What now for Rio bound Matildas?

With qualification complete, coach Alen Stajcic and the Matildas now turn their attention to preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

For the team, this preparation is set to be very different to that for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

"For the World Cup we had 5 months which set us up for a good foundation and platform for how the team is going to play and the style we want to embrace."

That preparation saw Stajcic and his team undertake what was in essence a five month residency with the players in camp full during that period.

This time around, Stajcic is set to navigate the headache that has been the domain of Socceroos coaches in the past; club v country.

From the 20 player squad that participated in the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifiers (AFCWOQ), 9 (and the returning Sam Kerr) are set to play their club football overseas in the lead up to the Olympic Games.

While the likes of Michelle Heyman, Katrina Gorry, Clare Polkinghorne and Tameka Butt are on the radar of potential overseas clubs.

The pre-tournament speculation was that Australia would again employ a "residency" program but, after a short break in Australia, several players will be departing in the next 10 days to join up with their National Women's Soccer League clubs, while Kellond-Knight and Van Egmond have already reported to Potsdam and Frankfurt.

“It’s very tough. We’re dealing with clubs in America, Germany, Japan, Sweden and some players domestically,"said Stajcic.

"We have got to work through that jigsaw puzzle, work out where everyone is going to land."

International clubs means a different type of challenge for the national team, particularly when it comes to lining up friendlies.

Clubs are only required to release their players to the national team during the FIFA International Match Calendar, or the FIFA Window.

Currently there are two FIFA Window dates - 4-12 April and 30 May - 7 June - set down for between now and the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Even for these periods, Stajcic will only be provided with players for a period of 4 - 5 days, depending on the location of the match.

For the Rio 2016 Olympics, players will be released by their clubs 14 days before the first match in the tournament and returned to their clubs on day after Matildas final match of the tournament.

Preparations throw up complications for Stajcic to navigate (Getty Images)

While the rules are explicit, there is room for negotiation and Stajcic will have to begin that process soon.

"This time [for the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifiers] it only took four weeks to get there so I know if we had another four week block that would be enough."

"It’ll be a bargaining effort with all the clubs around the world.”

For the domestic players, the tried and tested routine of camps seems the most likely with many of those remaining in Australia being given the opportunity to push for a spot on the reduced 18 player (2 goalkeepers and 16 outfielders) Olympic roster.

"Of course in between that we want to have as many matches as we can in the FIFA window and as many camps as we can for the domestic players as well."

"We have set a good platform so that allows every preparation in the future to be a little bit easier as well."

For now, the preparation will be about obtaining as many matches during the FIFA Window as possible.  Where these matches will be played is another question mark with so many players situated in the northern hemisphere.

That's not even counting the number of top class opponents who aren't Rio bound.

However, all of that will subject to resourcing.

“We’ve got to get back to FFA hopefully next week. Hopefully we’ll get is sorted as soon as possible.

“But I”m sure FFA will support us. They have over the last two years so I’m sure we’ll get the support we need.”

Free kick

A quick look at how US Soccer will be resourcing the US Women's National Team ahead of Rio 2016 Olympics.

https://twitter.com/Hal_Kaiser/status/706936417159483392