From nobody to legend: Fabian Tait looks back

It was eleven years ago. FC Südtirol had to digest the bitter final defeat in the Serie C playoff against Pro Vercelli – no easy task after the huge disappointment. For the fresh start, FCS relied on South Tyrolean power to win new support in the region. Manuel Fischnaller returned, as did Michael Cia, and Gabriel Brugger joined the defense. And a previously largely unknown native of the Unterland also strengthened the squad of then-coach Claudio Rastelli. The 21-year-old Tait had moved early from Salurn to Mezzocorona, where he played in Serie D, and was therefore hardly a household name among South Tyrolean football fans – unlike Fischnaller, Cia, and the rest.

Before joining FCS, Tait spent six months under contract with Serie D club Marano, where he made only eight appearances. Expectations were therefore not too high when Tait signed his first professional contract with FC Südtirol in the summer of 2014. "Luca Piazzi had already sent me a message in October 2013, promising to sign me after the season," Tait said of the first serious contact.

"It was more of a hope; I didn't know if it would actually happen." Piazzi, the sporting director at the time, kept his promise. "It was a dream come true for me; I was overjoyed when I was allowed to go to the training camp. I was now a professional footballer."

It went steeply upwards Tait's career immediately took off. "I initially only signed for a year, but after just ten days I got a three-year contract," Tait recalls. The Salurn native hit the ground running - more than all the other new signings. He quickly became a regular starter. "In football you also need luck," emphasises Tait. "I was lucky that Luca Bertoni was not yet able to play after his injury and the young Luca Mazzitelli and Davide Petermann had no experience of playing in the big teams. I had played in Serie D after all, so Rastelli played me in midfield," recalled Tait, who moved to right back under successor Adolfo Sormani after Rastelli's sacking. "That was Piazzi's idea," said Tait, who only returned to midfield almost five years later under coach Paolo Zanetti.

It wasn't until Paolo Zanetti's time that Tait returned to midfield. © DLife/LO

With Zanetti on the sidelines, Tait experienced the legendary 2018 third-division playoff semifinal against Cosenza. "There were 25.000 spectators in the stadium. I'd never played in front of so many people. It was a fantastic feeling. We lost in the end, but we were still proud and happy about what we had achieved." Five years later, Tait played in another playoff semifinal, this time in Bari in front of over 50.000 fans in Serie B. "The anger outweighed the frustration," Tait emphasized. "We could have reached the final."

There were many milestones in the Salurn native's career. "The championship title in Trieste will, of course, remain unforgettable," he said. "I missed the crucial games against Padova and Triestina due to injury. If Jack Poluzzi hadn't pulled off that monster save against Padova, we'd probably still be playing in Serie C," Tait is convinced. "I also remember all the awards very well. In a match against Vicenza, I was honored for playing 100 FCS games. After 200 games, I received a wooden shoe, and after 300, a jersey."

The curious anniversary game Tait will also not forget October 19, 2024. On the very day he was honored for his FCS record of 369 games in white and red, the injury bug struck mercilessly. "I was honored, and then I scored the 1-0 goal against Pisa. I thought to myself: This is all too good to be true. And then I was lying on the ground injured."

It was during his record-breaking game that Tait suffered his most serious injury to date.

Last season was marked by a series of blows. "I got injured, had to undergo surgery for the first time, and was out for a long time." All of this faded into the background when Tait lost his father in January. "It couldn't get any worse, I thought after the surgery. But it got much, much worse," Tait said. "I had to process the pain of the loss at a time when my team was also bottom of the table."

Tait returned, making his comeback in late February in a 1-1 draw with Spezia, and slowly eased his way back into action. "I admit I was a bit nervous at the beginning. I didn't feel completely fit yet. But now I'm fine," emphasized Tait, who aims to break the 400-game mark this season. “I can no longer assume that I will be in the starting eleven in every game.” Fabian Tait "At 32, I'm already aware of my role," says the FCS captain. "I can no longer assume I'll be in the starting lineup every game." Tait is looking forward to the new season, his 12th with FCS, with great confidence. "I can't remember ever having so few players traded. Many from last season are still with us. So we know what we have to do."

Serie B Italy	SP	TV	P
1. Palermo	3	7:3	9
2. Mantova	3	6:3	7
3. FC South Tyrol	3	4:1	7
4. Ascoli	3	4:2	7
5. Avellino	3	5:2	6
5. Modena	3	5:2	6
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From nobody to legend: Fabian Tait looks back

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