Frank Farina
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Frank Farina | ||
| Date of birth | 5 September 1964 | ||
| Place of birth | Darwin, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1982–1985 | AIS | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1984 | Canberra City | 41 | (15) |
| 1985–1986 | Sydney City | 43 | (21) |
| 1987–1988 | Marconi Stallions | 47 | (33) |
| 1988–1991 | Club Brugge | 75 | (43) |
| 1991–1992 | Bari | 8 | (0) |
| 1992 | → Notts County (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1992–1994 | Strasbourg | 47 | (14) |
| 1994–1995 | Lille | 27 | (6) |
| 1995–1998 | Brisbane Strikers | 63 | (33) |
| 1998–1999 | Marconi Stallions | 2 | (0) |
| Total | 336 | (145) | |
| National team | |||
| 1982–1983 | Australia U-20 | 8 | (3) |
| 1984 | Australia U-23 | 5 | (1) |
| 1984–1995 | Australia | 67 | (14) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1996–1998 | Brisbane Strikers | ||
| 1998–1999 | Marconi Stallions | ||
| 1998–2005 | Australia | ||
| 2006–2009 | Brisbane Roar | ||
| 2011–2013 | Papua New Guinea | ||
| 2012–2014 | Sydney FC | ||
| 2014–2015 | Fiji U-20 (Technical Director) | ||
| 2015 | Fiji U-20 | ||
| 2015–2016 | Fiji | ||
| 2016 | Fiji U-23 | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Frank Farina OAM (born 5 September 1964 in Darwin, Northern Territory) is an Australian football (soccer) coach and former player who played as a forward.
His playing career spanned Australia, Belgium, France, Italy and England, and was a major player for the Australian National Team in the late 1980s and 1990s, as well as managing the national team in the early 2000s.
Farina spent part of his childhood in Papua New Guinea and grew up in Cairns, north Queensland and went to school at St Augustine's College. He won a prestigious position and scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in 1982 and played in the National Soccer League for the Canberra Arrows the following year.
Farina's early playing career was spent in Australia, playing the National Soccer League. He played for the Canberra Arrows, Sydney City and Marconi-Fairfield. His early seasons were solid, scoring just under 10 goals a season for Canberra in the 1983 and 1984 season. He made his full international debut as a substitute in Australia's 2–3 loss in China in 1984. Farina moved to Sydney City in 1985, and that season City made the 1985 NSL Grand Final, losing 2–0 over 2 legs to Brunswick, as well as winning the 1986 National Cup.
Farina then moved to Marconi Fairfield for 1987 and 1988, where his form and ability flourished, scoring 16 and 17 goals respectively. This form led to him cementing a position in the Australian National Team, won him the 1987 NSL Player of the Year, the 1988 NSL Golden Boot and finally the 1988 Oceania Player of the Year awards as well as attracting overseas interest.
This interest led to him leaving Australia, for Belgium, and Club Brugge in the latter half of 1988. His finishing ability was well regarded, and he played over 70 games for Brugge, scoring 43 goals for the club, playing a major role in Club Brugge winning the Belgian First Division title in 1989/90 as well as the Belgian Cup in 1990/91 and Belgian Supercup in 1990 and 1991. Farina won the Belgian Golden Boot and Best Foreign Player awards in Club Brugge's successful 1989/90 season.
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