Alen Stajcic - The Matildas are Asian Cup final bound | Former Matildas Head Coach (18.03.26)

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celsius.com. This is your town. This is your station. This is Waidley. The Matilda's

hour into the Asian Cup final. It was a high bar, but the only pass mark for Australia at the

regional tournament on home soil was to see Saturday nights decider and rather perfectly

Sam Kerr scored the goal that sent them there. Since this team won the hearts of the nation in a

thrilling World Cup run, it hasn't done a whole heap of winning. This tournament has rectified

that trajectory to some degree and the Asian Cup final provides a chance to restore some of that

affection and attention once more.

And doesn't that one have just a bit of feeling about it? The Matilda's gets scored and underway,

a neat move. It does well to get a little touch through the curve,

dreads it wide to fall. The crowd rises, talking forward,

curve forward, bread run from Sam Kerr, she can just reach the touch. The return pass will

have that affection from Sam Kerr and the crowd loves it. It's Sam Kerr's house and doesn't

she just make that known? And it is. The Matilda's are the first team to book their spot in the final

of the Women's Asian Cup for 2026. The objective of getting to the final is he's complete.

But we know deep down in our hearts that we need to be better. We need to be more continuous

in terms of the way we play. But we found something again and we got through. It's a bit of momentum.

You can feel the belief of all 26 players that are involved. They want to do something and we scored

two amazing goals. Obviously the first one is very much to my liking. The second one was a bit

of a transition moment. But Sam was amazing to finish it there. That's tournament football.

Joe Montemarrow, the Australian coach. Alan Stachich enjoyed such great success with the Matilda's

coaching into a World Cup, Olympic, Sanation Cup final as well. Alan's with me on the program.

Welcome, Alan. Thanks for joining me. Good morning guys. What did you think of the quality of

the Sam Kerr goal? Yeah, unbelievable. She's always been a freak and continues to be,

you know, the Linchpin and, you know, these times as Joe alluded, we're not even being playing

that well in this tournament and she just manages to pull things out and rescue the team and

really put them on the front foot again in terms of the scoreboard. So she's still a massive threat

and a massive weapon in this tournament. So run your coach's eye over the way they've played

this tournament and how they qualified for the final last night for us. Yeah, look, I'd

agree with the coach. They've been up and down in games and you've got to manage your way through

that and, you know, there's been individuals that have stepped up in moments where they haven't

been dominating a game, Alana Kennedy and Sam Kerr are probably the most prominent of those two.

Obviously, they've just stepped up and changed the courses of results and matches and been exceptional

and Joe was right. That first goal they scored last night was well past the way they tore apart

China's high press in that moment. So they're going to need more of that against Korea or Japan.

You know, I probably think Japan are probably the better team. So I probably hope they play Korea

but Japan is exceptional as well. So that'll be a tough encounter. Should Japan get through tonight?

So it'll be a 50-50 game. But, you know, we're the kind of team that even if we're not playing

well when you've got weapons like we have, we can win at any time. And, you know, Caitlin Ford and

Kennedy and Kerr and Mary Fowler and all those have got those things in their locker that

can turn a game. The significance of making the final on home soil and garnering all the attention

that is on off home. How would you rank that? Yeah, look, they're used to it now. I would say if it

was new to them, it would be, you know, something that you're carrying on your shoulders. But the

fact that we've had the World Cup and the amount of sell-out crowds have had other last six, seven

years, you know, put some in good state in terms of handling that kind of pressure. And possibly

put more pressure on Japan or Korea, I would say. If they'd play in front of an atmosphere like that.

So, you know, I think that'll be an extra thing in their favor on the weekend and hopefully they can

get it done. The approach to the tournament, Alan, is that the manager, as you referenced, is

they are playing what's in front of them rather than any philosophical development of a future

style? Is that been the right approach? Yep. Yeah, well, result for what matters and it got through

this far. I think Joe knowing Joe for a long time, he certainly has a philosophy and a way he

wants to play. So maybe sacrifice that a little bit. But ultimately, you know, it's tournament football

and you got to do what you have to do in the moment. And again, individuals have stepped up where

they've had to. But, you know, as I said before, the tournament on this program, I think Australia and

Japan are the two favourites and they're possibly going to meet in the final. It's been an experience

side. It's been notable for that. And again, tournament play sometimes demands that is there'll be

a moment to plan for the future. This has been much more about winning what's in the now.

Is that been the right approach for you? Yeah, you have to, you have to on top of being an agent

cup. It's also doubles up as well cup qualifiers. So you can't take a risk on on anything else. But,

you know, I've long said that we've got to make sure and ensure that we don't let happen what

happened to the soccer ruse after the golden generation of soccer ruse have where we we dragged out

careers to the end, which you have to based on merit. But there was times where we could have

developed some young plays in the squad. And, you know, no, Joe being an Australian, he'll always

have an eye on the future and making sure that the youngsters and the next generation get their

opportunities over next 12, 24 months to ensure that there isn't a cliff that we drop off when

all these special players finally finally come to the end. So yes, is that that what's to be done

on that front beyond this tournament is the Matilda's world ranking had slid to 15. Presumably,

that will bounce a little bit here and the chance to be one of the best two teams in Asia and

hopefully the best is what will that mean to setting up the next wave of this team?

Yeah, look, that's a long-winded question because that takes a lot of work behind the scenes and

there's not one one quick fix answer to that. It's all about the Wlegs, all about the development

systems, all about the kids that are coming through. When you get to the top level, all about

the experiences they get in the young Matilda's, the under 23's, getting opportunities in Matilda's

to play where they can. So this team has been together, the core of this team, the top 10 have been

together for 15 years now, 16 years. We'll probably never get that ever again, just the way that the

games evolved around from semi-pro to pro. So it's going to be a tricky one, but there's a core

group of young players there that you can build a team around. Kyra Turnikross is a world class

player and Mary Fowler is an Ellie Cup and she's played 100 odd caps already. She's only 26

years old. So there's a core group of young players there that have to lead the team, but obviously

we need to infuse the next generation into the team over the next one, two, three years to ensure

that, as I said, that Cliff doesn't appear. The core of this team will take us to the World Cup.

Will it not next year in Brazil? They would all see that as the next step in their journey?

Yeah, for sure, like Sam Kerr and Caitlin Ford, who are probably key players,

Def Catley as well. They're unbelievable world class players. They're all 93 and 94 ball

players, so they're 32, 33. So it depends how well they look after themselves as to how long they

can keep playing as well. They're 32, 33 years of age. Sam's had some injuries and Caitlin did

earlier as well, but they all seem to be fairly fit at the moment. So as long as they can keep playing

for me, the first and foremost merit is the most important thing. If they're good enough,

you keep them in the team as long as you can. On top of their ability, the leadership and

experience they provide is unmatched. So again, we've got a once in a generation team and it's

imperative we use every part of their skills and experience to pass on to the next generation.

All right, so that's the future Saturday night is the big day. What's the dynamic like once you

get to the final of an Asian Cup, if it's Japan or the career republic, what's the tension like

in these games? Yeah, look, this is probably the first Asian Cup for a long time. If ever,

whether it's been this much exposure, where the games really gone professional all around the

world. The two, the last one in India was during COVID and no crowds were allowed and then the two

previous ones, you know, that are the part of where we played Japan in the final. You know,

apart from the home team getting some crowds, it was pretty much an empty stadium for final. So it

was just in the context of being an Asian Cup rather than being the big event that it is now.

So, you know, it's a massive event on the world stage and it's a massive event for Australian

sports. So the players have to deal with that and the changing momentum. But as I said, I think

how our squad is well-pronged for playing front of a big crowd in the moment and knowing that

Japan have beat us a couple of times in the last Asian Cup final, especially if it's them,

you know, I think it's our turn. Very nice. As we won it in 2010, the women won it before the men

did. Or what would it mean for the Matilda's to lift that trophy again 16 years on?

Yeah, look, they did in 2010 and then probably that tournament we beat Japan in the semi-final and

I think it was something like 75, 80% position to Japan. And we won that game one nil off a little

bit of a goalkeeper there and ended up getting through and then a year later, they ended up winning

the World Cup. So it just shows, you know, the quality of opposition that we play against sometimes.

You know, Japan and Australia for me are top five, six in the world regardless of rankings.

They can beat anyone on any given moment. South Korea, Japan still has to get over them tonight and

that'll be a tight game so that could go either way. But if you play Japan, you know, you're playing

world-class opposition who could easily be in the World Cup final next year. So you know, not only

will it be a good test for this tournament and a massive moment in itself. It's a good test for

next year as well. Alan, great to have your expertise. Thanks very much for sharing it with us

today and fingers crossed for what's to come. Yeah, exactly. Thank you. Good on you. Alan,

stage each there who coached the Matilda's to such success across World Cup's Olympics and the

Asian Cup. He was the last coach to lead the Matilda's to this stage of the tournaments. Lost,

as he said, one nil to Japan. That will repeat perhaps on Saturday nights at your thoughts. I've

fell in love with the Matilda's at the World Cup in Australia. And since then, I have never missed

a game. Always watch it live on TV, Alexander in Kisbra. It is great that the Matilda's have made

the Asian Cup final, but they are going to need to be a lot more bold with their ball movements

rather than continuously playing backwards in order to beat either Japan or the Korea Republic.

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We're going to hear from Sam Mitchell from Adamousay from Errol Gordon as we set you up for footy

between round one and round two. Ken Hinkley, the art of coaching will be up on the podcast already.

The only sensible mind of Phil Davis will mix your thoughts in with a couple of coaches and an

injured player coming up next. Melbourne's weather today's for city power drizzle at times clearing

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