Having retired from football in 2014, the former Sydney FC star needed a break.

Injuries had worn him down, Casey's love of the sport waning.

But as his time away from football progressed and the 2010 A-league champion attempted to move forward with his life, an itch remained.

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So at the urging of his wife, Casey decided to move into coaching and made a return to the pitch, through the Illawarra District League with the Oak Flats Falcons.

"I didn't think coaching was for me," Casey said. "I always wanted to play, but coaching didn't come up until my wife pushed me to get back into football.

"I had a few years off, my passion for the game had stopped, there was a lot happening outside of football with injuries and family life.

"I got back into it a couple of years ago and my passion's grown from there, it's like I'm a kid again. I didn't think I would enjoy it but now that I've gotten into it, my passion's grown again.

"I'm setting goals for myself, I want to do the best I can and be the best coach I can. I've learnt a lot, every time I get on the training field, whether it's individual coaching or working with six-year-olds, I'm learning."

Casey has set up a coaching academy, while he also coaches a South Coast Flame junior side and coaches Sydney FC junior programs in the Illawarra.

The Sky Blues are running a number of holiday clinics across the region in January, with Casey eager to impart his skills to as many kids as possible.

"I've got a lot of knowledge to help those youth players. There's so many down here, I'm helping them progress and to learn what it takes to be a professional, it's a holistic approach.

"It's not just on the field, it's the stuff you go through off the field. I've experienced a lot of that through injuries and mental health struggles.

"It's really rewarding, it's great the kids can see me as a former Sydney FC player and know it's not that far off, it's attainable for them."

The depth of talent within the Illawarra comes as no surprise to Casey. From former greats Luke Wilkshire and Scott Chipperfield to current Sydney FC and Olyroos star Joel King, a constant stream of footballers are reaching the top.

For Casey, the next step is to provide more elite opportunities for players from the Illawarra to ply their trade, whether they be youngsters or professionals.

"Sydney FC is the team for Wollongong at the moment and we're in that catchment area, but having a team down here and a team in Canberra is needed to make the A-League Australia wide.

"You've got teams in Sydney and Central Coast and Newcastle, if we continue to build, I can't see why we can't have a team here and that can be a goal for a lot of players. At the moment, the goal for most juniors is to go to Sydney FC."