Steve Corica follows a long tradition of A-League assistant coaches stepping up to fill the shoes of a highly successful predecessor.
Rado Vidosic followed Ange Postecoglou at Brisbane Roar, Kevin Muscat likewise at Melbourne Victory, while Phill Moss did so after Graham Arnold left the Central Coast Mariners.
Interestingly, the common theme of Postecoglou and Arnold in all four examples cited above suggests there is a pattern to how those two coaches create stable and successful environments at their clubs – which, in turn, is what led to them both becoming Socceroos coaches.
Postecoglou and Arnold develop powerful team cultures and manage key staff productively, which is partly why it is so logical, when they leave, for one of these staff to become the new head coach.
In Corica’s case, his appointment was about continuing the stability Arnold had developed across the football department. Chairman Steve Barlow pointedly commented on this at the time of Corica’s appointment.
“We are proud to be able to promote from within, it is yet another sign of our progress and maturity as a club,” Barlow said.
“His appointment provides us with continuity as we look to build on our many recent successes and deliver more silverware to our Members and fans.”
True to their word, Sydney FC has not dramatically rebooted this season. The majority of the title-winning squad was retained, with the departures of Bobo and Adrian Mierzejewski unexpected (in fact, Bobo even signed a new contract before suddenly leaving), yet they were replaced with similar players in Adam Le Fondre and Siem de Jong.
Stability extends even to Corica’s staff, with former National Youth League coach Robbie Stanton promoted to assist Corica and Chris Pappas, mentioned by Corica as someone who had been around the squad before, replacing Andrew Clark as head of performance.
On the field, too, Sydney are largely the same. Corica has kept with Arnold’s 4-2-3-1 system, including the 4-4-2 shape in defence and the characteristic positional rotations in attack. Last season, this often involved Alex Brosque moving high alongside Bobo, allowing Mierzejewski and Milos Ninkovic to drift inside into narrow playmaking positions, creating space for the full-backs to get high and become wing-backs. This created a 4-2-2-2 formation in attack.
Bobo of Sydney FC celebrates a goal. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
This year, the system is similar, with Bobo replacing Le Fondre, and at first, De Jong in Mierzejewski’s right-sided role. The Dutchman’s injury has meant starts for Paolo Retre, who is a different, more direct player but has taken up largely the same positions.
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Sydney’s attacking system is effective because it causes numerous problems for the opposition. The use of a high front two and wing-backs means they can pin back a back four because if the opposition full-backs move high to close Sydney’s full-backs, it leaves the defending team two on two at the back. The wide players coming inside, therefore, can play on either side of opposition holding midfielders, creating an overload – one playmaker can get free in space and create goal scoring opportunities.
These rotations were obvious in the first half of Saturday’s match against Newcastle. Ernie Merrick’s team defended in a 4-4-2 shape, so Brandon O’Neill dropped in front of the first line of defence (the front two), creating a three-on-two overload in this zone. This gave Sydney the platform to rotate and overload the Jets in other positions.
The wide players got either side of the two Jets holding midfielders, and the two strikers and wing-backs pinned back the back four and looked to get players running in behind.
In the first half, this was highly effective. The Jets struggled to close space and pressure the ball carrier effectively, meaning Sydney could get free players on the ball in positions between the lines, and find teammates making forward runs in behind the defence.
Merrick recognised as much, describing the need to make a change in this area at half-time (a rare moment where a coach said something of note in this now-traditional interview). The Jets improved in the second half, closing the spaces around the midfield better and adjusting quicker as a unit to prevent players getting free between the lines. They built momentum and eventually grabbed an equaliser through a late set-piece.
Ernie Merrick of the Jets. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
The intent here is not to criticise Sydney’s performance, or suggest something needed to change, but to question whether the team needed to evolve in some way to signal a change from Arnold to Corica. There is the risk the latter may become reliant on an existing system, and that he has not yet the side ‘his’.
Muscat, in his first season, was similar, keeping with Postecoglou’s unusual double false nine formation despite the league evolving and finding ways to nullify it. Muscat only eventually changed the system the following year with the signing of Besart Berisha.
To be fair to Corica, injuries to Trent Buhagiar (a replacement for Brosque at No.10) and the absence of De Jong have complicated matters, and ultimately, in terms of results, Sydney have had a strong start to the season.
Whether Sydney’s stability will have long-term positives, though, is worth debating. It may be that opponents, becoming increasingly familiar with the Sydney FC model, may compete more consistently with them – yet, on the other hand, Sydney’s strength in depth and quality starting XI may vindicate Corica’s faith.
This will be worth revisiting as the season progresses.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Thatcould well be true but what makes their share price fluctuate? Surely success on the field will make for a healthier club?
alexgibb
Roar Rookie
Sydney’s biggest issue currently is squad depth. The ability in the past couple of years to bring Carney, Brosque, Simon etc of the bench to impact tight games really helped them win some close games. Yes I said Simon. Say what you will, but as an impact player later in a match I thought him extremely useful. At the moment, with the injury to Bihagiar and De Jong, the substitutions of Lokilingoy and de Silva have been largely ineffective. Hopefully these young players improve with more game time and can make a difference, but I see Sydney coming back to the pack of teams shut down their defensive midfielders like Adelaide did and the Jets did in the second half last week.
pakistanstar
Roar Rookie
Rhyan Grant & Matt Jurman
Kangas
Roar Rookie
I think the owners of man united are mainly concerned with the clubs share price and they didn’t devote anyone of football nous to their recruitment of coaches and players. They are paying a heavy price on the field. Liverpool seem to have finally have some stability with klopp but he hasn’t won a trophy yet and the same with poccetino at spurs .
Nemesis
Guest
"Muscat, in his first season, was similar, keeping with Postecoglou’s unusual double false nine formation despite the league evolving and finding ways to nullify it." That's probably because Muscat's 1st season started with Ange's squad. The FFA poached Ange from MV after the first month of ALeague. So, Muscat could hardly change the system to dramatically. Regardless, I don't think Muscat pays too much attention to any particular formation. The MV formation at any given moment (like most teams) will vary depending on the Phase of play, position of the ball & many external factors. As Muscat points out, the structure at kick-off is not the same structure during every minute of every game. At least, it's not for him.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Undoubtedly, it's the latter, anything more is merely a fortunate externality.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Is it their job to produce socceroos or is their objective to be the best side in the A League?
Buddy
Roar Rookie
JB - I often throw the successionargument at Liverpool fans that lament the Paisley /Fagan years as Liverpool stopped doing all the good things and then the world began to change and they seem to have forgotten what needs to be in place to be the top side. I realise there will always be the Real Madrids / Manchester City type club that will buy off the top shelf and throw ridiculous sums of money in the pursuit of glory and they will achieve it although not necessarily all the time and that is where the rest of us get some enjoyment. I still scratch my head over the United approach though. They just keep on getting it wrong. I don’t mind discussing SFC here as they are currently at or somewhere near the top and that attracts attention...we a;l know that. Going back to the 80’s, we used to get sick of seeing Liverpool as the main game on match of the day but it was the right choice really - oh and there was no live games except for the ones you went to in those days.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
I think Sydney fc are a dynamic midfielder away from being excellent, some one a bit quick between the ears who can bring the front third in rapid attacks But they also look like if ninchovic got injured they would be in all sorts .
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Brosque loves scoring at Newcastle, that’s about a dozen goals up here . Got the cash first scorer again
Redondo
Roar Rookie
The numbers system only makes sense for a team’s defensive structure, which is generally fairly fixed. Sydney is obviously 4-4-2 in defence. Offensively, Sydney’s structure is too fluid to sensibly apply a single number’s label. People quite often say it’s 4-2-2-2, but it’s more often like a 3-1-4-2 (midfielder dropping back and fullbacks as wingers), and sometimes more like 3-1-3-3.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
No they aren’t Newcastle lads It’s just the way it is , very rare to have one club and become a Socceroo. Arzani did it through city , although I think he’s from Sydney originally
Franko
Guest
I'm talking youth system to seniors to O/S and Socceroos. I don't think any of the above came through the Jets youth set up? Risdon - Perth Ryan - CCM Deng - MV
Mister Football
Roar Guru
This sentence towards the end did not make sense: "Wherever Sydney’s stability will have long-term positives, though, is worth debating. "
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Does anyone get to produce a Socceroo these days Just 5 years ago the jets had these 20 year olds playing, they go to Europe and get some experience and become Socceroos Taggart Brilliante Goodwin Birragitti
Franko
Guest
I wish them the very worst. . This mob takes more from the league than they give back. . . When is the last time they produced a Socceroo from their youth ranks to first team? Terry Antonis?
Kangas
Roar Rookie
We don’t get enough articles on Sydney fc , so its good to get some analysis today My eye is not trained as a soccer expert , but I watched sfc fairly closely in the game to see what they do well . I thought both teams started with some spark , but the first goal shaped the half . The nice head from Brosque and poor save from moss was obvious, but why was grant given so much space to cross , well lachy Jackson is totally out of position at full back and it’s astonishing that vujica sits on the bench , but credit to Sydney for exposing this weakness. The next 30 minutes, Sydney controlled the thr game. Ninchovic plays lovely delicate passes and sfc knock the ball around well . They often play little triangles and circles , like its s training run . Their rarely venture out of the middle third and I’m guessing they are trying to draw jets defense out of shape . To be blunt , it was tedious to watch , but different strokes for different folks. I can’t see the points of possession without intent to attack and judging by the Sydney crowd they think the game was over at halftime. Whether that complacency set in for Sydney, who knows. In the second half the jets broke up the passing chain and grew into the contest and we know the result . So Sydney haven’t beaten Newcastle for 350 days now and it will be interesting to see if the jets have more upside later in the season then Sydney. After waking from the coma inducing first half, I give the match 3 stars.
jbinnie
Guest
Buddy - Your comment on Ferguson and his lack of "succession" is surely reflected by the man credited with setting up the original, extremely successful "hierarchy". I refer of course to the Liverpool "magician " Bill Shankly who turned an average second division team, Liverpool, into a top league power-house,and then handed over complete control to an assistant ,Bob Paisley , who continued the improvement into Europe and who in turn passed control to a third disciple of Shankly, Joe Fagan,who in turn passed control to a player whom Paisley had signed,Kenny Dalgleish. These 4 men actually managed Liverpool through their most successful spell,some 33 years, before the club finally "gave in" to popular thinking and began to "play" the "top coach" scenario. The following 24 years saw 10 different managers employed,some successful some not. The author of the article also refers to Sydney's "sliding" formations, a not so new idea, being the tactic employed by the extremely successful Dutch national tam of the early 1970's and a favourite of Arnold's when at CCM, and no doubt experienced by him during his playing career in that country Cheers jb.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I’m inclined to believe that SFC needs as much stability and continuity as possible at a time where they are without a permanent home, the coach has moved on and two key players, both instrumental in the successes of the last two seasons have also left. I am sure the players will notice the changes, the media certainly is seeing a different approach from the SFC coach and the fans? - well they want to see more of the same. You only have to look at Manchester United to see how quickly a dominant era can disintegrate. Had there been a succession plan in place that brought with it, some obvious changes and replacements when Sir Alex retired, I’d argue the club would be far healthier now and would not have gone through the three managers, millions in less than wise player investments and whilst they might struggle these days against the billionaires in light blue, there would be a better feeling about the club both in terms of players and fans and perhaps the media would give them a better time too. I just realised I am suggesting that one of the biggest clubs in the world could learn a thing or two from the backwaters of a minnow tucked away in the A League! Being big doesn’t mean it is well run and well managed though, so yes SFC do appear to be doing some things that many clubs could learn from.