A picture from earlier days: Hannes Fink (left) and Fabian Tait (right) as teammates. © Paolo Savio

Own DNA: FC Südtirol is working on the future

FC Südtirol has begun preparations for its fourth season in Serie B. But behind the scenes, plans for the future are already underway. We spoke with captain Fabian Tait and technical director Hannes Fink about it.

July 19, 2025

From: dl

Fabian Tait is now 32 years old. The Salurn native is far from past his prime, but time hasn't left him unscathed. "Last year I suffered my first major injury and was out for almost five months. That's why I was often on the bench," Tait explained in an interview with SportNewsThe midfielder's contract still runs for two years.

Whether that's the end of it, no one knows yet. The fact is: Tait can imagine a future at FC Südtirol beyond that – even in another role: "With Hannes (Fink; Note d. Red.) I do talk about it sometimes. In South Tyrol, there's a mentality that you only know if you grew up here. I hope the club will have a place for me in the future, but I don't see any problem with that right now."

Involve former players in the club

The FCS is currently in the process of integrating more and more former players into the club. Manuel Scavone and Michael Bacher, for example, were brought in for the youth department. "The sense of belonging is important – as is bilingualism. Knowing what the mentality is like here. Also understanding how the clubs function, because scouting is structured around them. Scavo (Manuel Scavone) and Michi (Michael Bacher) are perfect for that," explained Hannes Fink.

Fabian Tait still has two years left on his contract, but could stay with the club for much longer.

And what does Rittner say about Tait's commitment to FCS – after his playing career is over? "Fabian will certainly pursue his own path within the club after his career. We'll see what he likes. Either at the management or coaching level. He'll certainly have to figure that out for himself. But he's definitely someone we want to involve."

“Fabian Tait will certainly continue his career at the club.” Hannes Fink

Tait jokingly explained: "We're all getting older. Even Poluzzi, Masiello, Casiraghi, and Odogwu, with whom I've played for years and are good friends, are part of it. Now it's time to bridge this gap well and then create something new."

Example Kofler

A prime example of a successful path from the youth academy to the professional ranks is that of Raphael Kofler, about whom Fink and Tait can only rave. "He has a super mentality and is incredibly well-educated, which will help him advance in his career. We need people like that at FCS. He could even become captain here in the future," Tait explained. The current captain is therefore naturally hoping he'll stay, "but we all know the ropes."

FC Südtirol wants to continue to develop players like Raphael Kofler in the future. © Photo Bordoni

FC Südtirol wants to position itself well in the future to eventually produce players like Kofler again. "Talent is rarely the most important thing for a young player. Many factors come together: the parents' home and attitude are often more decisive," explained Fink. Tait offers a simple example: "Raphi (Kofler) is probably the only one who thanks the bus driver every time he's driven from the hotel to the sports field during training camp."