The campaign of the Philippine Women’s National Football Team in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup may not be over yet, but the Philippine Football Federation is already preparing a package for head coach Alen Stajcic.
Stajcic, the Australian coach who steered the country to its first-ever World Cup berth, is only contracted by the federation up until the last game day of the Filipinas — either on Thursday or on Sunday if the team makes it to the finale of the continental meet.
For PFF president Nonong Araneta, they want to keep Stajcic for the long haul.
“We have to talk to coach Alen because of course, he has brought the team to where it is now,” Araneta said during Tuesday’s edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. “We want him to continue until probably the World Cup next year.
“Whatever it takes for us to get him.”
Even before joining the Philippines, Stajcic is already regarded as one of the top minds in women’s football.
As the head coach of Australia from 2014-19, he steered the Matildas to two Asian Cup finals, quarterfinals berths in the World Cup and the Olympics, while tallying a record-high of four in the FIFA World Rankings.
But it’s not just him that the federation wants to keep but his entire team that consists of Aussie assistant coach Nahuel Arrarte, French goalkeeping coach Ludovic Antunes, and Italian strength and conditioning coach Luca Tonetti.
(C) AFC
“Our first objective is to secure the services of coach Alen and his team,” added PFF secretary-general Ed Gastanes in the forum backed by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Amelie Hotel, Braska Restaurant, and PAGCOR with Prime Edge as its webcast partner.
“Ang gusto natin ‘yung makuha pa rin yung serbisyo ng kanyang team. Hindi kasi siya biro — he is one of the best women coaches in the world.”
Stajcic and the entire team are set to fly to Manila after the campaign — the first for him and some members of the squad.
