurro left Juventus mid-last season after one of the trickiest spells of his coaching career, the Bianconere unable to keep up with the pace AS Roma had been setting since overtaking the historic black and white stripes and marching towards a second consecutive Serie A title.
Able to enjoy the small break from football he’d been looking for, Montemurro admits he’d paid little attention to his phone since leaving Turin, that was until one of Europe’s biggest and most historic clubs in the women’s game came calling.
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“Juventus was great, I really enjoyed it,” says Montemurro, who spent just under three years as the club’s head coach. “It was a decision I made to go there after Arsenal and it ended the way it did. It was very amicable, no issues.
“I wanted to do it after Arsenal [have a break], five or six months off and this gave me that opportunity.
“The Lyon scenario was really interesting. There was a little bit of contact made early on around March to April time, just to see where I was at, then I didn’t hear anything and other offers came in. I took the time because I needed the time and found that little bit of a spark again.
“With that came Lyon, so I was pretty lucky.”
After a tough spell which led to his departure from Juventus where he and his wife Linda were well settled, he admits it was “absolutely” a morale boost when Lyon, now owned predominantly by Michele Kang, came calling earlier this year, and it’s evident to see the spark he referenced has returned as he smiles his way through an answer about taking on one of the biggest jobs in the women’s game.
“I don’t want to sound like I’m gloating, but the honour, opportunity and I suppose the fact they selected me was pretty special, because I’m sure they interviewed a lot of people!
“For them to settle on me and believe I’m the right person for the job, from something of a childish perspective is like I can’t believe I’m sat here at times.”
So, what was the secret?
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