Auckland FC Transfer Decision Amid Injuries

Auckland FC has decided against signing defensive reinforcements despite their ongoing injury woes.

With the A-League transfer window closing on Wednesday, coach Steve Corica confirmed the club would not be adding any new players to the squad.

Despite scouring the market for Australian and New Zealand players—since their foreign player quota is full—the club ultimately chose to stand firm.

“We couldn’t really find someone that was going to make us better,” said Corica. “We didn’t want to disrupt the squad as well. At the moment, everything is going really well.”

It’s a bold decision, considering the demanding schedule ahead. Auckland faces Western United, hosts the third domestic derby, and has a potential top-of-the-table showdown with Adelaide United over the next three weeks.

The injury list, however, is a growing concern. Key defender Dan Hall has been out since mid-December after suffering a broken ankle during training. Adding to their woes, fellow starting center-back Nando Pijnaker sprained his ankle in the 2-1 win over Macarthur FC on February 1, leaving the pitch midway through the first half.

Hall is projected to return around March 9, with the club eyeing the Newcastle game for his comeback. Meanwhile, Pijnaker’s recovery, initially estimated at three to four weeks, could be ahead of schedule.

The All Whites defender trained solo on Tuesday, completing a series of running drills to test his ankle. Corica remains hopeful about his availability for Saturday’s clash against Western United.

“He will be travelling,” confirmed Corica. “We will give him an opportunity to train on Friday, and if he is fit for Friday, he will play.”

Should Pijnaker fail to prove his fitness, Corica plans to shift captain Hiroki Sakai to a central defensive role, a position he has covered earlier in the season, with Callan Elliott filling in at right-back.

Corica is optimistic that Pijnaker will return sooner than expected to help bridge the gap until Hall’s return.

“Hopefully we can get through these three weeks, and then Dan comes back into the squad and adds some quality to the team,” said Corica.

Despite the thin defensive options, Corica backs his squad depth. He highlighted that Sakai’s experience playing centrally is valuable and praised 20-year-old Adama Coulibaly, a former Western Springs AFC defender, as a capable option.

“If we really have to, we will throw in Adama and give him an opportunity,” Corica said. “We are happy where we are.”

However, the challenge of coping without both Hall and Pijnaker looms large, with defensive depth notably thinner than in other areas of the squad.

“Correct, it’s tough,” admitted fullback Francis de Vries. “I mean, this happens to every team almost every season—injuries happen, and rotation happens—but the players who have slotted in have done fantastic.”

The team trained intensely on Tuesday, with the sting of their 4-0 thrashing by Western United in December still fresh in their memories.

“That was the game we really got thumped,” recalled Corica. “We weren’t ourselves that day, and we have to be a lot better if we want to beat them over there.”

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