The futures of Alex Wilkinson and Steve Corica became the immediate talking point following Sydney FC’s Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series exit.
Will he retire, or won’t he?
It’s the decision Sydney FC and Australian football legend Alex Wilkinson must face in the aftermath of the Sky Blues’ Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series exit: whether to go around for another season, or call time on his career.
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Wilkinson is a World Cup Socceroo. He’s won Premierships and Championships aplenty across more than 360 A-League Men games, and three clubs. He’s accrued more than 600 career appearances, and on Friday night made his 30th Finals Series appearance, more than any player in A-League Men history.
After a bitter 4-0 defeat to Melbourne City at AAMI Park, Wilkinson admitted even he didn’t know the answer to the burning question.
But as Sydney’s impending doom became more apparent throughout a second-half City clinic, the commentary around the 38-year-old’s future in the game spilled to the surface.
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Network 10 co-commentator Andy Harper was the first to doff his cap to the Sky Blues captain, with a priceless personal anecdote.
“An unbelievable career,” Harper said. “I hope he plays on… at the moment, we’ll wait and see if he keeps playing, I think he’s been fantastic for every club he’s played for.
“But every time I watch him, I think of my dear late father, who watched a lot of football – and didn’t get many things right about players! But he came home one day and said: ‘I’ve just seen two really good kids playing out in Blacktown in New South Wales’.
“Brett Holman was one, and this other guy on his team was Alex Wilkinson as 12-year-old.
Every time I see Wilko, I think of my late father. He got that one 1000% correct.
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Some 26 years have passed since that interaction – and Harper is right: more than 600 games later, Wilkinson has cemented himself as a great of the Australian game.
Network 10 pitchside reporter Michael Zappone spotted Wilkinson’s parents in the crowd at AAMI Park, and wondered whether or not that was a sign.
“They weren’t here to see your last game of football were they,” asked Zappone.
“We’ll wait and see, mate,” Wilkinson replied. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll sit down now the season has done and sort it out. It’s great to have so many travelling fans. A lot of the boys’ families came down to support us. Just disappointed we couldn’t send them home happy.”
As ever, Wilkinson did his best to deflect the post-match attention away from himself. He told Zappone of his frustration at going down to 10 men at AAMI Park, and of his side’s inability to defend the set piece that put City on top late in the first half after Max Burgess’ 20th-minute send-off.
“We did the same thing last week,” Wilkinson said, referring to Mathew Leckie’s goal scored in the 1-1 first-leg draw between the two sides.
Valon Berisha provided the assist from a free-kick that night – and it was the same story for City in the first half of leg two, with the Kosovo international putting the ball on a plate for Curtis Good to nod home.
From that moment on, Wilkinson conceded “the better team won.” City were mercurial in the second half, picking Sydney apart and laying on three more goals to cruise to a 5-1 aggregate win.
Wilkinson took a moment to reflect on the season just gone, in which Sydney began on a poor run of form before ending the regular season as arguably the form team in the competition.
“We had an up-and-down season, that’s for sure. We started pretty poorly, The back half of the season was much better, we showed a bit of consistency and both performances and results, and we got on a bit of a run there.”
Wilkinson displayed the overriding sense of disappointment that was reflected in head coach Steve Corica post-match; he suggested that if Wilkinson chose not to go around for another season, then his side’s display on Friday night was a disappointing way to send off a club legend.
“I’m just disappointed, if this is to be his last year, that we couldn’t get him to the final,” Corica said.
“He hasn’t made up his mind yet, he’s already said that, so he’ll take his time. But he’s been amazing: 30 finals appearances, you don’t do that if you’re not a quality player. He’s played in some good teams as well, but he’s a great leader. He’s been around for a long time, he deserves all the credit that he’s got.
“If he was to finish up, we want to wish him all the best. He’s been sensational for our club, and probably every other club that he’s played for. He’s a real gentleman as well. Quiet, but a great leader.”
The final word fell to Alex Brosque. He’s called both Corica and Wilkinson teammates down the years at Sydney FC, and was a Champion under Corica in his first year as the club’s head coach.
Brosque anticipates a period of uncertainty for both Wilkinson and Corica in the aftermath of Friday’s finals exit.
“Neither of them has made their thoughts known past tonight, really,” Brosque said. “On Wilko, I may see him later and ask him that question, but it’s hard to know. I hope he will go around again because I feel like he deserves a good send-off.
“For ‘Bimbi’ (Corica) again, a decision. He has another year and it’s up to him. I think the decision rests on him on whether he feels he can do more with this squad, whether he needs to rejuvenate the squad a little bit more, or which path he wants to take.
“That’s another big decision, I think, that’s coming up – and one that we’ll keep a close eye on.”
