Auckland FC head coach Steve Corica has been recognised for his record-breaking start to life in charge of the Black Knights with the Isuzu UTE A-League’s October/November Coach of the Month award.
Corica was named Coach of the Month after a fan vote, having overseen Auckland’s perfect start to life in the Isuzu UTE A-League. The club’s first season in the competition began with four consecutive wins and four clean sheets; no new club had ever achieved either of those staggering feats prior to Auckland’s arrival this season.
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Corica and Auckland have since extended that run to five wins and five clean sheets but the eligibility for the October/November Coach of the Month nomination only extended to the end of Round 5, with games between October 18 and November 24 considered by the voting panel.
Corica was nominated for the October/November award via Football Coaches Australia’s monthly nomination process.
Australian Professional Leagues (APL) partnered with FCA in 2022-23 to give fans a crucial say in recognising outstanding coaching performances across both the Ninja A-League Women and Isuzu UTE A-League Men.
The FCA assembled an experienced panel who together decide the monthly nominees for Coach of the Month in both leagues; a fan vote then decides the winner from the monthly nominees.
The FCA panel consists of:
- Gary Cole
- Mara Watts
- John Kosmina
- Ian Greener
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Corica was nominated alongside Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano, Adelaide United’s Carl Veart and Melbourne Victory’s Patrick Kisnorbo.
Corica claimed a 55% share of the fan vote, trumping Wellington’s Italiano whose 30% share was the second-highest among the four nominees.
One of Auckland’s four wins within the October/November voting period came against Italiano’s Wellington in the first New Zealand Derby in Isuzu UTE A-League history. The two sides meet once again this weekend, with Corica and the Black Knights welcoming the Phoenix to Auckland and a sold-out Go Media Stadium.
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