Steve Corica retains Sydney FC coaching job despite poor season

Having been retained by Sydney FC, coach Steve Corica has promised changes to personnel and the club’s playing style.

It was a tough season for Sydney FC coach Steve Corica. Picture: Karim Jaafar / AFP

Fallen giants Sydney FC have kept faith in coach Steve Corica, with the former Socceroo given a new two-year deal.

Corica will become the Sky Blues’ longest-serving head coach – surpassing current Socceroos boss Graham Arnold – having already been at the helm for four seasons.

It has been a mostly successful stint, with the Sydneysiders having won two A-League championships and a premiership under Corica.

However, the Sky Blues’ 2021-22 campaign failed to live up to expectations, with the club failing to play finals football for the first time in six years, slumping to eighth on the ladder after winning only eight times in 26 matches.

Corica’s men also crashed out of the AFC Champions League, failing to win any of their six group matches.

Sydney FC chairman Scott Barlow described the season as “very disappointing”.

However, he backed 49-year-old Corica to orchestrate a Sky Blues revival.

Steve Corica has signed a new coaching deal with Sydney FC. Picture: Minh Hoang/Getty Images

“We have every confidence that he and his coaching staff will rebuild and return us to where we expect to be,” Barlow said.

“Stability in leadership has been central to our success and to becoming Australia’s most successful football club.

“Steve and his team have a lot to do over the off-season as we look to evolve our playing style and make a number of key player signings to rebuild our squad.”

Corica admitted Sydney’s failure to reach the finals this season was “not good enough”.

“There’s a lot of improvement we need to start making now for next season to get back into contention,” he said.

“Recruitment will be key to our success as we freshen up the squad.

“We’ll need a new striker, a new (playmaker) and I want to strengthen us defensively. There’ll be around six to eight new players to bring in.

“We’ll also be looking at changes to the playing style to give the boys a new approach to the season.”

Twelve members of Sydney’s 2021-22 squad – including marquee man Kosta Barbarouses and retired Brazilian marksman Bobo – won’t return next season.

Others gone are attackers Luciano Narsingh and Trent Buhagiar, midfielder Mustafa Amini, defenders Harry Van der Saag, Callum Talbot, Anton Milnaric and Liam McGing, and long-term injury concerns Michael Zullo, Chris Zuvela and Calem Nieuwenhof.