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The Optus Sport Football Podcast

Alen Stajcic and the meteoric rise of the Philippines women's national football team | The former Matildas boss and his dreams for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™

Season 4, Ep. 1

Football in Australia was shocked with the sacking of Alen Stajcic as the Matildas coach, at the eleventh hour ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019™.


Following a stint at the Central Coast Mariners and amidst COVID lockdowns, Alen found himself with a new challenge at his feet: that of guiding the Philippines women's national team through the qualification process for a World Cup. And. they made it - for the first time ever.


Hear a fascinating, candid chat with Alen as Isobel Cootes quizzes him on motivation, appreciation...and how it feels to be the coach on the sideline as your team heads into a penalty shootout!


Watch every match of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™ live and on-demand on Optus Sport.


Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:


Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

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