Sydney FC's Corica, 36, has stated that this will be his last season as a professional player and he has already begun tentative steps into coaching as an assistant with the sky blues youth team.

However this season the creative midfielder has rolled back the years and has again proven to be a hugely influential piece of the jigsaw at Moore Park. Last week's lung-busting effort against North Queensland Fury, capped by a goal in the 4-1 win, was a perfect example of the north Queenslander's enduring value to Viteszlav Lavicka's side. 

Katholos, one of Corica's teammates during the Sydney FC man's first senior year of football at Marconi 19 years ago, says despite Corica's age he can easily play another season in the A-League.

"He hasn't put any weight on and if he wants to play on of course he could. They talk about age but at the end of the day you know how much your body can take and the recovery is key," Katholos told au.fourfourtwo.com.

"I played till I was 36 and I ended up playing as a sweeper which was a lot easier but watching Stevie, I think he can keep going."

Katholos, capped 25 times for the Socceroos and the 1982 Australian Player of the Year, says Corica's ability to keep up with the increasingly quick A-League says much about the former UK and J-League player.

"To be playing midfield in such a demanding role in the A-League at his age chasing these young guns around is not an easy task but it's a credit to him to be able to do that," he said.

Already a Sydney FC legend, the foundation player is set to achieve a significant milestone on Saturday when he plays his 200th match.

To be played in Palmerston, New Zealand against Wellington Phoenix, it will be Corica's 98th A-League game for Sydney FC. He also went on to play 102 matches for Marconi (1990-1995) in the old NSL.

Aside from being a sky blues legend and, arguably, the club's greatest ever player over the last five years, Corica's name will also live on in his hometown of Innisfail, north Queensland.

His junior club Innisfail United named their home ground the "Steve Corica Oval" in his honour. The FNQ second division club, situated about one hour's drive south of Cairns, also features Corica's brother Michael in their side.

"When he first arrived [at Marconi] you could see he could go places and he's turned into a very, very good player," added Katholos, who runs a football academy in Sydney called Technik Football.

"I was a creative midfield player and he stepped up to the same role and I'd like to think he learnt something from me.

"He wasn't that sort of authoritative leader in midfield in the Roy Keane mould but he was and still is a great player and a very, very important cog in the Sydney FC side."