The Football Coaching Life with Alen Stajcic: “I knew that I had more to give back to the sport”

Matthew Badrov20/01/2022 6:25 am20/01/2022

Football Coaches Australia is delighted to present the latest episode of the ‘Football Coaching Life Podcast’, with Gary Cole interviewing former Australia Women’s National Team and Central Coast Mariners A-League Men’s coach Alen Stajcic.

Alen is currently Head Coach of the Philippines Women’s National Team. The side, nicknamed the Malditas (yes that’s correct!), are being prepared for the 2022 AFC Asian Cup held in India. The Philippines will play in a group with Indonesia, Thailand and of course Australia (the Matildas).

Alen’s Serbian background led him to Bonnyrigg White Eagles in Sydney’s west, but a knee injury shortened his playing career and as a teacher he began coaching.

Staj has had a remarkable coaching journey that began at the Hills Sports High School and at New South Wales Institute of Sport, coaching the Sapphires in the Women’s National Soccer League. Both of these institutions saw teams achieve repeated successes with championship wins, but Alen learned that success comes in many ways.

He had an early taste of coaching the Matildas in an Assistant Coach role with the Young Matildas at the 2006 World Cup in Russia, before becoming the inaugural Head Coach at Sydney FC Women, which saw them win two championships and two premierships, as well as third place at the FIFA International Women’s Club Championship.

Then followed five fantastic years as Head Coach of the Matildas, during which they beat Brazil and World Champions USA for the first time, changing the belief of the players and achieving successes at the Asian Cup, Olympic Games and World Cup.

Alen’s ‘One Piece of Wisdom’ was: ‘It’s got to be fun; you’ve got to enjoy it because it’s a tough job. Coaching can be a lonely experience, so you’ve really got to find the enjoyment, fun and reward and the connection to what it is you want to achieve. If it’s not fun it’s just too tough a job!’

Please join us in sharing Alen Stajcic’s Football Coaching Life.

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Former Socceroos captain set to headline coaching conference

George Arthur04/11/2026 5:55 am03/11/2026

Mark Mulligan. Credit A League

Mark Milligan – former Socceroos captain and Newcastle Jets Premiership-winning manager – is set to be the guest of honour at the 2026 Football NSW Coaching Conference, held at Valentine Sports Park from November 21st–22nd.

The annual conference represents Australia’s largest gathering of football coaches, and is set to include expert insight into coaching, practical sessions and development plans for attendees. Milligan will partake in a Q&A session with MC Stephanie Brantz on November 21, adding significant gravitas to the conference.

Chris Gallo, Football NSW Coach Education Manager spoke highly of Milligan via Football NSW.

‘Opportunities to hear from people who have experienced the game at the highest level are incredibly valuable for our coaches. Mark brings a unique perspective on leadership, performance and the demands of elite football, and we want our coaches to be able to take those insights back into their own environments,’ he said.

Milligan traversed the globe across a near-twenty year professional career that started in the old National Soccer League, concluded in the A-League, and took in time across Europe, the UK and Asia.

He represented the Socceroos with distinction across 80 appearances, selected by four seperate managers in World Cup squads, and was captain of the Olympic team in 2008. His nascent managerial career has already seen two trophies at Newcastle, where he is presently leading them in the Asian Champions League.

But it all began on the local pitches of Bankstown. Milligan is an authentic, home-grown product of Football NSW, and emblamatic of the rewards that can be reaped from investing in the beginning of a player’s journey.

With the conference already selling out, attendees can now expect to learn plemty from one of Australia’s most exciting, up-and-coming coaches.

The opportunity Football NSW are providing showcases their commitment in helping coaches develop, and their continued pledge of giving back to the game at its foundation.

Holman Barnes Group formalises Central Coast Mariners investment

Lorcan Marelich19/10/2026 12:35 pm19/10/2026

Image Credit: Shutterstock

The Central Coast Mariners have formalised a new ownership and operating structure with Holman Barnes Group (HBG), giving the club greater certainty across its men’s, women’s and academy programs.

Confirmed on 16 October, the agreements see HBG become a minority investor in the entity responsible for the Mariners’ A-League Men’s and academy operations, while also taking operational responsibility for the A-League Women’s team under a separate agreement.

The move builds on HBG’s earlier commitment to take over the women’s program, which faced an uncertain future following changes to the club’s ownership arrangements earlier this year.

HBG brings experience across sport, hospitality and community businesses, including its majority stake in NRL club Wests Tigers and its involvement with NPL club APIA Leichhardt.

Mariners chairman Ruben Gnanalingam welcomed the formalisation of the partnership.

“These guys are a smart, sport-focused, local organisation and who we believe will demonstrate have the nous and relationships to help maximise the chances of CCM having success on all fronts,” Gnanalingam said.

HBG CEO Daniel Paton said the group saw significant potential across the club’s programs.

“We’ve always believed in the power of sport to bring communities together and create opportunities, and we see enormous potential in what we can achieve together across the men’s, women’s and Academy programs,” Paton said.

The structure provides a distinctive model in Australian sport, with HBG holding interests across both an NRL licence and an A-League club’s operations.

The group is also developing the Mariners Club, a venue beside polytec Stadium, with proceeds intended to support the women’s team adding a potential community and hospitality revenue stream to its involvement.

The challenge now is to turn the new structure into sustainable investment, stronger player pathways and long-term stability across the Mariners’ programs.