Canberra United's head coach Vicki Linton has yet to make a decision on her future at the club following her side's last A-League Women's game, but the club's boss has been impressed with their style of play.
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Fittingly, United ended its season with another 3-3 draw on Thursday night against Brisbane Roar, its seventh of the 2021-22 campaign.
Canberra finished the season undefeated in nine of its 14 matches, after recording five losses.
Questions over whether Linton would remain with the club have been gaining momentum, and she allowed them to continue.
"I'm not sure yet. We'll formally finish up on Saturday night with our awards night and then have some end-of-season meetings next week or in the next couple of weeks. And then I generally have some leave as well," she said.
"So we'll just see how it all goes and how those discussions go, and then we'll know."
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Linton took on the role in the middle of 2020 and led the side to its first finals campaign since 2016-17 later that year.
This season, however, Canberra finished seventh with only two wins after finding it tough to gain any rhythm.
The side endured an nine-game winless streak to open the season before securing its first three points against Western Sydney Wanderers in round 10.
The club will immediately begin a post-season review with an aim to make finals next season and increase membership numbers.
Capital Football chief executive Chris Gardiner said he had not had a discussion with Linton yet about her future.
He said he was impressed with the "positive football" he had seen United play since he took on the role last month.
"I've actually yet to sit down with her and get her direct input. So I contacted her [Thursday] actually to say, 'Have a couple of days' break and then we need to sit down'," he said.
"I'd come in at a really tough time for the team playing so many games. I actually think I've been impressed with the way they played in the last few games, anyway. I've enjoyed watching it.
"So we will get the coach's review. We've got her review from last year and part of our review will be what didn't we do in response to her recommendations last year, get her review as part of our review, and then have the discussion."
Capital Football will only have a matter of weeks to find a replacement United Academy coach for its NPLW team if Linton does choose to cut ties.
Canberra United's 2021-22 snapshot
- 14 games: two wins, seven draws, five losses
- Finished seventh out of 10 teams
- Golden boot: Michelle Heyman (nine goals), taking her ALW record to 82 goals
- Biggest loss: 6-0 to Sydney FC
- Wellington Phoenix won their first ALW game against United
- ALW debuts: Holly Caspers, Chloe Lincoln, Ally Haran, Chelsee Washington, Cristina Esposito, Alexia Karrys-Stahl, Mikayla Vidmar
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
