Carl Veart

Carl Veart
Carl Veart
Born	May 21, 1970 (age 56); Whyalla, South Australia, Australia
Occupation(s)	Soccer player (retired), soccer coach
Years active	1985–present
Known for	Head coach for Australia Under-17 squad, former player for Adelaide United and Sheffield United

Thomas Carl Veart (born 21 May 1970) is a retired Australian soccer player who currently serves as the head coach for the Australia Under-17 squad.

Early life

Veart was born in Whyalla, located in South Australia. During his childhood, he engaged in various sports such as soccer, Australian rules football, basketball, and cricket. He started playing soccer at the age of four and made his senior debut by the time he was 15. At 17, he relocated to Adelaide to concentrate fully on football after initially starting an apprenticeship. Veart began his senior playing career with Salisbury United before moving to Adelaide City, where he was guided by coach Zoran Matić, whom he acknowledges as a significant influence on both his playing and coaching paths.

Sheffield United

On 22 July 1994, Veart signed with Sheffield United for a transfer fee of £150,000. He scored twice on 5 November 1995 during a 4–1 victory over Portsmouth. On 9 September, he secured the winning goal against Norwich in a game that saw five Norwich players receive bookings.

On 18 January 1996, Veart delivered the winning header in a surprising 1–0 FA Cup third-round triumph over Arsenal, with an assist from Dane Whitehouse. Following a disagreement with manager Howard Kendall, he soon departed to link up with former manager Dave Bassett at Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace

Veart opened his goal account for Palace on 27 December 1996, helping secure a 2–1 victory against Charlton Athletic. Scoring six times in nine matches, he played a key role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League and earned the nickname "goal machine" from supporters. During the 1997–98 Premier League season, limited to six appearances, Veart was transferred to Millwall for £100,000 in December 1997.

Adelaide United

After spending five years at Adelaide City, Veart joined Adelaide United for their debut season in the NSL (2003–04). He made his first appearance at Hindmarsh Stadium on 17 October 2003 and scored Adelaide United’s inaugural goal in a 1–0 win against Brisbane Strikers before a full house of 15,568 spectators. Veart contributed significantly to the team reaching the top four, including scoring twice during a thrilling 4–3 victory over Melbourne Knights on 8 February 2004. He found the net in both legs of the elimination final versus Brisbane Strikers, helping Adelaide progress on away goals despite losing the second leg 4–1. Veart finished as the club’s leading scorer with 12 goals across 27 matches.

With the introduction of the A-League in the 2005–06 season, Veart scored its first-ever goal during a 1–0 win over Newcastle Jets at EnergyAustralia Stadium. On 28 October 2005, he netted the decisive goal against Melbourne Victory, which lifted Adelaide United to first place on the league table. Additionally, he scored an equalizer in a 2–1 away triumph over Newcastle on 2 December. Veart was recognized as Adelaide United’s Player of the Season and received a nomination for the Johnny Warren Medal.

International career

Veart made his first appearance for the Socceroos in 1992, accumulating 18 official international caps and netting 7 goals during his tenure.

Managerial career

Between 2020 and the conclusion of the 2024–25 A-League Men season, Veart served as the head coach of Adelaide United, ultimately becoming the longest-tenured manager in the club's history.

On 4 July 2025, he was named head coach of the Australia Under-17 national squad.