Aussie coach tapped to call shots for Philippine women's football team

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has named former Australia mentor Alen Stajcic as the new head coach of the women’s national team for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup next year.

Stajcic, who guided Australia to back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances in 2015 and 2019 plus a quarterfinal finish in the 2016 Rio Olympics, will succeed Marlon Maro.

Maro is now the head of PFF Coaching Education after authoring the country’s return to the Asian Cup last month with a sweep of the Group F qualifiers against Nepal and Hong Kong.

With the 47-year-old Stajcic at helm, the PFF is determined to elevate the women’s program in the Asian stage and beyond.

“His appointment shows the commitment and determination of the PFF to give our women’s national team the best possible chance to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” said PFF president Nonong Araneta.

Stajcic and the Filipina booters will be shooting for a historic World Cup berth in the Asian Cup set January 20 to February 6 in India, where five tickets are up for grabs. 

The team will hold a training camp in California starting next month with the support of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), team manager Jefferson Cheng and the MVP Sports Foundation.