Vaughan Coveny
Personal information
Full name Vaughan Barry Coveny
Date of birth (1971-12-13) 13 December 1971 (age 52)
Place of birth Wellington, New Zealand
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Newlands United
Porirua Viard
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990 Waterside Karori 17 (4)
1991–1992 Miramar Rangers ? (?)
1992–1993 Melbourne Knights 22 (4)
1993–1995 Wollongong Wolves 24 (12)
1995–2004 South Melbourne FC 251 (98)
2004 Essendon Royals 5 (2)
2005–2006 South Melbourne FC 36 (14)
2005–2006 → Newcastle Jets (loan) 10 (4)
2006–2007 Newcastle Jets 21 (5)
2007–2009 Wellington Phoenix 27 (1)
2009 South Melbourne FC 14 (4)
2011 Essendon United FC 4 (5)
Total 418 (135)
International career‡
New Zealand U-23
1992–2006 New Zealand 64 (29)
Managerial career
2010–2011 South Melbourne
2011–2014 Melbourne Victory Youth (assistant)
2021– Western United Under 21's
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 July 2009
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 February 2007

Vaughan Coveny (born 13 December 1971) is a retired football player from New Zealand. Coveny's senior club career spanned 20 years, mostly in Australia, with his most notable stint being at South Melbourne during their National Soccer League era. He was primarily a striker although he also played as a winger. After retiring from playing, he pursued a coaching career. He is currently the head coach of the Western United under 21's side.[1]

Club career

Coveny began his NSL career at the Melbourne Knights, then moved to Wollongong City.

South Melbourne FC

The majority of Coveny's career was spent at South Melbourne in the NSL, and later on, Victorian Premier League.

Coveny, affectionately known by fans as Horsey due to his speed primarily played as a striker for South Melbourne. Coveny would dominate the NSL with his pace and would capture 2 NSL Championships under Ange Postecoglou in 1997/98 and 1998/99. Additionally, his goalscoring form in the OFC Championship in 1999 fired South to claim the title as Oceania's best and qualify them for the 2000 FIFA Club World Cup. Here, Coveny would put in respectable performances including hitting the post twice against the treble winning Manchester United squad.

Following the disbanding of the back-to back winning squad, Coveny would stay at South and lead the new era in the new century. Coveny would once again reach a grand final for South in 2001 but ultimately lose.

The disbanding of the NSL was a premature end to Coveny's first stint as South.

Coveny would return to Lakeside in 2009 helping South to capture the Hellenic cup. On Anzac Day 2009 Coveny scored his 100th goal for South Melbourne FC away at John Ilhan Memorial Reserve against Hume City FC.[2] He retired at the end of the 2009 season.becoming only the third player to score 100 goals for South.

Overall, Coveny made 265 appearances for Hellas scoring 104 goals.

Later career

He also spent some time in the A-League following the collapse of the NSL, playing for the Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix.

International career

Coveny made his full New Zealand debut in a 0–0 draw with Fiji on 19 September 1992. He was included in the New Zealand side for both the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup finals tournament,[3] and the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup finals tournament.[4] He ended his international playing career with 64 A-international caps to his credit, his final cap gained in a 1–1 draw with Estonia on 31 May 2006.[5]

Coveny became New Zealand's highest goal scorer on 27 May 2006, when he scored twice in the "All Whites" 3–1 victory over Georgia, bringing his total A-international goal tally to 29.[6][7] and his total including unofficial games to 30 in 71 games, surpassing Jock Newall's long standing record of 28 from only 17 games.[8][9] Coveny record was officially overtaken by Chris Wood on 21 March 2022 when Wood scored his 30th goal.[10][11] In January 2009, Coveny announced his retirement from international football.[9] He was also the games record holder for the All Whites, until Ivan Vicelich passed him in 2009. He is currently ranked third in appearances for the All Whites, behind Simon Elliott and Vicelich.

International career statistics

[12]

New Zealand
Year Apps Goals
1992 3 0
1993 4 0
1994 0 0
1995 8 1
1996 4 0
1997 8 5
1998 6 4
1999 10 1
2000 0 0
2001 5 9
2002 1 0
2003 5 1
2004 5 6
2005 1 0
2006 4 2
Total 64 29

International goals

List of international goals scored by Vaughan Coveny
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 20 June 1995 Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo, Chile  Turkey 1–0 1–2 Friendly
2 25 January 1997 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia  South Korea 1–0 1–3
3 11 June 1997 North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand  Papua New Guinea 1–0 7–0 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 2–0
5 6–0
6 18 June 1997  Fiji 2–0 5–0
7 28 September 1998 Lang Park, Brisbane, Australia  Vanuatu 2–0 8–1 1998 OFC Nations Cup
8 3–0
9 5–0
10 6–0
11 29 June 1999 National Stadium, Singapore  Singapore 1–0 1–0 Friendly
12 6 June 2001 North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand  Tahiti 1–0 5–0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
13 3–0
14 4–0
15 11 June 2001  Solomon Islands 1–0 5–1
16 3–0
17 13 June 2001  Vanuatu 1–0 7–0
18 2–0
19 5–0
20 24 June 2001 Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia  Australia 1 (pen.)–2 1–4
21 9 June 2003 University of Richmond Stadium, Richmond, United States  United States 1–1 1–2 Friendly
22 2 June 2004 Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia  Vanuatu 1–1 2–4 2004 OFC Nations Cup
23 2–3
24 4 June 2004 Marden Sports Complex, Adelaide, Australia  Tahiti 1–0 10–0
25 4–0
26 5–0
27 6 June 2004 Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia  Fiji 2–0 2–0
28 25 May 2006 Stadion Altenkirchen, Altenkirchen, Germany  Georgia 1–0 3–1 Friendly
29 3–1

Managerial career

After retiring, Coveny was announced as South Melbourne's manager for the Victorian Premier League 2010 season.[13] After the team failed to make the finals, his contract was not renewed.

Honours

South Melbourne

New Zealand Young Player of the Year: 1992[14]

References

  1. ^ United, Western. "Western United announces senior academy coaching structure". Western United official website. Western United. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Australian Player Database". OzFootball. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  3. ^ "1999 Confederation Cup Squad". NZ Football. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  4. ^ "Vaughan Coveny". Sporting Heroes. Retrieved 19 September 2008.
  5. ^ "A-International Appearances – Overall". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2008.
  6. ^ "The Dozen Club". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Coveny becomes All Whites greatest scorer". Archived from the original on 4 June 2010.
  8. ^ "2004". ultimatenzsoccer.com.
  9. ^ a b "Vaughan Coveny calls time on career". Archived from the original on 4 February 2009.
  10. ^ Rollo, Phillip. "Chris Wood becomes All Whites' all-time leading scorer with brace against Fiji". Stuff. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  11. ^ Burgess, Michael. "Football: Chris Wood makes history as All Whites dominate Fiji". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  12. ^ Vaughan Coveny at National-Football-Teams.com
  13. ^ "Vaughan Coveny Appointed Coach of SMFC – South Melbourne FC – Australia's most successful football club in history, including 4 times national champions, 8 times Victorian champions, participants in the Inaugural FIFA Club World Championships, and Oceania Champions". Archived from the original on 20 February 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  14. ^ "Honours List". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 25 July 2008.

External links

New Zealand Squads
South Melbourne FC – managers
Categories