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A serious hamstring injury has ended the career of Steve Corica, three games earlier than he had hoped, and put a significant dent in Sydney FC’s A-League title hopes.
Corica, who announced last week he was retiring at the conclusion of the season, was ruled out of Sydney’s finals campaign on Tuesday after scans revealed he tore his hamstring off the bone during Sunday’s minor premiership decider against Melbourne.
The former Socceroos midfielder had hoped the injury would only sideline him for Thursday’s major semi-final first-leg against the Victory at Etihad Stadium, but he must now undergo surgery on Friday to reattach the muscle in his right leg.
“It was very nice winning the minor premiership and I was hoping to play in one or maybe two games but it is not to be,” he told a packed press conference in Sydney.
“Obviously I am disappointed but my career was coming to an end anyway and winning the minor premiership was a nice way to go out.”
The 36-year-old admitted he knew the injury was a serious one when he pulled up 10 minutes into his side’s 2-0 win at the Sydney Football Stadium and revealed he has been battling with his hamstring for three weeks.
“I had a little bit of a problem with it for a few weeks and gradually it just built up and then snapped off the bone and I need surgery on Friday when we get back from Melbourne,” he said.
“The physios said I go back out there and see how it goes but I could hardly run.
“I don’t think I even touched the ball when I did so I knew it was quite serious.”
And although he is sidelined for the remainder of the season, Corica insisted he was determined to keep spirits high around the team as they push for a second A-League title.
“I want to be around the boys and I am looking forward to that … I am not going to be playing but I still want to be involved,” he said.
The news rounded off a miserable day for Corica, who also learnt on Tuesday that his close friend former Socceroos midfielder Ian Gray, a teammate in his National Soccer League days with Marconi Stallions, passed away.
Gray, who is a member of the Australian Soccer Hall of Fame, made 14 appearances for the Socceroos between 1984 and 1992 and was a part of Corica’s wedding party.
Corica, who scored the winning goal in Sydney’s 2005/06 grand final win, made over 490 appearances in a 20-year career that started with Marconi.
He then enjoyed a 10-year spell in England with Leicester City, Wolves and Walsall, as well a brief stint in Japan with Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Corica made 32 appearances for the Socceroos and scored five goals.
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