Posted June 26, 2019 18:32:35

Photo: Alen Stajcic (right) was sacked as Matildas coach five months before the World Cup. (AAP: Julian Smith)

Alen Stajcic's sacking as coach has been blamed for the Matildas' early Women's World Cup exit, and Football Federation Australia (FFA) has been urged to leave no stone unturned in its review of the failed campaign.

The Matildas missed out on reaching the World Cup quarter-finals in France for the first time in 16 years, five months after the shock sacking of Stajcic, who had been their most successful coach.

Many of the Matildas players appeared to lack match fitness and the squad seemed to struggle to adapt to new coach Ante Milicic's tactics in the wake of Stajcic's much-publicised dismissal.

They were beaten by Norway via penalties in the round of 16 last Sunday (AEST) despite being widely tipped to go deeper in the tournament courtesy of their world number six ranking.

Stajcic has refused to comment on the Matildas' performance at the World Cup but retired Australia international and Canberra United W-League coach Heather Garriock said his sacking proved too disruptive for the squad.

"To go through something like that, as traumatic as that, it is going to have an impact," she said.

"In terms of implementing a new philosophy and a new style, it was too difficult. I just think the players were playing with a big weight on their shoulders."

Football Coaching Australia president Phil Moss said the Matildas' chances were cruelled before they even arrived in France for the World Cup.

"I think it goes without saying that it [Stajcic's sacking] cost the team the best chance of performing to the very top of their capabilities," Moss said.

"It's our worst finish in the last four World Cups, so questions have to be asked around was the best preparation afforded to the team leading into the tournament."

Moss has called on the FFA's review of the Matildas' World Cup campaign to be conducted by an independent panel.

"What it's about is [understanding] the process that led to the termination of the most successful coach in Matildas history, five months out from a tournament," he said.

Moss said FFA board member Heather Reid's public apology in the wake of the Stajcic dismissal further highlighted the need for an independent process.

"We have been pushing for that transparency from day one around the process that led to Alen's termination by the FFA," he said.

Photo: The Matildas' loss to Norway gave the squad its earliest World Cup exit in 16 years. (AP: Thibault Camus)

Retired Socceroo and prominent football commentator Craig Foster said the removal of Stajcic suggested there could be administrative and cultural issues at FFA.

Foster highlighted the fact that the Socceroos suffered a similar fate in the lead-up to the men's World Cup last year, when Bert van Marwijk was appointed coach just months out from the tournament in Russia.

"The main question is how did the Matildas come to be in a position where a coach had to be relieved of his duty only a matter of months before the World Cup?" he said.

"What happened in the preceding couple of years? If there were issues, why were they for clearly a period of time, such that they got into a situation where two reviews had to be conducted?"

The FFA said the shape of the Matildas' World Cup review was being worked through but it remained committed to a performance and operational process encompassing all aspects of the side's preparation, including Stajcic's sacking.

Stajcic wants more women in football

Stajcic now coaches the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League but he signalled his intent to stay involved with the women's game by joining the committee of Women In Football, a working group aiming to promote female representation in the sport.

"I've seen the gaps that are involved in our game and the lack of inclusivity that we've got in our game," Stajcic said.

"Gender is certainly one big area where we've lacked that level of inclusion needed for our game to grow."

Photo: Stajcic is staying involved with women's football as well as coaching in the A-League. (AAP: Lukas Coch)

Women In Football president and former FFA executive Bonita Mersiades said it was shocking that women held only two of the 49 senior managerial roles in Australian football.

"When it comes to limited resources for a new initiative, women and girls are generally the first to miss out because there is no-one who argues their case," she said.

Women in Football will include an active list of women who might be available for management, coaching and other positions within the sport.

Topics: soccer, sport, soccer-world-cup, australia