By Nicholas Creely
It’s been well over a month since former Dandenong Thunder coach Huss Skenderovic departed the club to join Adelaide United.
Now the Thunder has finally announced its new senior coach after keeping its cards close to its chest for quite a while now, with former Serie A Italian Giuseppe Anastasi set to take over the reins at George Andrews Reserve.
The 43-year old is a major coup for the Thunder which is looking at joining the top-tier of Victorian Football in 2018.
Anastasi, who hails from Catania, Italy, comes to the club with a wealth of professional experience, specifically with clubs such as Lecce and Hellas Verona in the elite Serie A competition.
He has an extensive collection of awards in his fruitful playing career but now possesses a UEFA A Licence (Professional Coach 2 Category).
This will be the first Australian based soccer club that Anastasi will take over after plying his coaching trade in Italy for more than a decade.
Thunder President Ferman Zekiri believes the signing of Anastasi will further propel the club to great heights after an impressive off-season of recruiting and signings to date.
“This is a win for Australian football and not just for our club,” he said.
“Anyone who has watched the Italian league knows it’s no nonsense football over there.
“It is an art form, a way of life, its passion … and we hope Giuseppe will bring some of that into our game.”
It has already been an exciting off-season for the Thunder, with star players Simon Colismio and Brandon Barnes putting pen to paper for another season.
