FFA board member Heather Reid apologises to Alen Stajcic in wake of comments over controversial dismissal
Football Federation Australia board member Heather Reid has issued an extraordinary apology to Alen Stajcic four months after the former Matildas coach was sacked.
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Football Federation Australia director Heather Reid has “apologised unreservedly” for her comments that “compounded the speculation and innuendo” around Alen Stajcic’s controversial Matildas sacking.
Four months after he was shown the door, the governing body has taken the sizeable step of admitting the former women’s national team coach had not breached his contract nor engaged in any misconduct.
It comes after Stajcic’s lawyers settled his defamation action against Reid in the wake of her inflammatory remarks he says left his international coaching reputation ruined and his family in significant distress.
Stajcic was axed in January on the basis of two confidential surveys – one run by players association the PFA, and the other by organisation Our Watch – as well as conversations with players and staff.
To this day he insists he and his family still don’t have a clue why his employment with FFA was terminated abruptly one day after a single 20-minute meeting with chief executive David Gallop.
Reid, who has since stood aside from her position on the board due to health issues, on Friday issued a comprehensive apology for her part in fuelling the innuendo around his abrupt and untimely dismissal five months before the Women’s World Cup.
“I apologise unreservedly for the damage, distress and hurt that I have caused to Alen Stajcic as a professional football coach and long-time servant to, and advocate for, Australian and women’s football,” Reid wrote in a statement relayed by FFA.
“I understand that my conduct in making public and private statements may have caused serious damage to Mr Stajcic’s reputation, both in Australia and internationally.”
Reid made reference to her public claims that people “would be shocked” if they knew the truth and privately telling members of the media Stajcic, who has since been made head coach of the Central Coast Mariners, would never work in women’s football again.
“I understand also that these communications ended up in the hands of other journalists who have used my words to compound the speculation and innuendo as to the reason why Mr Stajcic’s employment was terminated,” she said.
“I withdraw my statements entirely and unconditionally. Mr Stajcic’s contract was terminated by FFA, by a decision of the FFA Board, of which I am a member. FFA elected to terminate Mr Stajcic’s employment contract by it making a payment in lieu of notice. Mr Stajcic’s contract was not terminated by FFA for breach of contract by Mr Stajcic, or because of any misconduct on Mr Stajcic’s part. I accept that I was wrong to imply otherwise.
“I regret making these statements. I apologise also for pain and suffering that I have caused to Mr Stajcic’s wife and two young children.”
FFA offered its own backhanded apology by way of confirming Stajcic’s contract was terminated “by making a pre-agreed payment in lieu of notice”.
“FFA’s decision to do this was reached simply because its board formed the view, following a process undertaken by management, that the Matildas would benefit from a new coach for the FIFA World Cup in France,” the FFA statement read.
“FFA acknowledges that some of the speculation about the termination of Alen’s contract was caused by statements made by one of its directors, Heather Reid.
“These statements were not made on behalf of FFA and did not reflect the decision of the Board or the reasons why it made that decision. Heather has withdrawn those comments and issued an apology to Alen for having made them.”
Originally published as FFA board member Heather Reid apologises to Alen Stajcic in wake of comments over controversial dismissal
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