Auckland FC's title-winning coach Steve Corica leaves club

Auckland FC's title-winning coach Steve Corica is leaving the club to "pursue opportunities overseas".

In a statement online, the club said "after two incredible seasons, and two amazing trophy wins, head coach Steve Corica has decided to leave Auckland FC to pursue opportunities overseas".

His departure followed the exit of star players Jesse Randall, Guillermo May and Dan Hall.

In a post to LinkedIn, Auckland FC co-owner Anna Mobray said Corica would be heading to Yokohama F. Marinos, one of the most successful clubs in Japan's J-League.

Corica thanked the fans, and the people of Auckland, for the warmth and support they have shown him.

"It has been a fantastic two years with a city, a fan group and a team that have all been way beyond my expectations," he said.

"I didn’t know quite what I was getting into when I joined two years ago, but what an experience it has been.

"We started with nothing. Then year one we’re Premiers, winning the first piece of A-League silverware for any Kiwi club, and then year two we’re riding a bus down the middle of Queen Street parading the Championship Trophy.

“It has been an incredible journey. Right from the very beginning, from game one, the city came out to support us. I’ll remember that and be forever grateful.”

The search for a new coach will now begin, led by director of football Terry McFlynn.

Corica joined Auckland FC in January 2024, becoming the club’s first head coach. After two impressive seasons, he will leave Auckland FC to pursue an opportunity overseas.

Majority owner Bill Foley said he recruited Corica as an experienced head coach who "understood the A-League, the players, and knew how to win trophies".

“Right from the start, we wanted to set Auckland FC up with the best coach in the A-League, and Steve was the obvious candidate. He had won it as a player and as a coach at Sydney FC," he said.

"He was also committed to launching the club into the community, building a team that would be competitive from the start and creating pathways for talented young players."

"We wish Steve all the best in his new role, and he is always welcome back at the Black Knights."

Corica delivered two major trophies in his two seasons – 24/25 Premiers and 25/26 Champions. He would also be remembered for his development of young, talented Kiwis who have gone on to make their mark for Auckland FC.

Auckland FC chief executive Nick Becker told Breakfast he believed the fans would always have a special place in their heart for Corica.

"He's a great human, he's an amazing coach, the players love him."

Becker said the club had drawn up a shortlist of candidates it would target for Corica's replacement.

"I'm sure we'll get the right person for the role."

He said Corica thought it was time for a change, and had always wanted to explore his opportunities overseas.

"Steve was always pretty open with us. He came out here to win trophies, and then he said he wanted to go on and explore overseas.

"You've got to respect that; he was a coach who has only coached in the A-League, he wanted a new challenge, which was Auckland FC, and then we wanted to go ahead and do something diffrent.

He said the club would have loved to have kept Corica for another season, "but opportunities in football don't come around that often, so when they do you need to take them".

His exit is just the latest heartbreak for Auckland FC fans, with several high-profile players departing as the club moves to meet A-League salary cap requirements.

So far, centre back Dan Hall and foward Guillermo May, both fan-favourite players, are confirmed to be leaving. Auckland's breakout star, Jesse Randall, who netted nine goals and eight assists last season, will be moving to Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership when he returns from the FIFA World Cup.

According to Australian football news site Football360, other starters like midfielders Louis Verstraete and Felipe Gallegos are out of contract, with extensions yet to be announced by the club.

The club is yet to announce any new signings for next season. However, the NZ Herald has reported that All Whites attacking midfielder Lachlan Bayliss will join after the World Cup, having won the A-League premiership with the Newcastle Jets.

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