April 11, 2025 • 9 mins
Auckland FC coach Steve Corica believes his side still have plenty left in the tank as they look to claim the A-League's Premier's Plate with four games remaining.
The Black Knights are five points clear of their nearest rivals heading into tonight's contest away at Sydney FC.
Corica admits it'll be a tough run home but is confident his side can finish the regular season strong.
He joined Jason Pine to unpack the season so far and preview tonight's clash.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Tonight, Auckland FC face Sydney FC in Sydney seven o'clock kickoff,
New Zealand time. Auckland FC coach is Steve Coricker, who
joins us now Steve first time back in Sydney at
SYDNEYFC as an opposition coach. Of course, you won premierships
and championships at Sydney FC as a player and as
a coach, so how do you expect the emotions to
(00:34):
be when you arrive at the ground in a few
hours time.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
It's definitely a strange game for me to this weekend,
obviously going back to Sydney after a long time. So
the main thing, obviously it's a big thing for me.
But the main thing is that the players remain focused
and just get the job done. It's no different for them.
It's we know how difficult the season is going to be.
The running four games are all difficult, so we treat
(01:00):
them as a final each game and as long as
the players are focused on that, that's the main thing.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
So you're eleven game unbeaten, five points clear at the
top with four games to go, but four draws in
your last five matches, how do you assess, Steve, where
you are with four games to go before the finals.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Five points clear.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
I think if anyone would have said that at the
start of the year, I think we would have taken it.
So I think the last last few games, obviously, the draws,
there's a couple of things in that. I think it
shows that we're hard to beat, but we just haven't
had the cutting edge of late I think to finish
teams off when we've had opportunities as the other side
of things, So there's obviously two different sides of it.
(01:43):
Like you said, eleven unbeaten, I think that's that's pretty
pretty good for a team that's just come into the
league and showing what we can do.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
And apart from the cutting edge, there's also the concession
of goals. Are the recent draws in any way frustrating, Steve,
especially given the fact that you held leads but gave
up leads in three of those four matches.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Yeah, I think that's probably for me it is anyway,
because I think if you see at the start of
the year we were doing the opposite, you know, would
go up when we would keep a clean sheet or
you know, we we would get the job done. And
I think the last few games obviously Adelaide's Central Coast
Wanderers even last week, you know, obviously tough teams to
(02:29):
play against. But yeah, I think you know, that's probably
the difference from the start of the season. But you know,
towards the end of the season, everyone is, you know,
desperate for points and it shows. You know, that's probably
the real positive for me is that you know, we
we haven't been beaten, and that's that's a real positive
for you know, we've we've lost two games all season.
(02:50):
I know, draws obviously not the best thing for us
right now, but it's a real positive to going into
the finals with that mentality.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Formation wise, are you all in on the front two,
Max Martin, because you Ma Mai, you've played those two
together for the last quite a few games, or might
you consider going back to the slightly different formation you
used earlier in the season when you had Juskizimomi and
two wingers a winger either side off him up front.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Well, we've still got the wingers with the two up front.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
But you know, like I said to someone the other day,
it looks like it is two strikers, but if you
look how deep Gaugemo is dropping, it's more like a ten.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Anyway, he's playing as a ten.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
So you know, obviously with Max playing it gives us
another dimension because of his height, his strength.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
That's probably the only difference.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
When Max plays that, he obviously gives us another route
a little bit more direct. You know, we can play
balls into him that he can hold up. But if
you look at Gagemo, he's playing more deeper and you
could plut class him as a as a ten if
you really wanted to. But he's also in the box
to score goals. Right now, it's working well. You know,
(04:05):
we've changed the system couple of times. You know, we've
gone with the back three as well to to try
and bring us home towards laden games as well, either
to keep a clean clean sheet or to go a
little bit more attacking with that system as well.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
You can do.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Can you just give us an availability update on a
couple of players who've been missing recently through injury that
you're Colombian important Nata but I know, and also Liam
Gillian who's been out for a bit longer.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, they're both both trained. Liam trained fully this week.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Obviously. You know, he's been out longer than Nada.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
He's been out for probably six eight weeks, I think,
maybe a little bit longer. I'm not too sure exactly
how long. It's been quite a while with him, so
but he was very good at training this week. So
he's he'll be traveling and Nada also will be traveling.
He's he's done less training this week, but he he's
sticked all the boxes. You know, he's only been out
a couple of weeks, so it's you know, his fitness
(05:04):
and fitness levels is probably a little bit better than
Liams at the moment.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Sydney FC, your opposition tonight. They're in a battle for
finals places. It's very very tight in of around sort
of five, six, seven on the table, which is where
they are. Do you think that'll make them more desperate,
perhaps even more dangerous for you tonight?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
I think all teams are dangerous at this time of year,
especially teams that are around the six and trying to
get into the six. You know, it's yeah, they definitely
will be. They played in the Champions League and they've
got to play again on next Wednesday. I think after
our game in the Champions League games, so they've got
(05:46):
a lot of games coming up, probably a lot of
traveler as well because they played away on Wednesday. So
we'll just try and make the most of what we're
trying to achieve and obviously we want to get a win.
So our next challenge is obviously Sydney at their ground
and it would be a great challenge for us all
to go there and get three points.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
And if you look at the threats that they post,
Steve they've got a number of attacking threats. Patrick Klimala
ten goals, Adrian Sigachich ten goals, Joe Lollie's got nine,
Douglas Costa starting to show what he can do. Do
you expect them to come at you at home tonight?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I think that's their style of football. They will, I
think one percent. Yeah, So obviously we're prepared for that.
We you know, we we know how they play and
the areas that we want to try and exploit as well.
Very attacking team and they get a lot of bodies forward.
Obviously defensively, you know, they've conceded some goals and I think,
(06:46):
you know, we if we play really well and we
can take our opportunities when they come that we will
have a really good crack and hope to get the
three points.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You've been here before, Steve, you have won a league,
premierships and championships as a player and as a coach.
So as you look to negotiate the back end of
this season, you're first at Auckland FC. How much do
you draw on your past experiences as a player and
I guess more so as a coach.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Yeah, it's obviously you know, we're in a great position
obviously to do something special in winning trophy first time
ever in New Zealand, so you know, obviously there's a
lot of pressure, but there's pressure going into every game.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
And you know, maybe we were a little bit.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Unknown at the start of the season, but you know,
teams is obviously come quickly and worked out that we're
we're a very good team, hard to beat and you
know teams lifts as well because they're playing you know,
the number one team at the moment. So it's always
going to be tough running to the end of the season.
And you know it doesn't matter whether we you know,
we get the get the job done in you know,
(07:49):
two weeks to go or the last game of the season.
For me, it's important that the boys remain focused and
just keep working hard at what we're what we're trying
to achieve, and and remain focused on every every game
that we play.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Because there's no use looking too far in front.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
It's you know, one game at a time right now,
and the game is the Sydney and if we can
get three points there, we were inching closer to what
we're trying to achieve.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And this week, another accolade for you personally, for the
fifth straight month, you were voted a League manager of
the Month. You'll need more room on your mental piece.
What do accolades like this mean to you?
Speaker 3 (08:26):
It was very nice, obviously, have to have that, But yeah,
obviously it wasn't the best month, I don't think for
us with all their drawls in there. But obviously we
have a lot of fans that vote for that, and
I really appreciate them voting.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
But yeah, obviously it's nice to have five five five
months in a row. That's pretty pretty fantastic.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
But you know it's at the end of the day,
it doesn't really get me three points, So my main
focus is getting three points against Sydney.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
All right, all all the best getting those tonight, Steve
and on towards the back end of a very exciting
A league season, the first for Auckland FC. Best I
like tonight, Madan, thanks for chatting to us.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Cheers Biney, Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
For more Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live to
News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Tonight, Auckland FC face Sydney FC in Sydney seven o'clock kickoff,
New Zealand time. Auckland FC coach is Steve Coricker, who
joins us now Steve first time back in Sydney at
SYDNEYFC as an opposition coach. Of course, you won premierships
and championships at Sydney FC as a player and as
a coach, so how do you expect the emotions to
(00:34):
be when you arrive at the ground in a few
hours time.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
It's definitely a strange game for me to this weekend,
obviously going back to Sydney after a long time. So
the main thing, obviously it's a big thing for me.
But the main thing is that the players remain focused
and just get the job done. It's no different for them.
It's we know how difficult the season is going to be.
The running four games are all difficult, so we treat
(01:00):
them as a final each game and as long as
the players are focused on that, that's the main thing.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
So you're eleven game unbeaten, five points clear at the
top with four games to go, but four draws in
your last five matches, how do you assess, Steve, where
you are with four games to go before the finals.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Five points clear.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
I think if anyone would have said that at the
start of the year, I think we would have taken it.
So I think the last last few games, obviously, the draws,
there's a couple of things in that. I think it
shows that we're hard to beat, but we just haven't
had the cutting edge of late I think to finish
teams off when we've had opportunities as the other side
of things, So there's obviously two different sides of it.
(01:43):
Like you said, eleven unbeaten, I think that's that's pretty
pretty good for a team that's just come into the
league and showing what we can do.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
And apart from the cutting edge, there's also the concession
of goals. Are the recent draws in any way frustrating, Steve,
especially given the fact that you held leads but gave
up leads in three of those four matches.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Yeah, I think that's probably for me it is anyway,
because I think if you see at the start of
the year we were doing the opposite, you know, would
go up when we would keep a clean sheet or
you know, we we would get the job done. And
I think the last few games obviously Adelaide's Central Coast
Wanderers even last week, you know, obviously tough teams to
(02:29):
play against. But yeah, I think you know, that's probably
the difference from the start of the season. But you know,
towards the end of the season, everyone is, you know,
desperate for points and it shows. You know, that's probably
the real positive for me is that you know, we
we haven't been beaten, and that's that's a real positive
for you know, we've we've lost two games all season.
(02:50):
I know, draws obviously not the best thing for us
right now, but it's a real positive to going into
the finals with that mentality.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Formation wise, are you all in on the front two,
Max Martin, because you Ma Mai, you've played those two
together for the last quite a few games, or might
you consider going back to the slightly different formation you
used earlier in the season when you had Juskizimomi and
two wingers a winger either side off him up front.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Well, we've still got the wingers with the two up front.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
But you know, like I said to someone the other day,
it looks like it is two strikers, but if you
look how deep Gaugemo is dropping, it's more like a ten.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Anyway, he's playing as a ten.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
So you know, obviously with Max playing it gives us
another dimension because of his height, his strength.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
That's probably the only difference.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
When Max plays that, he obviously gives us another route
a little bit more direct. You know, we can play
balls into him that he can hold up. But if
you look at Gagemo, he's playing more deeper and you
could plut class him as a as a ten if
you really wanted to. But he's also in the box
to score goals. Right now, it's working well. You know,
(04:05):
we've changed the system couple of times. You know, we've
gone with the back three as well to to try
and bring us home towards laden games as well, either
to keep a clean clean sheet or to go a
little bit more attacking with that system as well.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
You can do.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Can you just give us an availability update on a
couple of players who've been missing recently through injury that
you're Colombian important Nata but I know, and also Liam
Gillian who's been out for a bit longer.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, they're both both trained. Liam trained fully this week.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Obviously. You know, he's been out longer than Nada.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
He's been out for probably six eight weeks, I think,
maybe a little bit longer. I'm not too sure exactly
how long. It's been quite a while with him, so
but he was very good at training this week. So
he's he'll be traveling and Nada also will be traveling.
He's he's done less training this week, but he he's
sticked all the boxes. You know, he's only been out
a couple of weeks, so it's you know, his fitness
(05:04):
and fitness levels is probably a little bit better than
Liams at the moment.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Sydney FC, your opposition tonight. They're in a battle for
finals places. It's very very tight in of around sort
of five, six, seven on the table, which is where
they are. Do you think that'll make them more desperate,
perhaps even more dangerous for you tonight?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
I think all teams are dangerous at this time of year,
especially teams that are around the six and trying to
get into the six. You know, it's yeah, they definitely
will be. They played in the Champions League and they've
got to play again on next Wednesday. I think after
our game in the Champions League games, so they've got
(05:46):
a lot of games coming up, probably a lot of
traveler as well because they played away on Wednesday. So
we'll just try and make the most of what we're
trying to achieve and obviously we want to get a win.
So our next challenge is obviously Sydney at their ground
and it would be a great challenge for us all
to go there and get three points.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
And if you look at the threats that they post,
Steve they've got a number of attacking threats. Patrick Klimala
ten goals, Adrian Sigachich ten goals, Joe Lollie's got nine,
Douglas Costa starting to show what he can do. Do
you expect them to come at you at home tonight?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I think that's their style of football. They will, I
think one percent. Yeah, So obviously we're prepared for that.
We you know, we we know how they play and
the areas that we want to try and exploit as well.
Very attacking team and they get a lot of bodies forward.
Obviously defensively, you know, they've conceded some goals and I think,
(06:46):
you know, we if we play really well and we
can take our opportunities when they come that we will
have a really good crack and hope to get the
three points.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You've been here before, Steve, you have won a league,
premierships and championships as a player and as a coach.
So as you look to negotiate the back end of
this season, you're first at Auckland FC. How much do
you draw on your past experiences as a player and
I guess more so as a coach.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Yeah, it's obviously you know, we're in a great position
obviously to do something special in winning trophy first time
ever in New Zealand, so you know, obviously there's a
lot of pressure, but there's pressure going into every game.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
And you know, maybe we were a little bit.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Unknown at the start of the season, but you know,
teams is obviously come quickly and worked out that we're
we're a very good team, hard to beat and you
know teams lifts as well because they're playing you know,
the number one team at the moment. So it's always
going to be tough running to the end of the season.
And you know it doesn't matter whether we you know,
we get the get the job done in you know,
(07:49):
two weeks to go or the last game of the season.
For me, it's important that the boys remain focused and
just keep working hard at what we're what we're trying
to achieve, and and remain focused on every every game
that we play.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Because there's no use looking too far in front.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
It's you know, one game at a time right now,
and the game is the Sydney and if we can
get three points there, we were inching closer to what
we're trying to achieve.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And this week, another accolade for you personally, for the
fifth straight month, you were voted a League manager of
the Month. You'll need more room on your mental piece.
What do accolades like this mean to you?
Speaker 3 (08:26):
It was very nice, obviously, have to have that, But yeah,
obviously it wasn't the best month, I don't think for
us with all their drawls in there. But obviously we
have a lot of fans that vote for that, and
I really appreciate them voting.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
But yeah, obviously it's nice to have five five five
months in a row. That's pretty pretty fantastic.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
But you know it's at the end of the day,
it doesn't really get me three points, So my main
focus is getting three points against Sydney.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
All right, all all the best getting those tonight, Steve
and on towards the back end of a very exciting
A league season, the first for Auckland FC. Best I
like tonight, Madan, thanks for chatting to us.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Cheers Biney, Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
For more Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live to
News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio
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