Interim coach Tom Sermanni still doesn't know if Monday night's Matildas match against South Korea will be his last at the helm as the clock ticks down towards next year's Asian Cup.
Incredibly, the Matildas have been without a full-time coach for eight months, since Tony Gustavsson's official departure on August 1 last year.
While the recruitment process has dragged on, and players' frustrations have intensified, Sermanni, who took the reins in September, has continued to front up with good humour.
He has managed Sam Kerr's long-awaited return to camp, and led the players through difficult friendlies that would ideally have served as a new coach's introduction.
"My last game? I don't know, I don't know," Sermanni said on Sunday.
"As I've said, if you'd asked me in September, would I still be here now, I'd probably say 'it's probably doubtful' but I'm still here.
"And whether this is my last game or not, I don't know that. I really, honestly don't know.
"But I do think if it's not this one, it's more than likely the next one.
"It's a funny old game. You never know."
Football Australia have flagged a coach will be in place by mid-year and their May/June friendlies against Argentina in Melbourne and Canberra loom as a launching pad.
Lyon coach Joe Montemurro looms as that coach.
Montemurro, who was among those to miss out to Gustavsson in 2020, is contracted at the French powerhouse, where Matildas defender Ellie Carpenter is among the stars, for another season.
He has left the door open for a link-up with the national team - though clearly that won't happen until his current season is completed.
Lyon have already won the French league but face Arsenal in the Women's Champions League semi-finals later this month - and the final is May 25.
Socceroos great John Aloisi is among the outside contenders, but Montemurro is the clear front runner.
Sermanni plans to continue his work on developing the squad after Friday night's 1-0 win over South Korea in Sydney.
Everton midfielder Clare Wheeler looms as a starter at Newcastle's McDonald Jones Stadium on Monday night.
Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold (arm) will miss a second-straight match through injury with Teagan Micah expected to start again.
Carpenter, Hayley Raso and Katrina Gorry are also unavailable through injuries.
But Mary Fowler, who ignited Australia off the bench on Friday, is fit despite having her hamstring taped at training.
"She's fit and ready to be selected, and I think it'd be fair to say she'll be featuring in the game," Sermanni said.
When asked how he could balance his wealth of options in attack, including Fowler, Caitlin Foord, Raso and Holly McNamara, Sermanni quipped: "Just pass it on to the next guy. I'll quite happily exit stage left.
"I don't know who's coming in next, but they might have an entirely different system that they want to play," he added.
"But ultimately, from my perspective as a coach, you want to get your best players out on the field."
