Steve Corica signs new Sydney FC deal with his eye on bigger job

Sydney FC boss Steve Corica has made clear the scale of his ambition after re-signing with the Sky Blues.

Sydney FC coach Steve Corica, who has inked a new deal, has ambitions to coach overseas and one day to take charge of the Socceroos. Picture: Getty Images

He is one of the quieter leaders in Australian football, but Sydney FC boss Steve Corica has made clear the scale of his ambition after re-signing with the Sky Blues.

An A-League title winner in his first season as head coach and top of the league by five points in his second, Corica has now extended his contract with Sydney until June 2022.

Having deftly led the club after the departure of both his predecessor, Graham Arnold, and several key players, as well as the exit from Allianz Stadium, Corica — a foundation player at the club —has been rewarded by the hierarchy.

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Admitting he was aware of some external doubts about his suitability for the role, Corica said he “likes proving people wrong” — and revealed the scale of his ambition.

“I think a lot of people were surprised when I got the job — maybe they didn’t think I could do it, or had some doubts,” he said. “Not from people in the club, not from Danny (Townsend, CEO) or the board, as they were the ones who put me in charge.

“I like proving people wrong, I like doing things my own way, and I’ve served my apprenticeship under a lot of good managers. But I’ve done it my way since I took over.

“There’s been a lot of change since I took over, with players and staff. I think in the two years there’s been seven players in and out each season.

“But I think we’ve got a great squad together and that’s why we’re trying to re-sign as many as possible of them.”

Asked what future plans he wanted to enact, Corica was crystal clear in outlining his ambitions.

“It was the same as a player — I wanted to play overseas, I wanted to play for Australia,” he said. “As a coach, down the track you want to coach overseas, and at some stage you would want to think about the national team.

“That’s a long way down the track, I’m not thinking about that now. There’s a lot of things I want to do here in Sydney first.

“I think I’ve done a good job for the club and want to stay longer.”

Meanwhile, an independent review has concluded the sacking of Alen Stajcic as Matildas coach wasn’t driven by any personal bias.

The FFA on Thursday released the report from the independent review of the management of national teams.

It used Stajcic’s sacking in January as a case study in its analysis of the information being used in management recommendations to the governing body’s board.

Stajcic’s axing just months before this year’s Women’s World Cup came with claims he’d been undermined by those who would have preferred a female in charge of the Matildas. The review, chaired by Diane Smith-Gander alongside former Australian netball captain Liz Ellis and Sydney Olympics supremo Rod McGeoch, said claims a “lesbian mafia” had instigated Stajcic’s removal were unsubstantiated.

“The Panel was unable to uncover any evidence supporting the existence of any formal ‘lesbian mafia’ or that the decision to terminate the Matildas head coach contract was driven by personal bias against Mr Stajcic or in pursuit of other agendas,” the report reads.

FFA chairman Chris Nikou said the report would be a “crucial pillar” on which the future success of national teams will be built.

The report does, however, make extensive recommendations around the theme of “athlete centricity” in national team management, particularly in women’s football.

“The voice of the athlete must be central to any high-performance program. A sport that can sustain a rich dialogue with their elite and sub-elite athletes will be the better for it,” the report read.

“Stakeholders are clamouring for attention and, in endeavouring to gain control of the key decisions that guide the game, have relegated the athletes to the role of bit players. This is a dangerous path for football in Australia and one which must be arrested as soon as possible.”

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AAP