Matildas primed for Asian success

MATILDAS coach Alen Stajcic is much wiser, claiming Australia is a drilled tournament team ready to jump every hurdle the AFC Asian Cup presents in Jordan, after some of his squad showed hints of cabin fever at the 2016 Olympics.

With the Matildas favourites to claim a second AFC Asian Cup crown, Stajcic said Australia got it wrong two years ago in Brazil when the side spent weeks locked up in camp.

The Matildas’ boss revealed the long lead up to the Rio Games became a major obstacle that Australia could not overcome as it bowed out in the quarter-final to host Brazil in a penalty shootout.

Stajcic says balance between his side working hard during games and at training and the chance to do other activities away from the game to keep minds fresh is crucial.

“We got to Brazil a bit too early,’’ Stajcic said.

“We spent six or seven weeks together cocooned in a hotel in Fortaleza because of the security issues at the time, we weren’t allowed to leave the hotel. “There was no release.” Stajcic led Australia to runner-up status at the Asian Cup in Vietnam in 2014.

His record with the Matildas is spectacular with 31 wins, 10 draws and 10 losses.

Stajcic has had most of the side in camp in Perth since the beginning of last week.

The side will fly to Jordan tomorrow.

“We wanted to spend as much time in Australia as we can and Perth is as close to Jordan as we could get,” Stajcic said.

Australia faces South Korea in the first Group B match on April 8 before meeting Vietnam and Japan in the other group matches.