FCS Managing Director Dietmar Pfeifer answered questions in an interview. © DLife/RM

INTERVIEW | Pfeifer on the Kofler deal: "There's always a lot of talk"

Dietmar Pfeifer's 21st season with FC Südtirol begins on Saturday. The Deutschnofen native has been on the board of directors since 2006 and managing director since 2009. Probably no one knows FC Südtirol better. The manager is the constant in the ever-changing world of FCS.

August 21, 2026

By: alex.raffeiner

FC Südtirol underwent a major transformation this summer. From a sporting perspective, everything was completely overhauled, and new paths were taken in the transfer market. Is this the beginning of a new era?

Dietmar Pfeifer: “It takes courage to change in order to develop further. FC Südtirol has consistently achieved its goals in recent years. Nevertheless, we wanted to make this change now to bring in new ideas. If you change something, you have to see it through completely. Otherwise, it's only a half-measure.”


What do you think of the work of sporting director Matteo Lovisa?

"He has a different way of working, is very innovative, and also active in the international market. He doesn't shy away from contacting players who wouldn't normally be considered for FC Südtirol. But if he sees even the slightest chance that such a player is available, he does everything he can to get him. He doesn't go into negotiations as a loser. Lovisa told us right away: FC Südtirol mustn't underestimate itself."


The return of defender Andrea Giorgini for €1,2 million was particularly surprising, after FCS had let the player go for half that amount just a year ago…

"We generally don't discuss figures. With Giorgini, we've signed one of the best Serie B defenders. The financial details are not for public consumption."

Dietmar Pfeifer (left) with Matteo Lovisa and Hanens Fink (right). © Alfred Tschager

Then, to put it another way: Was it a mistake to sell Giorgini a year ago?

“No, that wasn’t a mistake. The deal was thoroughly thought out. Before we agree to a transfer, it’s examined from all sides. This decision isn’t made by one person alone. FC Südtirol also acted completely correctly a year ago.”


Raphael Kofler has made the jump to Serie A, bringing in around 3 million euros for FC Saarbrücken. What's your take on the deal?

“As always in football, there was a lot of talk. But only Cagliari was truly serious about signing Kofler. We negotiated for a very long time until we were able to reach an agreement. FC Südtirol can be proud that a player who was already with us as a young boy is now playing in Serie A. He is a role model for our young players. Because that's what the ideal career path looks like.”


In the last four Serie B seasons, FCS was financiallyAlways at the bottom of the rankings in every respect. Has that changed?

“I don’t yet know the figures for our opponents, but FC Südtirol has definitely improved financially. You can see that in our new signings. We’ve brought in players who were in the playoffs last season. Vasco Lopes comes from the top Polish league. If you want to sign players like that, you have to increase your budget. And that’s what we’ve done. We’ve also been able to increase our sponsorship revenue. However, FCS will still be in the bottom third financially of Serie B clubs this season. That’s a certainty.”

Raphael Kofler was trained at FC Südtirol from the youth academy all the way to the professional team. © FC Südtirol/Bordoni

Is the goal still to avoid relegation? Or are they dreaming of more?

"When you undergo such a transformation, you need patience – and time. It simply takes time for the work to bear fruit. Of course, we know that we have to keep the adjustment period as short as possible. The goal is to stay in the league, especially since, with five rounds to go, two-thirds of the teams in Serie B are still fighting against relegation. But I am very confident that we are on the right track. Naturally, I hope for a better result than last season, even though we ultimately achieved our season goal – staying in Serie B."


A year ago, there was talk of new investors at FC Südtirol. Is there any news on this?

"It's not easy to find investors on the market who are interested in a minority stake. FC Südtirol needs investors who identify with the region and the club's values. Otherwise, it's not sustainable, but just a short-term cash injection that will create more problems than it solves in the long run. There are clubs in Serie B that are throwing money around. These clubs, of course, drive up player salaries and transfer fees."


The Red Bull rumor persists...

"I can assure you that Red Bull has never at any point indicated an intention to buy shares in FC Südtirol. There has also never been a sponsorship offer. We exchange information on sporting matters, but we do that with Inter, Juventus, and Bayern Munich as well. The last meeting took place in March 2025. It was exclusively about sporting matters."


Where do you see FC Südtirol in five years?

“I simply cannot answer that question. FC Südtirol works every day to develop all areas of the club so that sporting results improve step by step. We want to develop new Koflers, increase our budget through player acquisitions, continue to operate professionally, and of course, attract new investors. Nevertheless, it's incredibly difficult to predict developments in football. Who would have thought around 15 years ago that so many foreign investors would get involved with Italian clubs? In the current Serie B, no other team has been in the league longer than us. Which, in turn, shows how tough this league is. I do believe that we can see FC Südtirol in Serie A at some point – I don't know when. That's not a pipe dream.”