Sacked Matildas coach Alen Stajcic "will not be getting his job back," despite the public support of several high-profile players who "took to social media to express support for their former mentor," according to Michael Lynch of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop on Monday had two sets of meetings with the Matildas players, "many of whom have described themselves as being in shock at the axing of the man who has been the team's most successful coach." And the FFA was holding an unscheduled board meeting on Monday, though it was "unclear what was on the agenda." Gallop emerged late in the afternoon to hold a press conference at the Crowne Plaza at Sydney's beachside suburb of Coogee, declaring that Stajcic "would not be reinstalled and that his successor would be appointed within a fortnight" -- with the Matildas having "some input into the decision-making process." He also "stressed" that the players, "despite their disquiet," did not ask for Stajcic to be reinstated. But Gallop made it clear that their call "would not have been heeded in any case." Gallop: "I met with the Matildas playing group and staff twice. It's impressive to see their professionalism in a disruptive period" (SMH, 1/21).
MISSING INFORMATION: In London, Mike Hytner reported the "thirst for information" on the sacking of Stajcic "remains unquenched" after Gallop "gave little else away" on Monday. Gallop said that the decision to terminate the employment of Stajcic, who was dismissed by FFA on Saturday following an internal review into the culture of the national women's football team, came after the situation "deteriorated" recently. But he offered no further details "due to the confidential nature of the survey," which began after the Tournament of Nations in July. The survey, conducted by women’s advocacy group Our Watch, is an ongoing project, but with Australia to host a four-team World Cup warmup tournament at the end of February, Gallop said that FFA "wanted to conclude matters arising from the review quickly." The results of the survey, which is believed to have "touched on issues such as bullying and harassment," will not be made public, nor have the players been informed of the details. All Gallop would concede was that "these matters are cumulative and there was a real view things had deteriorated in recent times." He said, "Then it gets to the critical point where a decision has to be made with preparation time in mind. That's why the decision was taken" (GUARDIAN, 1/21).
ON THE DEFENSIVE: In Sydney, Tom Smithies reported Gallop insisted FFA "could not have headed off" the axing of Stajcic, despite "growing calls for wider accountability over the crisis engulfing the women's national team." Forced to defend the FFA over persistent questions about how the crisis was "able to explode" just five months before the World Cup, Gallop claimed the FFA board was forced to move quickly. The fact that the "loss of confidence" in the national coach was able to reach a terminal level was attacked by prominent figures in the game. Former Socceroo Craig Foster, nominated to stand for the FFA board in December, described it as "a failure of leadership ... (it) should have been identified and managed well before." His comments were echoed by Craig Moore, who worked in the FFA's national teams unit and said that such crises were "happening with some consistency now which to raise considerable alarm bells" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 1/21).
