Tony and Jordan Franken will be flying flags of different colours this evening when Australia squares off with China at Optus Stadium. The father and son pair find themselves in opposing corners with Tony a long-time member of the Matilda’s coaching team while Jordan is on staff with the Steel Roses, who just so happen to be the defending Women’s Asian Cup champions.

Tony is synonymous with Australian football. In a playing and coaching career spanning five decades, the 61-year old Matilda’s goalkeeper coach has been there for some of the game’s greatest moments – from the Socceroo’s penalty shootout against Uruguay that ended 32 years of heartbreak to the generation-inspiring Women’s World Cup co-hosted by Australia of three years ago.

By comparison, Jordan is a relative newcomer to coaching game having first dipped his toe into the pool only a decade ago. The 30-year old former Perth Glory youth team goalkeeper has since progressed from Nunawading City through Melbourne City, Australia’s national youth teams and United States club Portland Thorns before landing the same job as his father, albeit with the Chinese national women’s team.

“I think it’s probably a bit of a weird one for him (more) than it is for me,” Jordan told Football360.com.au. “He’s been in the national team space his whole career, where I’ve had a bit of club involvement in Australia, in the United States and now senior international after doing youth international. To be honest, growing up I didn’t think I’d ever get to his level, let alone coach against him.”

There was a smile on Tony’s face as he spoke about his son, though it is all very professional between the Franken’s. So much so that they have not spoken to each other in weeks and even when they do talk it’s rarely about football. “I’m very proud of Jordan and what he’s achieved,” said the man often referred to as the godfather of Australian goalkeeper coaches.

“I suppose it’s a bit difficult for him growing up being the son of me. But he’s had his own path and where he has got to, it’s had little to do with what I’ve done. It’s more about what he’s achieved and his credibility… Obviously the family’s very proud. They’re going to support Australia and China, and they’re going around Australia looking at both games. It’s nice.”

Australia booked their place in the last four of the Women’s Asian Cup by grinding out a 2-1 win over North Korea, having earlier placed second to South Korea in the group stage. China stormed through the initial phase of the tournament with a perfect win record but were pushed to extra-time by Chinese Taipei before claiming a 2-0 quarter-final victory.

Unfortunately for Jordan, the majority of his family along with those who’ll pack into Optus Stadium will be cheering on the team in gold and green. “My sister is Australia through and through,” Jordan smiled. “We’ve all just said I hope I don’t see you until the final and then once we get there, honestly I think my mum will support the referees. Whereas my brother and sister will be Australia all the way.”

Tony, who played professionally for Canberra City, Sydney Croatia and Glory amongst others, has purposely distanced himself from his son throughout his playing and coaching career. “I feel he ended up having to be twice as good as you actually are because unfortunately it’s the name they look at, rather than the individual,” Tony reflected. “But having said that, he’s very strong mentally.”

Jordan admits there is a certain degree of pressure that comes with the Franken name, after all, both his father, Tony, and his grandfather, Frank, played for Australia. “Having that name can be a blessing and a curse,” he said. “The curse can be people always make comparisons and they also think that you get certain things purely because of a nepotistic advantage.”

“But he (Tony) has deliberately created the separation and made it impossible for people to imply that nepotism but also the benefit you do carry is he is highly respected in the game. When they see my name, it carries respect but then I’ve got to live up to that standard in how I operate. So I guess that’s the pressure, because he has a good name … I’m not out here now to ruin the Franken surname.”

Tony’s hands-off approach played a big part in shaping Jordan. “Even growing up when I was playing juniors, he would not leave the car to watch my games. He didn’t want to be seen because it’s Franken and Franken,” added Jordan. “He knew if I was going to go into football that there’s always the connection people make based on your surname.”

“Even when I was playing and then moved into coaching, there’s going to be no possibility you got somewhere because of your dad. If there was ever a possibility of alignment, he would remove himself from that. I’ve had to do it through my own merit and hard work. I’m very grateful for that. We really don’t cross our footballing paths unless the job requires us to.”

“The only time we’ve actually crossed is on coaching courses when he’s been an instructor, or when I was at Portland Thorns and we had (Matildas shot-stopper) Mackenzie Arnold. I was her club goalkeeper coach and my dad was with her at national team level. It’s a football conversion and I’m speaking to Tony, then afterwards it’s like, we’ve got lunch on Sunday with grandma and grandpa.”

Original interview published on football360.com.au as Family Story Behind Matildas v China Features Australian Coaching Royalty