By George Clarke

Acutely aware that Australia’s golden generation is nearing its end, Joe Montemurro has vowed to look to the future as he fights to ensure the Matildas remain in contention for silverware.

Montemurro had less than a 10 month lead-in to Saturday’s Women’s Asian Cup final in Sydney where Australia fell to an admirable 1-0 loss to Japan that exposed the fine margins of international football.

On another night Australia would have finished the chances that Japan gifted them and the Matildas would have ended a 16-year wait for a trophy.

Montemurro emerges with credit, given how quickly he has implemented his blueprint on a squad which has barely had any training time together under his guidance.

Against Japan, the Matildas were not overawed and held their gloves up against opponents who had ruthlessly dominated their five games en route to the final.

So how much stronger could Australia be at next year’s World Cup in Brazil?

“I suppose the whole idea is going into games with our ideas, not so much being scared of the opposition,” Montemurro said.

“That’s what I’m trying to instill, to say ‘we’re comfortable in the way we do things’. That should be our base.

“I’ll tinker with things as we go but the important thing is that we shouldn’t be over-analysing the opposition, because we’re confident in what we’re doing.”

Montemurro is adamant the talent is there for Australia to remain competitive even if an established cohort headlined by Sam Kerr, Katrina Gorry, Steph Catley, Alanna Kennedy and Emily van Egmond will be the wrong side of 35 at the next Asian Cup in four years time.

Montemurro has already shown faith in Kaitlyn Torpey and Winonah Heatley at this tournament, while Amy Sayer, who didn’t play in Saturday’s final, appears ready to be a regular starter in Brazil next year.

“I know Courtney Nevin made a couple of mistakes (against South Korea), but she’s playing at Malmo in the Champions League,” Montemurro said.

“We’ve got that next core with Mary Fowler, with Kyra (Cooney-Cross), with Ellie (Carpenter). Wini Heatley has become a world-class defender in three games, so it’s exciting.”

Depth, however, remains an issue for the Matildas.

Which is why Montemurro also wants to have greater involvement in the tactical direction of Australia’s junior national teams to ensure would-be Matildas are ready to make an instant impact at senior level.

“We’re trying to just spread this little Joe Montemurro, if you want to call it that, all over the national team spectrum,” Montemurro said.

“The thing for me is to make sure that our mentality is this type of football, the way we want to play.

“We want to dominate games, obviously, because that’s what the best teams in the world are doing. So can we dominate games like Japan?

“Probably not, but we can find a way where we can have control with the ball, but also find ways without it.”