The new coaching team at SV Lana with head coach Andrea Culos (in the middle). He is supported by Armin Gasser (goalie coach/left) and Maurizio Desideri (assistant coach).

A newcomer as Lana trainer: “It will be a big challenge”

Oberliga team SV Lana hesitated for a long time before announcing their new coach. It is now clear that the Burggräfler are filling the coaching position internally. SportNews spoke to the new coach Andrea Culos, who is being promoted from the juniors to the fighting team.

July 13, 2023

From: cst

The request came as a surprise and unexpected, laughs Andrea Culos. The coach from Bolzano has led the SV Lana junior team for two years and will be on the sidelines in the upper league in the future. “I know the club, but of course it will be a really big challenge,” Culos doesn’t beat around the bush for long. Apart from a stint as a player-coach at Jenesien, he has no team experience.

Lana has had an enormous bloodletting. Long-standing top performers and figureheads such as Lukas Hofer (St. Martin), Andreas Nicoletti, Matthias Gasser (both Gargazon) and Christof Auer (Tscherms Marling) have left the club. A lot of talent came – with the exception of the new goalkeeper Daniele Lazzaro. “The club has decided to make a fresh start. I think we will be the youngest team in the major league,” said Culos. The only goal is to stay in the league and that will be a challenge, he says: “Everyone knows that it will be difficult. The team has little experience, including myself.”

Lots of new faces in the team

Culos gets a big chance in the big leagues. Previously, in a very difficult season with Hugo Pomella (he went to Salurn), Lana only managed to stay in the league on the last match day. An experienced trainer was actually supposed to take over, but the commitment fell apart after a few days. Culos doesn't let this deter him and wants to go his own way: “I'm approaching the matter positively. There is a spirit of optimism and everyone is ready to give their best.”

The Lana squad will have a completely different face than last time. In addition to Lazzaro, a second goalkeeper, Fabio Broggi (St. Martin Moos), has arrived. Samuel Crepaz (Eppan), Alessio Guarniacca (Virtus Bozen), Nicolò Truzzi (Brixen) and Alessio Perri (Terlan) are talented young people. Anxhelo Luci from Salurn is also new. The brothers Lorenz and Leo Brugger were brought back from Gargazon and with Sascha Slemmer an FCS talent is coming to Lana for the attack. In addition, a few of our own boys get the chance to show off in the big leagues. “It should always be like this in the future. “Your own offspring should play a bigger role,” says Culos. Training starts in Lana on July 25th. The first friendly match will be played on July 28th against Ulten.