Robbie Hooker

Robert Hooker

Personal information
Full name	Robert Hooker
Date of birth	(1967-03-06) 6 March 1967
Place of birth	Australia
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1984–85	Australian Institute of Sport
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1986	Sydney City	15	(0)
1987–92	Sydney Olympic	113	(2)
1992–97	West Adelaide	131	(17)
1997–98	Sydney United	23	(1)
1998–99	Marconi Stallions	12	(1)
1999–2001	Canberra Cosmos	57	(0)
2001–02	Auckland Kingz	10	(0)
2003–04	APIA Leichhardt Tigers	14	(0)
International career‡
1984	Australia U-20
1985	Australia U-23
1990–98	Australia	22	(2)
Managerial career
2008–09	Canberra United
2023-	Western Sydney Wanderers Women
Medal record Representing Australia Men's Association football FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up 1997 Saudi Arabia OFC Nations Cup Winner 1996 Oceania
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 October 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 5 October 2023

Robert Hooker (born 6 March 1967) is an Australian former soccer player and coach. He played for and later became assistant coach of the Australian national team and is the current head coach of the Western Sydney Wanderers Women.

Playing career

Hooker started his playing career with Mount Colah Soccer Club and was a graduate of the Australian Institute of Sport Football Program, granted a scholarship in 1984 and 1985. This led to selection in the Australia U20 side for the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship finals.

Through his playing career, Hooker played in the NSL for Sydney City, Sydney Olympic, West Adelaide, Sydney United, Marconi, Canberra Cosmos and Auckland Kingz. He later finished his career in the NSW Premier League with APIA Leichhardt and Belconnen Blue Devils.

He was first selected for the Socceroos in 1990, coming on as a substitute against touring club side Hajduk Split. He would make his first appearance in an 'A' international later that year away to South Korea. From 1995 to 1998 he was a regular selection in the national team, including inclusion in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup squad.

International goals

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	1 November 1995	Bruce Stadium, Canberra, Australia	Tahiti	1–0	5–0	1996 OFC Nations Cup
2	25 January 1997	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia	Norway	1–0	1–0	Friendly

Coaching

After his playing career, he took up coaching in women's football, first in the United States before returning to Australia. In 2008/2009, Hooker joined W-League club, Canberra United as its inaugural coach. He only stayed on as manager of United for one season. In 2010, following the appointment of Holger Osieck as Socceroos head coach, Hooker and Aurelio Vidmar were employed as assistants. After over a decade out of top level coaching he returned to join the Western Sydney Wanderers when Kat Smith left the club 2 weeks prior to the start of the 2023/24 A-League Women's season.

Honours

Australia

• FIFA Confederations Cup: runner-up, 1997
• OFC Nations Cup: 1996

External links

• Canberra United – Coach profile
• OzFootball Player Database – Hooker, Robert
• 1986 season matrix with Sydney City at ozfootball.net
• 1987 season matrix with Sydney Olympic at ozfootball.net
• 1992/93 season matrix with West Adelaide at ozfootball.net