Coup for Warriors
Former A-League assistant coach to take up full-time role
NORTH Geelong has landed one of its biggest off field coups in recent history, snaring highly credentialed Luciano Trani as its head coach for 2018.
Trani, who has been assistant coach at five A-League clubs, has taken up a full-time role that will see him help develop the Warriors from junior to senior level.
The 51-year-old, who met his new players for the first time last night, said he wanted to match the club’s ambition of consistently playing in Victoria’s top flight.
“We want to be a part of that top level in Victorian football. It’s something the club wants to work hard at, building back to that top level,” Trani said
“I’m happy to be a part of that. “When this opportunity came around I was keen on taking it. The club is keen for me to work across the whole week and it gives me a chance to have the influence around the club and the coaches and the junior and youth teams.”
Trani replaces Micky Colina, who finished up after North Geelong’s relegation at the end of the season.
The Warriors will play in NPL2 in 2018 after yo-yoing between it and NPL1 in recent seasons.
Trani’s last job was as an assistant coach with Newcastle Jets, but it was at Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar where he made his name. Trani worked at City between 2014 and 2016 after being part of Brisbane’s 2013 premiership campaign.
He brings a wealth of top level experience and has been a high-level target for a number of clubs since finishing up at Newcastle in 2016. “It’s a big investment on the club’s behalf. Luc has a good history, a good knowledge and one thing that impressed us was that he wanted involvement in the juniors,” president Vlado Dzajkic said.
“He wanted to improve our coaches and get the juniors playing a style similar to that of the senior team.
“He has been at a lot of big clubs and it (a full-time club coach) is something we wanted to bring to North Geelong and the Geelong region.” Trani said results would always be at the forefront of playing good football.
“It’s about building those small steps to a successful football club on and off the field,” he said.