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Tom Sermanni
Tom Sermanni (42148423775).jpg
Sermanni in 2018
Personal information
Full name Thomas Dorby Sermanni
Date of birth (1954-07-01) 1 July 1954 (age 70)
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Australia women (interim)
Youth career
1971–1973 Cumbernauld United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1978 Albion Rovers 151 (38)
1978–1979 Blackpool 10 (0)
1979–1982 Torquay United 89 (12)
1982–1983 Dunfermline Athletic 5 (0)
1983 Marconi 30 (3)
1984–1987 Canberra City 72 (7)
1988–1989 Canberra Croatia
Total 357 (60)
Teams managed
1988–1991 Canberra Croatia/Metros (player-manager)
1989–1991 Australian Schoolboys
1991–1992 Australian Institute of Sport
1992 Westfields Sports High School
1993–1994 Sydney Olympic FC
1994–1997 Australia women
1997–1999 Sanfrecce Hiroshima (assistant)
1999–2001 Canberra Cosmos
2001–2002 San Jose CyberRays (assistant)
2003 New York Power
2003 Sarawak (director of coaching)
2004 Westfields Sports High School
2005–2008 Australia men (scout)
2005–2012 Australia women
2013–2014 United States women
2014 Canada women (technical consultant)
2015 Canada women (assistant)
2016–2018 Orlando Pride
2018–2021 New Zealand women
2024– Australia women (interim)
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Thomas Dorby Sermanni (born 1 July 1954) is a Scottish football manager and former professional player, who mostly works in women's football. He has previously managed the Australia women's national team, the United States women's national team from 2013 to 2014, the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League from 2016 to 2018, and the New Zealand women's national team from 2018 to 2021.

Playing career

Born in Glasgow, Sermanni played as a midfielder in Scotland, England, Australia and New Zealand for Cumbernauld United, Albion Rovers, Blackpool, Torquay United, Dunfermline Athletic, Canberra City and Christchurch United. His nephew Peter was also a footballer who later moved to Australia.

Coaching career

Australian clubs

Sermanni has coached a number of Australian club sides, including Canberra Metros and Canberra Cosmos.

Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), 2001–2003

In 2001 Sermanni was an assistant coach for the Bay Area CyberRays of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). The CyberRays won the league's inaugural championship, the Founders Cup. He remained an assistant coach in 2002 when the team changed its name to the San Jose CyberRays. In 2003, he was hired as head coach of the New York Power (WUSA), who had fired their previous coach after finishing their 2002 season with a dismal record of 3 wins, 17 losses, and 1 draw (10 pts). With Sermanni as their coach, the team improved to finish the 2003 season in fifth place with a record of 7 wins, 9 losses and 5 draws, or 26 points.

Australia women's national team

Tom Sermanni in 2011
Sermanni in 2011.

Sermanni took up a job as coach of Australia women in December 2004, having previously also coached the team between 1994 and 1997. Among his accomplishments as coach of Australia women, are quarter-finals at 2007 and 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.

United States women's national team

On 30 October 2012, the United States Soccer Federation announced that starting 1 January 2013, Sermanni would be the head coach of the United States women's national team, ending his long-time association with Australia.

Sermanni finished his first year as manager of USA unbeaten with 13 wins and 3 draws. The 3 draws are 1–1 against Sweden at the Algarve Cup, and 2 friendlies, 3–3 with Germany, and 1–1 with New Zealand. For the second time the United States posted an unbeaten record in a year that featured a double-digit number of matches. In addition, the team won the 2013 Algarve Cup.

The United States women started 2014 with friendlies, under Sermanni, a 1–0 win over Canada, and 7–0 and 8–0 drubbings of Russia. At the 2014 Algarve Cup, the United States women did not win a game in group stage: 1–1 with Japan, 0–1 loss to Sweden and a 3–5 loss to Denmark. The team finished seventh with a 3–0 win over Korea DPR, the lowest the team had finished at the Algarve Cup, which the team had won 9 times.

On 6 April 2014, Sermanni was relieved of his coaching duties following a 2–0 win over China in an international friendly.

Canada women's national team

In 2014 Sermanni joined the coaching staff of the Canada women's national team as a technical consultant. Sermanni was on contract as an assistant coach to Canada during 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

National Women's Soccer League

On 20 October 2015, Orlando City SC announced the creation of a women's team Orlando Pride to join National Women's Soccer League in 2016, and Sermanni would be the first coach for the expansion club. On 14 September 2018 after a disappointing 2018 season where the Orlando Pride finished in 7th place, Sermanni and the Orlando Pride mutually parted ways. Sermanni had a record of 24–29–14 in 3 seasons in Orlando and qualified for the playoffs in 2017.

New Zealand women's national team

On 26 October 2018, Sermanni was appointed the new head coach of New Zealand women's team. He was released after 2020 Summer Olympics.

NZ Football 0293
Tom Sermanni

Return to Australia

In March 2022, he was appointed as Head of Women's Football at Western Sydney Wanderers.

In September 2024, Sermanni was re-appointed as interim head coach of the Australia women's national team whilst Football Australia searches for a permanent replacement for outgoing coach Tony Gustavsson.

Honours

Manager

Australia

United States

New Zealand

  • OFC Women's Nations Cup: 2018

Individual

  • AFC Coach of the Year: 2007
  • ACT Sport Hall of Fame: 2012 (Associate Member)
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