Andy Koczka

NSL Career: St. George, Newcastle Breakers 217 (30) / 1983 - 1992/93

Socceroos Career: 5 (0) A Internationals / 2 (1) B Internationals

One of the most versatile Australian footballers of the 1980s, Andy Koczka combined skill with determination and showed strong leadership qualities at a young age. Koczka spent time in all positions on the field before finding career best form as a sweeper.

Born in Sydney to Hungarian parents, Koczka spent his junior career at Earlwood Wanderers before joining NSL club St. George where he made his first team debut at the age of 17. Koczka played in the first four rounds of 1983 season but was unable to retain his spot as the forward line included star foreigners Dez Marton and Paul Wilkinson and the midfield contained former Socceroo Peter Stone and rising star Robbie Slater.

St. George went on to win the championship before Koczka became a regular the following season. Koczka started the 1984 season as a striker but struggled to hold down his spot in the forward line before coach Frank Arok tried him at left-back in place of the injured Robbie O'Shea. 

Koczka developed his defensive abilities during the season and played in every game of the season, as well as contributing six goals. Over the next two seasons, Koczka became a key player for St. George and moved between roles in the midfield and up front, helping them reach the Northern Conference Final in 1986 after scoring in the qualifying and major semi-finals. 

When Socceroos defender David Ratcliffe moved to Sydney Olympic for the 1987 season, Koczka was given the captaincy at just 21 years of age. In his first season as captain, Koczka helped St. George finish third, playing mostly in defence, and led the side to their second Play-Off Series title by defeating APIA four-nil in the grand final. 

A fine season for St. George saw Koczka make his full international debut in an Olympics qualifier against Taiwan, but was unable to earn another cap during the 1988 season. Socceroos and St. George coach Frank Arok began to use Koczka as a sweeper during the 1989 season, creating an opportunity for the St. George captain to potentially replace national team sweeper Charlie Yankos, who moved to Greece. 

Yankos managed to hold his spot in the national team despite limited game time in Greece as Koczka made just one Socceroos A appearance in 1989, but played in two B international friendly victories against Swedish side Malmö. In the NSL, Koczka was a standout for St. George in his new role and helped the side reach the preliminary final after finishing second in the league. 

A stress facture in his lower back threatened Koczka's involvement for the entire 1989/90 season, but the sweeper managed to recover quickly and returned for St. George's round five match against Melbourne Croatia. During the 1989/90 season, Koczka and Yankos lost their spots in the national team as Mehmet Duraković and Andy Bernal made their Socceroos debuts before both Koczka and Yankos retired from international duty.

Koczka continued to lead St. George until the 1990/91 season when the club suffered relegation before joining new franchise club Newcastle Breakers, who were born out of the Newcastle Austral club, as their inaugural captain for the 1991/92 season. The Newcastle captain had a consistent first season at the club where he scored four goals and started in the first fifteen games of the 1992/93 season before injury cut his season short and retired from the NSL at just 27 years of age.