Coach Alen Stajcic said the hard part now begins for the national women’s football team after claiming a historic FIFA Women’s World Cup spot during the recent AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

As he begins the process of negotiating for a new contract, Stajcic is also urging the Pinay booters to raise themselves to a higher level now as they now set to play against some of the world’s best in the 2023 event which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Under Stajcic, the Philippines exceeded expectations by reaching the semifinals of the continental tournament, highlighted by a breakthrough win over Thailand and a valiant effort in losses to Australia in the group and South Korea in the semifinals.

“I would say there was a massive gap between the big teams — Australia, Korea, Japan, China — and us going into this tournament,” Stajcic told former PBA commissioner Noli Eala on the program Power and Play.

“I think there is a gap, but I think we’ve reduced the gap in a space of two months so it will be harder. The higher you go up the mountain, the higher it is to keep climbing and we’re at that pace where I think we’ve climbed a quarter of the way up the mountain but every step forward now is gonna take even more work,” the Australian added.

That is why Stajcic wants the team not to waste the momentum of their Asian Cup run in order to at least put up a respectable performance on the world stage.

“It’s gonna take even more programs in place, more sacrifice from everyone — staff, players, the (Philippine Football Federation), the organization,” Stajcic said.

“Everything’s gonna have to be on a new level if we're gonna be seriously competitive at the World Cup.”

But before the World Cup preparations start, the PFF will have to work on a deal to keep Stajcic in charge in the months leading up to FIFA’s premier event.

Hired last October, Stajcic’s contract expired after the Asian Cup, and many are hoping that negotiations would run smoothly.