Former Sydney FC legend Terry McFlynn is the director of football for the new Auckland A-Leagues Football club.
His appointment was announced on Monday, less than a fortnight after the entry of the club into A-League Men from the 2024-25 season was confirmed.
McFlynn was a member of Sydney’s title-winning squad in the inaugural season of the competition in 2005 and played for them through to his retirement in 2014.
Since retiring, he has worked in backroom roles for both Sydney and Perth Glory and more recently has been a player agent.
With the yet-to-be-named Auckland club, he will oversee recruitment of players and coaches for its men’s women’s and academy teams as well as for its football operations and sports science departments.
Renee McKay/Getty Images
Former Sydney FC defender Terry McFlynn will be director of football for the new Auckland A-Leagues football club.
“Until now, Auckland was the largest city in Oceania that didn’t have a professional football team. We are proud and humbled to be given the opportunity to build a team for all of Auckland,” McFlynn said in a statement.
“We are going to start by embedding ourselves in the local football community in Auckland and as we build the men’s team for the 2024/25 season, we will take everyone along with us on the journey.
“Our plan is to play a high-energy, attacking style of football that entertains our fans and challenges for silverware.
“This is just the start of a very exciting chapter for football in Auckland and I can’t wait for the first match in October 2024.”
The American billionaire owner of the new club, Bill Foley, said: “Terry really impressed us from the first time we spoke to him. His knowledge of the A-Leagues players in New Zealand and Australia and his passion for developing youth players really shone through”.
“Over the past few weeks, I’ve talked with Terry about how we can develop a club that not only challenges on the pitch, but also creates a pathway for young players to succeed both locally and through our multi-club ownership in the European leagues.
“He wants to play an exciting style of football that the fans will love, and we are confident he will build a team that will bring us success.”
