By Nicholas Creely
In a shock to the NPL, newly appointed Dandenong Thunder coach Giuseppe Anastasi has pulled out his agreement to head down-under, with the Thunder swiftly appointing Gianfranco Impellizzeri to the helm.
In a statement released to Thunder fans, Anastasi cited family and personal issues as the reason he cannot commit to the club in 2017.
Impellizzeri has already begun to implement his pre-season regime and is expected to adapt quickly into the role.
The experienced campaigner has a long list of experience in the game, including a playing career in Australia with clubs such as Brunswick, Box Hill and Springvale City.
Post-playing days, Impellizzeri had stints as senior coach with Pascoe Vale and Werribee.
In other news around the traps of the George Andrews Reserve, the club has announced the signing of Rini Muriqi to the roster.
A former junior/senior of the club, Muriqi, 28, represented the Moreland Zebras in a short stint and then Box Hill United in 2016.
He will now link up with former teammates Rodrigo Vargas and Alon Blumgart.
Muriqi told the club’s website that he cannot wait to get stuck in and said that the pull of getting to the Thunder weighed large.
“I started my football career playing juniors at Dandenong Thunder and have always been a part of the club one way or another,” he said.
“It’s been a long time coming, but it’s good to be back home.”
The Muriqi family name is famous within the Thunder community. His dad Dadil played at the club with great success.
Meanwhile, Dandenong City has signed striker Paul Harvey for the 2017 NPL season as it looks to advance into the top tier of the competition.
He is expected to play a major role in the City’s 2017 campaign.
