Auckland A-League team: Big names on shortlist for coaching role with expansion football club

Chris Greenacre played a big role at the Wellington Phoenix. Photo / Photosport

The new Auckland A-League men’s team will appoint their first coach by the end of this week.

It’s been a faster than usual process - driven by the tight timeframes ahead of next season and the need to start signing players from January 1.

From a wide pool of names on a whiteboard, the Herald understands that was narrowed to a six-person shortlist.

The contenders had interviews with director of football Terry McFlynn and chief executive Nick Becker, while it’s believed billionaire American owner Bill Foley then had calls with two of the candidates.

So who is in the mix?

Foley confirmed to the Herald last month that long-time Wellington Phoenix staffer Chris Greenacre was someone “they were interested in talking to”.

After three seasons as a player between 2009-2012, Greenacre has filled a variety of roles. He had two periods as interim head coach (following the departures of Ricki Herbert and Darije Kalezic) and was co-coach of the team alongside Des Buckingham for the second half of the 2016-2017 season.

He was in the mix for the top job again when Ufuk Talay left last season - it ultimately went to Giancarlo Italiano - and has guided the reserve team since November 2021. Greenacre would bring extensive knowledge of the local landscape, from academy to first team and close connections with much of the young talent in this country.

Former Sydney mentor Steve Corica has also been interviewed. He has close ties with McFlynn: they played together at the Sky Blues between 2005 and 2010. Corica took Sydney to two A-League titles (2019 and 2020) and they finished second, first, second, eighth and fifth on the ladder across his stint, before he was replaced last month by Talay after a poor start to this campaign.

Corica’s Sydney tenure had distinct periods, with the last two seasons a pronounced dip after three highly successful ones.

Former All Whites coach Danny Hay. Photo / Photosport

It’s also believed that former All Whites coach Danny Hay has been sounded out, after being approached to apply.

Hay has been based in Perth since his controversial exit from the national role in November 2022. Hay refused to re-apply for the role after the New Zealand Football board decided to take the job to market, following an external review.

That was despite a period which saw the All Whites make considerable progress - with plenty of new players blooded and an eyecatching style of play. Hay knows the league, after two separate stints as a player with Perth Glory.

He has less club head-coaching experience than some others but has unparalleled knowledge of the New Zealand playing stocks, after his time in various national roles.

The wildcard could be Kevin Muscat. The former Melbourne Victory coach is also understood to have had conversations with the Auckland hierarchy. Muscat recently resigned from his post at J-League side Yokohama Mariners, where he had replaced Ange Postecoglu.

He took the Japanese team to the title in 2022, then second last season. A return to Australasia seems unlikely though, as Muscat has made no secret of his ambitions to coach in Europe again, after a short stint with Sint-Truiden in Belgium, the former club of All Whites fullback Liberato Cacace.

Muscat has been linked with Sunderland, following previous speculation about roles at Glasgow Rangers and Millwall.

Former Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat. Photo / Getty Images

Less is known about the other two contenders, though both are Australian and former A-League coaches, described as “high-profile” names, according to one source.

Despite the compressed timeframe, the club has followed a thorough process. Foley told the Herald last month there were several key elements for their ideal candidate.

They needed an experienced head coach, given the short run in setting up the team, who will take the field in October.

They also want someone with a strong understanding of the A-League, given its unique variables, who is also willing to give youth an opportunity.

Foley has been strong on his preferred style of play - “attacking, entertaining... we want to excite the fans”.

The American also said they wanted someone who could implement and develop a strong culture across the entire organisation.

Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.