Quietly, and without fanfare, Steve Corica is the most successful coach in the history of A-League Grand Finals.
The Sydney FC legend’s case to be on the competition’s Mount Rushmore mounts with another notch on his CV, a third Championship win as a head coach, to go with the two he won as a player.
Saturday night’s 1-0 win takes him above Ange Postecoglou, Kevin Muscat, Graham Arnold and Ernie Merrick for the most Grand Final wins in the A-League era, although, of course, Postecoglou won two National Soccer League titles with South Melbourne as well.
Corica was the match winning goal scorer at the Sydney Football Stadium in 2006; who would have predicted, 20 years later, how intertwined with the competition’s history he would become. And in a purely poetic moment, he isn’t just the coach who masterminded the first A-League Championship win hosted outside Australia, but did it against the club that let him go.
“One of the best (wins) and even sweeter just because it’s against Sydney FC,” he beamed on Paramount after full-time.
“Of it’s against my old club but I think starting a new club like this to win two trophies in our first two years, it’s like a dream.”
He continued: “So proud of everyone at the club obviously the staff the players they worked their hearts off tonight and they really deserve it.
“For the crowd, a home grand final is always, always special and it was a packed house and it was unbelievable.”
Auckland picked Corica up quickly after his Sydney tenure ended, choosing the Australian to be the man to build a New Zealand franchise.
“We were brought here to win trophies and we’ve two in our first two seasons so I’m just extremely happy for everyone,” he said on Paramount.
No man has won more A-League Championships as a head coach than Steve Corica.
In total, that’s THREE Championships as manager… to go with the two he won as a player!
He scored in the very first Grand Final, and now, he’s masterminded a win in the first Grand Final ever played… pic.twitter.com/jzukkBUE1m
— Football360.com.au (@football360au) May 23, 2026
He continued: “I was very nervous before this game actually. I played against my old club, we’re in front of our home (fans); because all I wanted was to win for everyone.
“My family were here, which we sacrificed a lot during the year. They live in Australia and Sydney. They’ve come over (except) shout out to my daughter Chloe (who has a wedding tomorrow).
“Winners are always very important in our squad- mixed in with a couple of Australians as well which is a good blend.
“(Football Director and former Sydney FC teammate) Terry McFlynn was a big part of this, (analyst) Doug Kors as well – it’s not just myself there was three of us at the start and searching for players and watching games all the time in New Zealand and I’m just obviously happy for them and happy for everyone.”
“I wanted him to do well in Auckland – I don’t really understand why people sometimes don’t have the best things to say about him. It’s wild that he has to prove himself for whatever reason – but – that’s what makes him great, he always wants to be the best,” he wrote.
“You simply cannot question his record; Auckland has almost been the benchmark since they’ve come in, under his leadership.
“What is it that makes Steve a unique leader? He kept our group at Sydney really happy; he had a good understanding of the players, was spot on with his recruitment over the years and was able to create a good blend across the park.
“I have a lot of respect for him.
“What’s the best sign of that? I always wanted to play my hardest for him. That’s what good coaches make you do, organically. At Sydney FC, he’s a club legend and we always wanted to do well for him. And we did, for a long time.
He might have been let go by Sydney FC but he has shown in Auckland he isn’t a one trick pony. Hopefully people can now see how good he really is.”
