Soccer: Coaching next for Zoricich

Chris Zoricich is starting his coaching career at Central United. Photo / Doug Sherring

There have been numerous times when Chris Zoricich wanted to race out onto the field and show his players how it's done. It happens most weeks, in fact.

But Zoricich has to catch himself. He's no longer a player. That chapter has closed. He can look back on a successful 17-year professional career highlighted by more than 200 games in the old Australian NSL and in 1996-97 he came close to breaking into the Chelsea first team under Ruud Gullit.

He also made 77 appearances for the All Whites, many of them as captain, and is regarded as one of the country's finest defenders. He doesn't mind that many people remember him for his spectacular long-range goal against the US at the 1999 Confederations Cup, his only A international goal.

But the 41-year-old is trying to forge a new career. Zoricich has now taken his first steps into the coaching world and wants to keep walking down that path. Last week he was appointed along with Jose Figueira to coach the Auckland City academy team in the National Youth League and it seems he's being groomed to take over the NZFC side one day.

It's a good fit. Zoricich briefly played for Central United (Auckland City's feeder club) in 1994 and, as he points out, has an 'ich' on the end of his name - both Central and Auckland City have strong Croatian connections.

He didn't know if people would remember him when he returned to New Zealand from London last year but it wasn't long before his first offer came along. He was appointed assistant coach of Central United's first team this season but stepped up to the top job a couple of months ago because coach Peter Martin bought a butcher's shop and was simply too busy.

Central have enjoyed some excellent results since and have surged from mid-table in the Northern Premier League to second behind runaway leaders East Coast Bays. But it hasn't been without its frustrations.

"There have been times when I have been itching to go on and show them this is what I want, but then you are taking a place of a young kid," he says. "The heart and the head want to do it but whether the legs can, I don't know.

"I never really thought I wanted to get into coaching but I have a taste for it now. I still have a lot to learn but it's something I want to do. It's the next best thing to playing. If I want to be involved in the game, this is the way to do it.

"It's been very frustrating at times. I can see why coaches go grey quickly, especially being a player. You see things that you would like to fix out there yourself but you can't. At this stage of my coaching career it's mainly about giving advice or putting an arm around players. I know exactly how they are feeling because I have been there."

Zoricich has to fit football around full-time work in his brother's Mt Eden cafe. There are only a handful of full-time coaching jobs in New Zealand football but already he knows that he wants one.

"It's hard to make a living out of football in New Zealand but that is my dream," Zoricich says. "It would be great to get a job in football, whether at Auckland City or New Zealand Football.

"It's a great time to be back [in New Zealand]. Football is on a high at the moment. There are a few opportunities now and, hopefully, it's just a matter of finding where I can fit in."

Chris Zoricich the player

* Age: 41.

* Position: Fullback.

* Zorro, as he's widely known, played 77 times (including 57 A internationals) for the All Whites after making his debut aged 18 against Israel in a World Cup qualifier in 1988. His last international was against France at the 2003 Confederations Cup.

* His first professional contract was with London club Leyton Orient in 1988 and he played 86 games for them. Most of his career was spent in Australia but he enjoyed an extended trial period with Chelsea in the 1986-87 season. He also played professionally in Malaysia and Singapore.