Sydney, Feb 14: Sydney FC has extended coach Frank Farina's contract by two years, bucking a trend in the A-League this season.
Four head coaches have either left or been fired by clubs during the 2012-13 Australian season. Farina replaced Ian Crook at Sydney FC in November, initially on a short-term contract for the season, and has since helped a team containing former Juventus and Italy star Alessandro Del Piero from last place to sixth in the 10-team league.
Farina has vast coaching experience, previously guiding the Australia national team and A-League club Brisbane Roar.
"Frank has done an outstanding job under tough circumstances since he arrived at the club three months ago and we believe he can continue to take the team forward into next season and beyond," Sydney FC chairman Scott Barlow said in a statement Thursday. "We believe now is the ideal time to make this appointment as it enables us to accelerate our player recruitment.
"With seven games remaining in the regular season we are confident that under Frank's guidance we can finish the season strongly and qualify for the finals."
The top six teams qualify for the playoffs in the A-League. Under Farina, Sydney has won five and drawn three of its last 12 matches, scoring 22 goals.
Farina said he was settling back into the A-League at the domestic competition's glamor club.
"It is a job that comes with high expectations, which I welcome, and we look forward to assembling a squad that can challenge for honors over the next two years and continue the forward progress we have made this year," Farina said. "I've enjoyed working at Sydney FC over the last 12 weeks but I'm even more excited about finishing off the job this season and then getting down to some hard work ... so we are ready to go from the start next season."
