Facing the A-League Men club that sacked him in a grand final, Auckland FC coach Steve Corica insists revenge or redemption hadn't been at the forefront of his mind.
Axed by the Sky Blues in 2023, Corica went full circle at a sold-out Go Media Stadium on Saturday after Cam Howieson's 60th-minute goal fired Auckland to a 1-0 grand final win.
Corica had been associated with Sydney since their inception, scoring the match-winning goal in the club's inaugural 2005 grand final win before guiding the club to back-to-back championship titles in 2019 and 2020.
But that nearly 20-year relationship ended in 2023, as he paid the price in his sixth season in charge when Sydney began their campaign with three consecutive defeats.
Now cutting his teeth in a new market after landing in Auckland, the 53-year-old has become the first ALM coach to win three grand finals.
He overtook former Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou, who won two National Soccer League championships before his two in the modern league.
"I had done everything at Sydney FC, so I didn't have to prove anything as a coach," Corica said.
"I spent so long there, it was like home, my family still live there in Sydney, but football is my job.
"I'm never going to stay at one club forever, so I had to move, and this was perfect because it was a start-up club.
"What I wanted to bring is joy to the people here in Auckland, because they've been so wonderful to me and our players in the first two years.
"Premiership in our first season and a grand final win in the second year - that's more than we could have asked for."
Well-loved at his new home, Corica's post-match press conference was interrupted joyfully by players.
The trophy-winning coach, joined by Joe Marston Medal winner Howieson, was sprayed with champagne as players blasted 1990s dance anthem 'Freed From Desire'.
As a player, Corica's decorated resume includes one premiership (2009/10) and two championships (2006, 2010).
He later coached Sydney to a 2023 Australia Cup win, and the 2019/20 premiership.
"I'm very proud of that as well. Three as a coach, which is brilliant, one as a player as well," Corica said.
"I'm happy, but I'm just more happy for everyone around the club and the players and the staff more."
Corica, who has one more season on his contract, said staying at a hotel as a team despite a home game had made a massive difference in preparation.
Auckland hadn't won at home since a 3-0 round-19 win over City in February.
"Worked a treat," Corica said.
"Home form wasn't great, so we needed to change something.
"It comes at a cost, but we're very good away from home, and we wanted to replicate that as much as possible.
"There's a lot of distractions, especially in finals ... we just tried to keep them away from that as much as we could, just to focus on the game, and it's paid off."
AAP travelled to Auckland as a guest of Australian Professional Leagues.
