The Lazio Ducks (Rome) who play in Italy’s top league, Div. I, have signed Team Italy coach Davide Giuliano as their new head coach.
The Ducks advanced to the Italian semifinals in 2017 where they lost to the eventual champions, the Milano Seamen, 45-13.
The 44 year old Giuliano, a native of Catania, on the island of Sicily in Italy, is returning to club football in Italy after serving successfully as head coach and offensive coordinator of the Italian national team since 2014. During that time, Team Italy defeated Switzerland twice and lost once, lost to European champions, Team France, as well as downing Israel and Serbia in IFAF Europe qualifying tournaments. The Italians also lost to Serbia in 2015. He did serve as wide receivers coach of the Milano Rhinos in 2017, under Chris Ault, architect of the Pistol offense.
From 2000 until 2014, he was either head coach and offensive coordinator or offensive coordinator for the Catania Elephants. He guided the team up to the top division in Italy and advanced to the Italian championship game twice and to the semifinals two times.
AFI: You have been successful coaching both Team Italy and the Catania Elephants. What enticed back into coaching a club team in Italy?
Giuliano: I’ve been lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time both with the National Team and Catania, two squads full of talented athletes who made everything a bit easier. I was forced out of coaching for one entire season due to the IFAF political split which held Team Italy out of the European Championship and I’ve really missing coaching.
I’ve been in contact with three Italian club teams during summer, all of them offered very attractive chance to coach either a successful team, or with a very successful coach or in a beautiful city. The Ducks are a team full of talented young players who live and play in a wonderful place like Rome, one more time I felt like being at the right place at the right time.
AFI: Tell us a little about your background in coaching.
Giuliano: I played my whole career for the Elephants of Catania except for two stints with the Cardinals of Palermo and The Carrickfergus Knights (Ireland), an average offensive lineman with the love for understanding how the game really works more than having a big body to smash people around the field.
In 2000 I started coaching my team, the Elephants, I was the President, one of the only two coaches, I was in charge of setting the field for the home games, recruiting players, I was pretty busy indeed.
We started from the third Italian division and never missed a playoff berth, in 2010 we played our first Italian First Division Bowl, in 2012 our second, I think we’ve been quite a surprise for everyone in that period also having the best offense of the league for years. in 2012 I was offered the Offensive Coordinator’s position for the Italian National Team by the Head Coach, Vincent Argondizzo, in January 2014 I was offered the same position by Head Coach John Mackovic and then I was offered the Head Coach position in September 2014 after spending the summer learning Coach Tony Franklin’s offense at CAL Bears’ fall camp. I’ve been coaching the receivers under coach Chris Ault for the Rhinos of Milan in 2017 and now can’t wait to get some job done with the Ducks.