Golden Soft Sombrero Moment with Alicia Ferguson

Green & Gold Honors:                        

Matildas – The Australian National Women’s team

Achievements:                                   

Sydney Olympics 2000

Women’s World Cup 1999

One of twelve players who appeared in the nude 2000 Matildas’ calendar and one of 1,200 who refused to join the Diegos in their nude hairy backs calendar in 2001.

Diegos Verdict:                                   

Dam fine athlete with or without her clothes on.

Some Golden Soft Sombrero Moments with Alicia Ferguson

Fergie on the Matilda’s Olympic performance…

Diegos: “The Olympic campaign for the Matilda’s unfortunately ended on Tuesday with an undeserved loss against Brazil 2-1.

It was probably the best the team had played throughout the three games in the tournament.

What’s the feeling amongst the camp – is it one of disappointment at not playing to the team’s potential or is it satisfaction that you did your best and you went as far as you could?”

Ferguson: “It’s definitely a disappointment.

We thought we should have got past Brazil. We were all over them so we really thought we should’ve won the game. Our form in the lead up was probably the best football we’ve played.

It’s disappointing but it’s great to see the public congratulating us and telling us how much they enjoyed watching us play.”

Diegos: “You really needed to start the campaign well against Germany in the first game in Canberra to generate some momentum but you were on the receiving end of a 3-0 loss.

How much did that performance set the team back confidence wise?”

Ferguson: “We are pretty good in this regard. Nothing much shatters our confidence.

Once that game was over we got straight on to focusing on our next game against Sweden.

We couldn’t do anything about the result so we just went on to preparing as best we could on the next game.”

Soft Sombrero Moment September 2000

Ok we’re getting close to the nude calendar question…

Diegos: “Matilda’s forward – Sunni Hughes scored a magnificent Pele-like goal against Brazil during the week.

She enjoyed it so much that she ripped off her top.

Was that a goal celebration that the girls have been practicing or was it purely spontaneous?”

Ferguson: “It was funny. Before the opening ceremony I was talking to the athletics guys and they said ‘did you know that there’s eleven to one bets on if one of you girls take your shirts off when you score?’

So I worded up the girls and Sunni was the result of all that.

We call it sharing the joy.”

Soft Sombrero Moment September 2000

Sorry we had to ask it…yes it’s the nude calendar question…

Diegos: “Here comes the mandatory Matilda’s nude calendar question.

It was certainly risky doing a nude calendar when the sport let alone the team was largely unknown.

Did you feel that there was any more pressure to perform because of the calendar and for all the dad’s out there are there plans for another one?”

Ferguson: “To be honest I don’t think the team felt anything like that.

We just wanted to get people to come watch us play. We really didn’t care how we did it.

I don’t think there was any more pressure than usual; we knew we had to perform anyway. Taking our kits off to the world made no real difference to all that.

I’m not sure about another calendar. We were really happy with the response from the first one but we don’t want to overstate it too much.”

Diegos: “Have you thought about a mixed nude calendar? You know the Diegos – Matilda’s frolicking on the footy pitch?”

Ferguson: “Well actually I was going to ask you guys that. There was some talk about that as well…”

Diegos: “Yes you may have seen our ‘hairy backs’ calendar from last year.”

Ferguson: “Yeh my mum’s actually got that. She loves it.”

Diegos: “That’s great. We do target the mum’s you know.”

Soft Sombrero Moment September 2000