Steve Corica: Auckland FC Coach ahead of the third NZ derby against the Wellington Phoenix

The 2025/26 A League season will see our third New Zealand derby play out, with Auckland FC taking on the Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium tonight. 

The Black Knights will look to make it 6-0 against their southern rivals and build some momentum as they head into the back half of the season.  

Auckland FC coach Steve Corica joined D’Arcy Waldegrave to preview the clash. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News talk EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Additional, The New Zealand Derby is here for the twenty
twenty five twenty twenty six A League season. AUCKLANDFC taking
on Wellington Phoenix. Wellington are at home at Sky Stadium
this evening the Black Knights. They're looking to coach six
and zero against the Southern rivals and build obviously more

(00:32):
momentum as they head toward the back half of the
A League season. So Steve Curriker, the coach of AUCKLANDFC,
joins us now ahead of the manth morning. Steve I'd said,
used to be a little nervous around the fact that
the Phoenix are so desperate to win this match at home,
because they just can't roll you guys in these games.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, I think that's the one thing that we have
to worry about.

Speaker 4 (00:53):
Obviously, you know we've won the first five and you
know they'll be trying their hardest.

Speaker 3 (00:57):
Obviously they're at home as well.

Speaker 4 (00:59):
They want to put on a good performance with their
home fans and finally get a win win against us.
So we have to make sure that we go mood
and make sure we're ready for for the challenge ahead
and be ready to fight for every ball and compete
all the time.

Speaker 3 (01:13):
Is there a.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Chance in the situation like that they try too hard, you.

Speaker 3 (01:18):
Do get to that situation.

Speaker 4 (01:20):
But I think you know, football is a strange games sometimes,
you know, little things go your way. You know, we've
been we've had a little bit of luck along the
way now derby games as well, but I think overall
we've we've performed really well. And it's another derby. The
fans we've got, you know, eight hundred fans coming down
from Autm, so really looking forward to another another challenge

(01:41):
against Wellington.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
Derby first or a league points first.

Speaker 4 (01:45):
Oh, listen, for the fans, it's for the derby. But
the most important thing for me is to get three
points right now. It's you know, it's pretty tight at
the moment and the table obviously, we're we're chasing Newcastle
at the moment as well, and if we can get
a good win against Wellington and get the three points,
where we will be a lot closer and we'll put
a little bit of pressure on Newcastle.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
You've a mad season this season. The best way I
can describe it, I think you call it mercurial up
and down, an average. You just be wanting some consistency, surely,
and this is your job to impress this upon the team.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
How do you manage that?

Speaker 4 (02:22):
Listen, I think you know, everyone only goes by last season.
Obviously we had a fantastic year. But in saying that,
if you look at our results this year, we've been
pretty pretty consistent as well. I think probably the you know,
the one thing has probably been a little bit inconsistent
is the playing.

Speaker 3 (02:42):
Roster.

Speaker 4 (02:43):
Really, I think I've been chopping and changing a little bit,
trying to find the right recipe.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
For for these boys.

Speaker 4 (02:49):
You know, we had, you know last year Gushamo and
Logan Rogerson, you know really you know, scoring goals and
creating goals, and you know this year, you know, they've
been on the bench and you know, trying to get
back into the team, and we've had injuries, We've had
a few other issues as well. So yeah, it's just

(03:11):
been you know, sometimes you have to go through these periods,
and we definitely went through a period in January that
hopefully we've come out of now.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
Mister coles Grove was a very naughty boy, a wee
bit on the Leary side. You'd appreciate that phrase a wee,
but l he's paying the price for that now. It
plainly shakes what you're trying to do. But it can't
be too overwhelming for the side, right, it just can't be.

Speaker 4 (03:34):
Obviously, he's played most of the games. I said, he's
done a really good job. He's all in goalscorer and
you know, obviously we're definitely going to miss him.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
But it is a short turn around as well.

Speaker 4 (03:45):
So you know we played only on Tuesday night in
Sydney with the travel obviously, and then we traveled again
on Friday, so you know, sometimes as a coach you
look to freshen up the side as well, and if
we can do that, obviously, you know we're going to
the game with fresh players and rare and hungry to
win again the derby.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
For the Phoenix. So significant is the loss of a
supreat Singer and Tim Payne, particularly because Southreats won't played
what's sixty minutes so far?

Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, but too obviously you know, really important players. I
think Forum super is a good player has just come back.
Obviously wanted to I wanted to get some obviously match minutes.
Lean into the World Cup. And Tim Payne as well, obviously,
you know, important player. He's been in there out a
little bit this years in pain with a couple of injuries.
You know, obviously they've got their missing We've got Cosi

(04:38):
out and you know Marlie francois also out, so you
know we'll be Yeah, it's important to have you your
key players.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
I'll lasked you before and you've always seen something like no,
but I'll keep doing it. If you considered changing much
in your format and what to do up against this
team tonight, I think.

Speaker 4 (04:57):
We've you've got to chop and change a little bit
because you know, they're playing a little bit different to
what they were in the first two games that we
played against played against them, so obviously there's a different.

Speaker 3 (05:08):
Format to what we're trying to achieve this time rounds.

Speaker 4 (05:13):
But you know, at the end of the day, football
games always come down to you know, obviously, in the
final third defensively defending our box and up the other end,
if we score goals, you've got a very good chance
of winning any game.

Speaker 2 (05:25):
And when you get to a game like this, huge
import right across the board. But for the football fans
of New Zealand. How much weight does this Derby carry?

Speaker 4 (05:36):
Yeah, this is the Derby's massive obviously for the fans.
It's the most important thing, the most important game of
the season. Obviously we've been through two already and we've
got through too. It'd be very nice obviously complete the
set with six from six. So that's our aim and
our motivation to keep going and keep you know, we
have to we have to play well obviously and really

(05:58):
turn up and make sure that we've switched on and
we don't switch off at important times.

Speaker 3 (06:03):
Its like we did last.

Speaker 4 (06:03):
Week with one of the second phase of the set
piece and like I said, gold can be screwed very quickly.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
And on that it's nice to know. You want to
have the set of six. You want to hold on
a steak knives to take home. So I would be
lovely if we could. Hey, thanks very much for your time.
Play hard and try not to lose it too much
on the side though, really we love it when you
managers lose yourself, so go for.

Speaker 3 (06:30):
It, okay, sweet, thank you.

Speaker 1 (06:34):
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