Steve Corica on Queensland Sport Hall of Fame, career, and future

He is a former Socceroo, the most successful coach in A-League history, and stands as one of FNQ’s greatest exports. In three weeks, he will add Queensland Sport Hall of Famer to that list.

THE most successful coach in A-League history is motivated to test his ability in the world’s biggest leagues after an outstanding start to his managerial career at Sydney FC.

But do not expect the soon-to-be-inducted Queensland Sport Hall of Famer Steve Corica to wear any colour other than sky blue on the sideline of an Australian football field.

“I don’t want to go anywhere else in Australia,” Corica said. “I love Sydney FC, I’ve been here for 16 years, as a player and as a coach. I couldn’t ­imagine being anywhere else.

“But you never know in football.”

Rhyan Grant, Steve Corica and Alex Wilkinson when Sydney FC won the double in 2020. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Corica’s name is synonymous with modern football in this country, and his announcement as one of six Hall of Fame inductees is an honour that shocked the 48-year-old.

When the email notifying him of the honour landed in his inbox a few short weeks ago, Innisfail-born ­Corica did not know what to think.

“It’s a great honour to be inducted in the Hall of Fame,” he said.

“I’m really happy, really proud.

“It was a big shock; I wasn’t expecting anything. I’m not sure how the nomination process or anything like that works, but I’m proud and privileged to be inducted.”

Sydney FC coach and Innisfail legend, Steve Corica. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images for APL)

The only certainty – as certain as life can be in 2021 – is that it will be unlikely the Sydney FC coach can cross the border from NSW into Queensland to be at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 25 for what will be a truly great night in his illustrious career.

The announcement of Corica’s ­induction touched on his extensive list of accomplishments.

An Innisfail Tigers junior, he represented Australia as a football player at every level – the first to do so.

His professional playing career started at Marconi in the NSL, then took him to England, where he played for Leicester City, Wolverhampton and Walsall. He also spent a season at Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Japan.

He also played at two Olympic Games in a senior international ­career that spanned 32 games for the Socceroos between 1993 and 2006.

Steve Corica during Socceroos training in 2001.

But it is at Sydney FC he has made his biggest mark, becoming synonymous not only with the Sky Blues’ brand, but playing crucial roles as a player and manager.

It was Corica who scored the only goal in Sydney FC’s championship win in the inaugural A-League in 2005, and captained the Sky Blues to the premiership-championship double in 2009-10 – though did not play in that grand final triumph after suffering a career-ending torn hamstring in the final game of the season.

He turned to coaching the same year, with stints as head and assistant coach of Sydney FC’s National Youth League team over the next five years, a two-game stint as caretaker A-League coach in 2012, and a three-year apprenticeship as Graham Arnold’s assistant for the A-League side.

When Arnold was elevated to Socceroos coach in May 2018, Corica was appointed coach of Sydney FC – and success has followed him since.

He steered Sydney FC to a championship win in 2019, then took the Sky Blues a step further by claiming the double in 2019-20.

Sydney FC fell short of the league title by two points in 2020, then lost the grand final – which ended the goal of winning three straight A-League championships.

Steve Corica in action for Sydney FC in 2005. Picture: NathanRichter

It might be too early to debate whether Corica was more successful as a player or coach, but the resumes of his football “lives” are sparkling, sprinkled with success – and with his managerial career still in its relative infancy, there may be more to come.

“It is like two different lives,” he said. “I try to keep looking forward, and have a long time.

“As a player, I wanted to win. And that’s no different as a coach.”

Corica is contracted to Sydney FC until the end of the reinvigorated A-League season, but after that, he is open to anything – including Europe and Japan, where he has played in the past and where Australia’s most high-profile coaches Ange Postecoglou (Celtic) and Kevin Muscat (Yokohama F. Marinos) are thriving in 2021.

“Hopefully Sydney FC comes to the party, I would love to stay at this club,” he said.

“But one day I will try (overseas).

“I’ve played in both (Europe and Japan). I do have ambitions to coach overseas.

“I played in Japan, so have an understanding of the culture and how they play football.

“I wanted to play against the best as a player, and it’s the same as a manager or coach.”

The 2021-22 A-League season will kick-off in two weeks, with Sydney FC’s first game against Western Sydney Wanderers on November 20.

CORICA JOINS GREATS IN THE HALL OF FAME

HE is a former Socceroo, the most successful coach in A-League history, and stands as one of FNQ’s greatest exports.

Later this month, Steve Corica will able to add Queensland Sport Hall of Famer to that list.

Corica is among the six inductees, and will join Madonna Blyth (hockey), Toutai Kefu (rugby), Gail Miller (water polo), Matthew Mitcham (diving) and the late Jack Reardon (rugby league) as new Hall of Fame members at the QSport awards in Brisbane on November 25.

KEFU HONOURED BY QUEENSLAND SPORT HALL OF FAME

Corica grew up in Innisfail, playing his juniors with the Tigers before he joined the Australian Institute of Sport.

He played 32 games for the Socceroos during his 20-year playing career, which started with Marconi in 1990 and finished with Sydney FC in 2010, the year the Sky Blues won the premiership/championship double.

He has coached Sydney FC since 2018, winning the premiership once and championship twice during his tenure.

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Originally published as Steve Corica on Queensland Sport Hall of Fame, career, and future