Michelle Heyman's Matildas story illustrates how strong the squad's bond is and what the players get from those relationships. Credit:David Manuca This delights Stajcic and he praises the team's performance. It was, to the layman, seemingly perfect. But Stajcic wants more. The Matildas are ranked sixth in the world (likely to be fourth if they win Sunday, possibly third depending on other results) and Stajcic knows they need to improve if they are to win the 2018 Asian Cup, the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Olympic gold. Such is their ambition and potential. He begins speaking over clips of passages of play from Wednesday's game, pointing out decisions the players make that are wrong or could be better. They range from weak tackles, to poor passing choices and bad body positioning.

Matildas coach Alen Stajcic is well liked and respected by his players, despite relentlessly pursuing excellence. Credit:David Manuca Stajcic is an incredibly clear communicator and wastes no words, nor has he any hesitation over any of the points he makes. He is firm in his delivery but not critical; you can tell he was once a school teacher. One mistake shown on the screen – after China's third shot on goal in the 89th minute as the Matildas led 3-0 – attracts significant attention from Stajcic and his assistant Gary van Egmond​. Emily Van Egmond (L) and Lydia Williams (R) present a shy Eliza Campbell with her Matildas cap after she made her debut on Wednesday. Credit:Ben Coonan A Chinese player crosses the ball into the box where a striker heads it into the crossbar, the ball deflecting out of bounds.

Stajcic highlights three Matildas on the edge of the box who are moving away from goal at the time the header was struck. I think I am a pretty honest person, the players will probably say brutally honest, but I am authentic and passionate. Alen Stajcic What if the ball rebounded back into play? There were enough Chinese players waiting to tap the rebound into goal and those three Matildas should have been marking them instead of moving away. That was Stajcic's concern. "This happened in the World Cup and they scored and bang, we were eliminated," Stajcic says. "It didn't matter here but we are striving for perfection." Matildas veteran team doctor Dr James Ilic turns and whispers: "He remembers everything from every game."

The World Cup goal that Stajcic and van Egmond are referencing is Mana Iwabuchi's 87th-minute winner for Japan in their 2015 World Cup quarter-final win over Australia. If you watch that vision you can see – like in the China game – four Matildas defenders in no man's land while four Japan players stand goalside, including Iwabuchi who lashes home from a fortunate rebound. Given Australia's dominance of China Stajcic's highlighting of the negatives may seem overkill. But the popular coach told The Sunday Age that because of the strong bond in the group and the shared desire to be the world's best, such discussions aren't feared. "Some of the players in this team have known me for over 10 years," Stajcic said. "I think I am a pretty honest person, the players will probably say brutally honest, but I am authentic and passionate and they know what they'll get and vice versa. "At the end of the day we are here for a purpose and there is a unified vision of where we want to get to and that underpins everything because there is a common goal and we fight hard to help each other get there."

Stajcic became Matildas coach in 2014, months before they finished runners-up in the 2014 Asian Cup. He replaced Hesterine de Reus, who was sacked as a result of a player mutiny after 17 months in the job. Katrina Gorry (L) and Michelle Heyman (R) are inseparable when in camp. Gorry supported Heyman during an injury lay-off that triggered her anxiety problems. Credit:Instagram Stajcic listed a few reasons for the squad's titanium-strength bond – most of the players have played in numerous junior national teams together; the full-time five-month training camp before the 2015 World Cup; and five training camps before the 2016 Olympics. "We are a family. There are tight bonds here," Stajcic said. "People can come here and they have fun, the players enjoy coming to camp and spending time together. When you come to a place with that sense of being yourself, being authentic and not pretending, ultimately that leads to you feeling the pressure of performing but not the pressure of being someone you're not. "They're not easy periods leading into major tournaments but certainly in that process we solidified our playing style and that gave the players a lot of confidence in themselves and the team. When you have that confidence in your teammate and belief that we can achieve things together, that strengthens the bonds we already have."

The meeting's serious atmosphere is eventually broken by rapturous laughter triggered by a replay of Sam Kerr's headed opening goal. Stajcic, through a smirk, points out Katrina 'Mini' Gorry's little star jump celebration after the goal and the squad is in hysterics, not least Gorry's best friend Michelle Heyman who has just returned to the squad after missing selection through injury for 10 months. Heyman recently detailed the sometimes-crippling anxiety she lives with, which was exacerbated by the ankle injury that in her worst moments manifested into a fear she would never play for the Matildas again. "I'm thrilled to be back. It's nice to be back with my roommate [Gorry] and some of my great friends, so it's a really nice feeling," Heyman said. "She [Gorry] is my bestie. She means the world to me. She is the one that gives me the confidence and since the injury she continued to tell me that I'd be back no matter what.

"Our bond has grown in the last five or six years and we have just become closer. My family doesn't get to come away to games so all of 'Mini's' family does, so I have latched onto them." Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams shouts instructions to her teammates while training in Geelong. Credit:David Manuca Gorry and Heyman were inseparable in camp, sitting next to each other at every opportunity. At Wednesday's game they never left one another's side during the warm-up or lap of honour. Gorry said Heyman was brilliant for her because of her energy, but that she was also a fantastic influence on the whole squad. "Her happiness and positivity is unique and we are stoked she is back," Gorry said. "It helps me and a lot of people, we feed off it … for her to be excited to be back shows how close we are as a family."

Heyman, 29, was the face of the FFA's backing of the 'yes' campaign in the same-sex marriage vote. She came out publicly aged 18 and her family knew before that. "People in the squads I am in [Matildas and Canberra United] have sought my advice [on their sexuality]. I am open and if people would ever need advice I am one of the people they would talk to about it," Heyman said. "I am very open and I just want the world to know it's OK and you shouldn't have to hide or be sad because of who you are." Sam Kerr's dominance has meant Heyman has long played second fiddle as Matildas striker, despite being more than capable of leading the line on her own. "That's Sam's spot," Heyman said. "I am over the moon for her and I am hoping she can make me better just by watching her.

"There is still competition to be selected but no one is going out there to put anyone down. That's made us strong." Chloe Logarzo, 22, is another of the Matildas who is openly gay and says the fact she has always felt comfortable about her sexuality while with the squad is testament to how fantastic an environment they work in. She explained how on one occasion the squad literally had to take the place of her family while grieving. "We wore black armbands in camp when my grandmother passed away," Logarzo said. "Coming into a team environment where they're my family as well is so comforting. Leaving my family at that difficult time then coming here and feeling the support of the players around me, I don't think many athletes get that." Chloe Logarzo said being part of the squad has helped her through tough times. Credit:AAP

Logarzo's best friend and roommate in the squad is veteran superstar Lisa De Vanna, 33. It's an odd pairing not just because of their age difference. De Vanna has played at over 20 clubs since her career began in the mid-2000s, but she's now matured more and "belongs in the Matildas", according to Stajcic. And when you hear Logarzo speak about the emotional impact the game has on her you can detect the influence or similarity in emotional disposition to De Vanna. "I hope I am a role model, not because of who I love but just because of my personality and what I want to teach younger kids about having pride, passion and desire," Logarzo said. "It was a blessing in disguise [being paired with De Vanna]. The circumstances weren't so great when we first became roommates because I was so immature but she has taught me a lot ... it's just nice to have her around ... she is so inspiring, she has so much to give and has so much passion I want to thrive off."

The pair are also both physical freaks. De Vanna hasn't lost any of her blistering pace despite her age while Stajcic describes Logarzo as "having the energy of two players". Logarzo, like Stajcic and others in the squad, noted that the team had become closer over the past few seasons. They also say their "maturity" has improved, which Gorry described through a football lens. "A couple of years ago we were a bit immature and when someone took your spot you'd get upset about it and chuck a tantrum," Gorry said. "We've just all grown up and we understand we want the best for the country so if you're not starting it is because someone is performing better at the time." Heyman said the unity has developed before her eyes: "Our bond has grown so much in the last eight years as a team. Back in the day there used to be more cliques but now it is unbelievable, we are all friends with each other, even after being rivals in the W-League."

Another theme through conversations with the squad is that the environment lets the players simply be themselves. This was seen at lunch when senior squad members Emily van Egmond and Lydia Williams presented Eliza Campbell, 22, with her Matildas cap after she made her debut in goals off the bench on Wednesday. Campbell, one of the few seemingly shy members of the squad, was invited to make a speech but chose just to say "thanks" and scamper from the middle of the room back to her seat. Loading Everyone laughed, as did Campbell through her red cheeks, but no one pressured her to get back up and talk. She'd been herself and that was good enough. "We have a healthy amount of authentic respect," Stajcic said. "It's not made up and to have long relationships it's not something you mask or pretend. It's who you are, who they are and the relationships are as real as they can be."