Auckland FC manager Steve Corica speaks to Francis de Vries (left) and Nando Pijnaker during the A-League match against Western United. Photo: photosport
Assembling an A-League football squad from scratch can be a puzzle that takes a few attempts to get all the pieces to fit together seamlessly, but Auckland FC coach Steve Corica believes he has got it right for the most part.
The transfer window opened this month and Corica said he would add to the squad if he could.
They have moved quickly to bolster their forward stocks with the signing of young Australian winger Marlee Francois to replace the unused Joey Champness, who left in December.
Francois has been without a club, but the Olyroo was last playing for the Bristol under-21s.
Corica was not expecting to put the newcomer straight into the league-leaders match-day side.
"He's a young boy that we think can progress, and we'll see once he gets here if he's fully fit and we'll go from there."
Ten games into the season, Auckland are on top of the A-League ladder and Corica credits "making really good choices" around the initial squad for where they are.
"We're in a great position right now, but I think there is still a lot of improvement to go with the squad, we're not the finished article yet."
Early in the season Corica stuck with the players that were getting wins. He made limited changes to his starting 11, only swapping midfielders Jake Brimmer and Cam Howieson to and from the bench during the club's first four games in existence.
Captain defender Hiroki Sakai took a break in the fifth game, but was back against the Wellington Phoenix in the next match.
A broken ankle in training for Dan Hall in December changed Corica's approach.
Hall had started at centre-back alongside Nando Pijnaker in each of Auckland's first six wins, but Corica was forced to make changes when Hall, Howieson and Louis Verstraete could not play in round eight due to injury management.
Verstraete was back the following week in Auckland's first loss of the season, as well as their biggest win and first nil-all draw.
However, it has been almost four weeks since Hall was injured and he is still in a moon boot with another scan to come on Friday, Corica said.
Auckland FC's Francis de Vries celebrates his goal with Tommy Smith. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.
All White Tommy Smith has stepped into the void left by Hall.
"Both games he's started we've played really well and he's done a good job, I'm very happy," Corica said.
Howieson is getting closer to returning to the playing squad after a calf injury, although he will not play against Perth Glory on Saturday.
"I think the depth of the squad has been pretty good, we've tried a few players out, and the players that have been coming on as subs as well [have] been doing a good job so so far so good."
This week is the first time Auckland FC have made the trip to Perth. For many players in the squad the eight hours of flying will be the longest trip they have made in a domestic football competition.
Corica was interested to see how the players would cope.
"It's a big trip, we want to make sure we prepare ourselves properly and recover from the journey, but [the] actual game is going to be hard, it's going to be hot over there.
"They're fighting to get a win and that's always going to be a tough game."
