Sydney FC part ways with coach Corica after poor start to season

SYDNEY : Sydney FC parted ways with long-serving manager Steve Corica on Tuesday after the five-time A-League champions lost the first three games of the new season without scoring.

Corica, who has been at the club since their first season in 2005 as a player and then coach, led the Sky Blues to their last two Australian titles in 2018-19 and 2019-2020.

"The Sydney FC Board has made the decision to move in a new direction," chairman Scott Barlow said in a news release.

"Steve is a legend of our club and has made an incredible contribution as both a player and coach over our 19-year history."

The 50-year-old Corica, a midfielder who played for Wolverhampton Wanderers in England before returning to join Sydney FC, stepped up from the boot room to succeed now Australia coach Graham Arnold in 2018.

The club won the title in his first two seasons in charge and reached the championship final in 2020-2021 but missed the post-season playoffs in 2021-2022 and finished fifth in the last campaign.

"It is very difficult to depart Sydney FC after being here for such a long time but I leave with unbelievable memories," said Corica, who won 13 trophies in nearly two decades at the club.

"There are so many people to thank but most of all I would like to thank all my amazing staff and players as well as the Sydney FC members and fans.

"I could never have imagined that when I set foot into this brand new club in 2005 I would go on to spend the next 19 years of my life here. I will always look back on my time with Sydney FC with incredible fondness."