Sacked Australian football coach Alen Stajcic has received an endorsement from his former players. The Matildas released a statement expressing their thanks for his advocacy for women’s football.
Stajcic’s employment was terminated on Saturday after a survey into the culture of the team was conducted and, according to the chief executive of Football Federation Australia, David Gallop, there was a view that “things had deteriorated in recent times”.
Gallop admitted on Monday that the decision to sack Stajcic, who has guided the Matildas to this year’s World Cup in France as one of the top-seeded teams, had prompted “mixed views”.
But on Tuesday, a joint statement issued through the players’ union, Professional Footballers Australia, delivered an apparently unified message of support from the players for Stajcic.
“We, the Matildas, would like to acknowledge it’s been a difficult time for everyone involved,” the statement read. “We would like to thank Staj for his dedication to the Matildas and more broadly for being a strong advocate for women’s football in Australia.
“As a playing group we are committed to continuing to build on the success we have achieved under his guidance. It’s important for us now to stay focused on our common goal, which remains winning the World Cup 2019.
“Our belief within this group is unbreakable and we will continue to challenge ourselves and each other along this journey.”
A large proportion of the playing group, including many senior members of the squad, had taken to social media in support of Stajcic over the weekend, leading to reports they would lobby for his reinstatement at a meeting in a Sydney hotel on Monday.
The players met with Gallop twice as part of the long-planned team culture workshop in Coogee, but no move was made to have the decision reversed.
Little detail has been made public as to the specific reasons for Stajcic’s dismissal, and on Monday all Gallop would reveal was that the survey results were not the only factor in play, and that “these matters are cumulative”.
At the meeting on Monday, the players were reminded of FFA’s desire for confidentiality on the matter.
The ABC on Tuesday reported the survey, undertaken by the women’s advocacy group, Our Watch, highlighted “a culturally unsustainable environment”. The full results of the survey would be delivered to FFA later this week.
The survey was conducted alongside a second review – a wellbeing audit – that was commissioned by FFA in partnership with the PFA to ensure optimal conditions heading into the World Cup.
Instead, the Matildas, tipped as a genuine chance to enjoy a deep run at the tournament in France, are searching for a new coach just five months out from their opening kick-off, against Italy on 9 June.
