Soccer: Pressure on FFA over sacking of Matildas coach

Football Federation Australia chief executive David Gallop has denied suggestions the organisation was asleep at the wheel

Alen Stajcic, whose shock sacking has sparked a crisis in Australian soccer

Football Federation Australia chief executive David Gallop has denied suggestions the organisation was asleep at the wheel regarding alleged problems inside the Matildas camp as pressure mounted on them to reveal the reasons behind the shock sacking of coach Alen Stajcic.

With Australian soccer divided and in uproar, the head body went into damage control with Gallop twice fronting the Matildas yesterday before facing a barrage of questions at a hastily arranged media conference that did little to quell suggestions the situation has been horribly mishandled.

Stajcic, the man behind the rise of the Matildas as a force in world football and one of the most popular brands in Australian sport, was abruptly dumped on Saturday following the findings of two surveys commissioned by FFA as well as their own investigation.

He has won widespread support from the soccer community, with many believing he is the victim of a witch hunt and vendetta.

The Australian understands there have been forces within and outside the game who have sought to undermine Stajcic.

While the stated reason for Stajcic’s demise was that he had allowed the Matildas’ culture to become toxic and unmanageable, there are unsubstantiated reports of bullying, body shaming and mental disintegration. However, FFA have refused to divulge any details, claiming confidentiality.

Concerns have been raised over the manner of Stajcic’s dismissal with a large number of Matildas having taken to social media to state their disappointment and dismay at his sacking.

The Australian understands Gallop was quizzed at both meetings by some members of the Matildas and that some of the players were emotionally affected while one veteran player wept openly.

It appears Stajcic was sacked without due process, a situation denied by Gallop. FFA has also faced questions over why, if the Matildas’ culture was deteriorating, they did not act earlier.

Gallop suggested the situation with the Matildas arose quickly.

“The PFA (Professional Footballers Australia) work was initially after the Tournament of Nations in July,” Gallop said. “These matters are accumulative and there was a real view things had deteriorated in recent times.

“Then it gets to a critical point in time where a decision needs to be made with (tournament and World Cup) preparation in mind.

“Further information was only available in the last week or so.”

There were suggestions the Matildas would ask FFA to reinstate Stajcic, but Gallop said that has not happened, though he confirmed there was an air of disappointment in the ranks but that FFA was not about to backtrack.

“There are unhappy players but you have to talk to them about that. They spoke up today,” he said.

“I made it very clear this was a decision based on a range of material. It’s not within the power of the players to appoint the coach, nor is it within their powers to reinstate a coach. That (reinstating him) was not put to me.”

It is believed the Matildas players want assistant coach Gary van Egmond to take over for the sake of continuity. Just how FFA will tackle that remains to be seen.

In terms of the manner of Stajcic’s dismissal and why he wasn’t afforded due process — that is, counselling, retraining and/or a warning — Gallop said FFA had acted under the provisions of a termination of a contract.

“This was a termination under the provisions of the contract that allow for a notice period to be paid out. It’s not a situation in some areas of employment law where warnings are given for conduct and different provisions are used,” he said. It was put to him that it was still a constructive dismissal.

“I don’t think that’s right. A decision was taken to pay out the notice,” he replied.

FFA, with the help of PFA and Our Watch, an organisation working to prevent abuse towards women and their children, conducted two surveys of players and staff involved with the media.

It was partly due to the results from the surveys that Stajcic’s position was called into question.

But, concerns have been raised about the involvement of Our Watch with FFA.

Explaining the decision to bring them in, Gallop said: “We were approached to be one of four or five sports that have done work with Our Watch and it’s part of an ongoing program with them.”

Nonetheless, that decision has raised eyebrows given there are no allegations of physical abuse in the Matildas set-up.

The Matildas were in Coogee yesterday for a leadership working group. There was a sombre mood and the players were ordered not to speak to the media.

Gallop did confirm that FFA want a new Matildas coach in place by the end of the month.