Women's World Cup Countdown: Australia's Alen Stajcic fired over 'unsatisfactory' team environment
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Jan 19, 2019
The move followed the results of confidential surveys about the national team environment and culture. The surveys led to further questioning of players and staff and the FFA's determination that the team environment is unsatisfactory and a change in leadership was required.
“The ultimate responsibility for driving change and leading a high-performance environment that puts the team in the best possible position to achieve what they are capable of, rests with the head coach," said FFA CEO David Gallop. "We no longer have confidence that Alen is the right person to lead the team and staff."
The Matildas are the last team to beat the USA -- in August 2017 -- and one of six World Cup seeds along with France, the USA, Germany, England and Canada.
Under the 45-year-old Stajcic, they reach the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. He took over in 2014 after Hesterine de Reus was fired following a player revolt. Stajcic had coached in Australian women's soccer for more than a decade when he was hired.
I don't know what that all means--anyone have the cliff notes? Does this mean "pending sexual assault allegations", "everyone dislikes him", or "players aren't listening to him anymore"? This reads like the FA doesn't have any confidence in him, like the FA is a spotty, insecure teenager that needs his blanky. Sounds like back office politics rather than performance.