Steve Corica has signed a new contract with Sydney FC that will make him the longest-serving head coach in the club’s history.
Corica’s new deal will see him remain at the helm until the end of the 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
A two-time Championship-winning coach after leading Sydney to the Grand Final in each of his first three seasons, will enter his fifth campaign in charge, surpassing the record set by current Socceroos boss Graham Arnold.
“I’ve been at Sydney FC since the club’s inception and it will be an extremely proud moment to become the club’s longest serving head coach,” said former midfielder Corica, who will move into his 18th and 19th consecutive years with the Sky Blues.
“In the first three years of my coaching at Sydney FC we’ve been in the top two, won trophies and made the Grand Final every year; but obviously this year has been very disappointing.
“We understand it’s not good enough to miss out on Finals, so there’s a lot of improvement we need to start making now for next season to get back into contention.
“Recruitment will be key to our success as we freshen up the squad.
“We’ll need a new striker, a new number ten and I want to strengthen us defensively.
“There’ll be around six to eight new players to bring in, and we will have a number of excellent young players coming into the squad from the Academy, who have performed well in the NPL.
“We’ll also be looking at changes to the playing style to give the boys a new approach to the season and keep them fresh.”
Sydney missed the A-League Men for the first time in six years after finishing eighth.
Corica, however, boasts the second-best win percentage (51.3%) for coaches with 100 A-Leagues games or more.
Since being appointed in 2018, Corica has overseen 58 victories, 24 draws and 31 defeats.
“Despite a very disappointing season that fell well short of our expectations, there is no one that has achieved more than Steve in his first four years as an A-League head coach,” said Sydney chairman Scott Barlow.
“Steve has guided us to two Championships, a Premiership and three A-League Grand Finals in a row, and we have every confidence that he and his coaching staff will rebuild and return us to where we expect to be.
“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.
“Next season is the most important in our club’s history as we return home to our new stadium at Moore Park.
“Stability in leadership has been central to our success and to becoming Australia’s most successful football club.”
