- Opinion by Henry Lee, AUT Journalism Student
Life in the A-League couldn’t be off to a better start for the new professional football team Auckland FC.
Five games, five wins, five clean sheets, and top of the table with 15 points.
New Auckland FC head coach Steve Corica is no stranger to the A-League.
He played over 100 games for one of the league’s biggest teams, Sydney FC, and then went on to coach Sydney FC, winning an A-League title for his club.
Although three of his first five games were at home, and one of the away matches also in New Zealand against rivals Wellington Phoenix, it’s a far better start than any other club has ever had before in the A-League.
No one would have expected the new club to be where it is to start the new season, but the overall vibe at the club and the fanbase that’s been built have really elevated the level of the first season.
Mt Smart Stadium has been full and will be a sellout crowd this weekend for the local derby against Wellington Phoenix.
The club has publicly stated they are hoping for over 26,000 people to pack into the stadium, which would be a huge achievement in its first season as a professional football club.
The club’s marketing and community output has been top tier, with an Auckland FC (Tyler St Sport) bar launching in downtown Auckland that hosts Auckland fans on game days.
Auckland FC has also launched a coffee shop called Coffee AFC, which is located at 25 College Hill in downtown Auckland.
With all of these things combined, there has been fantastic fan engagement that has helped the club immensely to get off the ground.
Auckland FC is lucky enough to have owners who understand sports at a high level, as they are majority-owned by Bill Foley, with Ali Williams, Anna Mowbray, Tim Brown, Noah Hickey, and Winston Reid as co-owners.
Not only has the off-the-field stuff been working a treat, but the on-field play has been just as good, if not better.
Star goalkeeper and former Wellington Phoenix player Alex Paulsen is yet to concede a goal this season, after being controversially loaned to Auckland FC from English Premier League club Bournemouth.
There were many question marks ahead of the season starting with a brand new squad, but Corica and assistant coach, former All Whites coach Danny Hay have got the team playing a winning style of football that’s hard to complain about.
Recruitment has proved to be near perfect to date, as inaugural captain Japanese right-back Hiroki Sakai has already showcased his class and leadership.
Other key parts of the puzzle, A-League title-winning centre back at Central Coast Mariners Dan Hall, import central midfielder from Belgium Louis Verstraete and experienced campaigner Jake Brimmer have really stood out for the Auckland team.
It’s also a credit to the club’s owners and recruitment staff, who have prioritized Auckland football clubs in connecting them with the new A-League team and making sure the fanbase is built on the strong Auckland football community that was already present before the club was founded.
Auckland FC will look to continue their rich vein of form against the Wellington Phoenix this weekend at a sold-out Mt Smart Stadium, 5pm Saturday.
