Aussie vet M Corica to retire after current season

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SYDNEY (AP) -- Sydney and former Australia midfielder Steve Corica will retire at the end of the current A-League season, ending a career which included 32 internationals and spells in England and Japan.

Corica, 36, played more than 490 top-level games in a 20-year career which began in Australia's defunct National Soccer League. He joined Sydney in its inaugural A-League campaign in 2005, scoring the goal which won the league championship in 2006.

Corica was part of the Australian teams that made a run to the semifinals of the 1991 World Youth Championships and 1992 Olympic Games. He spent 10 years in England, playing for Leicester City, Wolves and Walsall and in Japan with Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

He announced his decision to retire Wednesday ahead of Sydney's A-League clash with Melbourne which will decide which team finishes top of the table ahead of the playoffs.

"My body feels good but my gut feeling is to finish on a good note,'' Corica said.

"I have had a wonderful experience being with the club from the start and I have a great relationship with the fans.

"I have never won a minor premiership in my career so it would be good to win that and another grand final and that is my aim - to go out on a high.''

Corica will remain with Sydney as a coach.

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