Following the conclusion of the historic World Cup campaign in New Zealand, Alen Stajcic, the head coach of the Philippine women’s national football team, along with assistant coach Nahuel Arrarte, is stepping down from their positions.
As their contracts came to an end after the remarkable journey at the World Cup, both coaches are now keen on exploring other options in their coaching careers. Consequently, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) confirmed that the team manager and patron, Jefferson Cheng, will not be renewing their contracts.
Stajcic expressed his gratitude to Sir Jeff for entrusting them with the responsibility of leading the National Team during their nearly 20-month journey. Under his guidance, the Filipinas progressed from being outsiders in South-East Asia to achieving a memorable victory at the World Cup.
During Stajcic’s tenure, the team achieved significant milestones. Notably, they secured a place in the World Cup after reaching the semifinals of the 2022 Asian Cup. In the same year, they clinched a bronze medal in the Southeast Asian Games held in Vietnam, marking their first podium finish in 37 years. Additionally, the team emerged victorious at the AFF Women’s Championship and achieved a remarkable rise to the 46th position in the global rankings.
A historic moment was also achieved under Stajcic’s leadership, as the Philippine football team secured its first-ever World Cup win by defeating co-hosts New Zealand on July 25.
As Alen Stajcic and Nahuel Arrarte move on to explore new opportunities, the Philippine women’s national football team will embark on a search for new coaching talent to continue their journey towards further success in the world of women’s football. (ai/mnm)
