Sacked Matildas coach Alen Stajcic knew the team culture was dysfunctional and said it would never change, according to a statement released by Football Federation Australia.
The governing body released the statement, with words from both chairman Chris Nikou and CEO David Gallop, in relation to Alen Stajcic's first words on his dismissal - where he accused the FFA of 'unjustifiably' firing him from his position.
Stajcic was axed from the Matildas head coach role on January 19 - only five months before the World Cup - with the FFA claiming a change had to be made after an anonymous survey revealed concerning results.
Nikou claimed that in meeting with Gallop and an FFA lawyer, Stajcic admitted there were problems in the Matildas team environment that couldn't be fixed - and that was the catalyst for the sacking to be made.
"We disagree with many of [Stajcic's] assertions and were surprised by a number of his comments," Nikou said in the statement.
"Indeed Mr Stajcic, by his own admission and in the presence of an FFA lawyer and the FFA CEO David Gallop, said that the team environment was ‘dysfunctional’ and was ‘always going to be this way’.
"In those circumstances, we decided to act in time to put the team’s FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign back on track. It’s the board’s duty to make these decisions."
Gallop made the same accusation against Stajcic as Nikou, and said he would not be drawn into an argument about the decision to terminate the coach's employment.
"We are not going to get into a point by point debate that further distracts the team. Mr Stajcic knows that the team environment, contrary to today’s comments, was not satisfactory," Gallop said.
"A change was needed. We are also mindful that the people who participated in the review processes, including the surveys and other information gathered, did so on a confidential basis. We will not breach those commitments to players and staff."
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