1. Frank Farina OAM was born on 5 September 1964 and is an Australian football coach and former player who played as a forward.
35 Facts About Frank Farina
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Frank Farina's 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.
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Frank Farina was the first Indigenous Australian to manage the national team.
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Frank Farina won a prestigious position and scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport in 1982 and played in the National Soccer League for the Canberra Arrows the following year.
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Frank Farina's early playing career was spent in Australia, playing the National Soccer League.
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Frank Farina played for the Canberra Arrows, Sydney City and Marconi-Fairfield.
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Frank Farina earned the Most Entertaining Player award for the National Soccer League from SBS-TV in 1984.
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Frank Farina's form flourished, scoring 16 and 17 goals respectively.
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Frank Farina cemented his place in the Australian national team, the Socceroos, until his retirement from international competition in 1995, as well as attracting overseas interest.
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Frank Farina was named the Coach of the Year in 1997.
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Frank Farina only managed one solitary goal in 18 appearances, with long-term injury and age getting the better of him.
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Frank Farina left the Strikers, and joined Marconi as a player-coach for a final season, with coaching being dominant, Farina only made two appearances for the Stallions, without scoring.
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Frank Farina was appointed the Australian National Coach in 1999, becoming the first Indigenous Australian to manage the Australian National Team.
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Frank Farina was chosen over many candidates including the then current caretaker coach Raul Blanco.
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Frank Farina became the subject of intense media pressure, as his team were criticised for not showing tactical awareness and cohesion expected of players of their quality.
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Frank Farina became agitated with SBS football correspondents, accusing them of running a witch-hunt against him.
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Eyewitnesses said that Frank Farina grabbed Orsatti by the throat and tried to punch him.
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Frank Farina departed by 'mutual consent' on 29 June 2005 after his team lost all three games at the 2005 Confederations Cup.
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Frank Farina cited a loss in confidence on the part of the FFA chairman Frank Lowy and CEO John O'Neill.
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Frank Farina was replaced by the Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who led Australia to a successful 2006 World Cup qualification campaign, defeating Uruguay.
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Frank Farina was a radio commentator for the World Cup qualification matches against Uruguay.
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On 15 November 2006 Frank Farina was appointed head coach of Brisbane Roar after the departure of Miron Bleiberg.
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On 11 October 2009, Frank Farina was suspended indefinitely by the club over a drink-driving charge.
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Frank Farina was on his way to training when he was caught.
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Frank Farina was given a three-month severance package as part of the sacking.
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On 28 November 2012, Frank Farina was appointed head coach of Sydney FC, replacing Ian Crook who resigned and caretaker coach Steve Corica.
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Frank Farina's spell in charge hasn't been without controversy, with his Sydney team noted for their inconsistency and criticised in some quarters for their unattractive style of play.
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In January 2015 it was announced that Frank Farina was to take over the full coaching role of the U-20s, in the lead up to the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.
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In October 2015, Frank Farina was confirmed to take over from Juan Carlos Buzzetti as head coach of Fiji seniors in December.
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Frank Farina was sacked from both the national team and the U-23 team following Fiji's performance at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.
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In November 2021 Frank Farina was appointed to the inaugural National Indigenous Advisory Group of Football Australia.
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Frank Farina is of Italian and Torres Strait Islander descent, and is the uncle of footballer Zenon Caravella.
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In 2000, Frank Farina was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to soccer as a player and coach".
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In October 2009 Frank Farina was interviewed by Monica Attard on ABC Radio's Sunday Profile where he discussed the drink driving charge and his dismissal and their effect on his family.
35.
Frank Farina's son Jordan Farina is a footballer who plays in the National Premier Leagues Queensland for Queensland Lions as an attacker.