“I can only thank Hannes”

At the end of the season, Fabian Tait had to watch. An injury to the quadriceps, which is one of the strongest muscles in the body, put the Salurner out of action in the crucial phase. After a vacation in Thailand, Tait prepares every day for the start of training on Monday. Physiotherapy and strength training are the priority in order to recover from the injury as best as possible - because the Salurner has a lot planned in the coming months.

At the age of 29, the professional footballer, who took his first steps in adult football with his hometown club Salurn in the Oberliga, will play in Serie B for the first time. “I haven't fully realized it yet and I think it will take a few training sessions. Then I will really realize that we have arrived in Serie B,” said Tait.

There is double reason for the Unterlander to be happy, because Tait will lead FC Südtirol into this historic second division season as the new captain: “That is of course a great responsibility. But I have learned from the best for years and I will try to put that into practice.” The role is of course not entirely new for Tait, after all he has often represented Hannes Fink in recent years.

Fabian Tait (right) inherits the captaincy from Hannes Fink (left). © Savio/FCS

The midfielder is now starting his first professional season without teammate and friend Fink. “I can only thank Hannes. Thanks to him, I have grown as a footballer and as a person. He was outstanding in the dressing room. I'm glad he stayed at the club. We will need him,” says Tait about his long-time companion. The neo-captain sees the most important task as integrating the new players into the club and its surroundings. Tait thinks highly of sporting director Paolo Bravo's transfers: “He always looks very closely to ensure that a player fits us personally. That’s a huge advantage because not every good footballer fits every club.”

Fabian Tait is an indispensable part of the FCS squad all over the field. © Bordoni

Tait would be particularly happy about the return of Simone Mazzocchi. The striker wants to move to FC Südtirol, the club would like to sign the 23-year-old. But not all the details with Atalanta have been clarified yet. “He is a great person and a very good player. It would be really nice if he came back,” Tait says of Mazzocchi. He is also convinced by Mirko Carretta: “I don’t know him personally yet. I watched Serie B on TV. That’s why I think he can become a really important player for us.”

Tait is really looking forward to the new season. No wonder, it's the 8th in the FCS for the South Tyrolean. The long-awaited jump into the second division has finally been achieved, now it's time to prove yourself there. “I want to show that I can play in Serie B. We'll see whether I can survive," said Tait, who is also looking forward to the numerous traditional clubs. “I am an Inter fan and watched the games on TV, for example against Genoa. Now we can play in the Marrassi Stadium in front of tens of thousands of fans. This is huge.” “Now we can play in front of tens of thousands of fans in the Marrassi Stadium. This is huge.” Fabian Tait Tait is excited about the VAR, which the FCS players have not had any experience with: “We have to get used to the little clever things that have been done in the penalty area, for example with corners. It will definitely be a change.”

Serie B Italy	SP	TV	P
1. Parma	34	59:32	70
2. As	34	54:37	67
3. Venice	34	62:39	64
4. Cremonese	34	43:28	60
5. Catanzaro	34	53:42	56
6. Palermo	34	58:48	52
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“I can only thank Hannes”

FC Südtirol starts its Serie B adventure on Monday. The anticipation among the players is huge – as is their respect for the new championship. Fabian Tait is entering his first season as FCS captain.

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