Andrea Giani

{{Infobox volleyball player

| name = Andrea Giani

| image = Giani2022.png

| image_size =

| caption =

| full_name =

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|4|22|df=y}}

| birth_place = Naples, Italy

| position = Middle blocker

| teamnumber = 13 (national team)

| height = 1.96 m

| nationalteam = {{vb|ITA}} (474)

| nationalyears = 1988–2005

| currentcoachteam = France
ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle

| coachyears = 2007–2008
2008–2012
2013–2016
2015–2016
2017–2021
2017–2019
2019–2023
2022–
2024–

| coachteams = Modena Volley
M. Roma Volley
Calzedonia Verona
Slovenia
Germany
Power Volley Milano
Modena Volley
France
ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle

| years = 1982–1985
1985–1996
1996–2007

| clubs = Pallavolo Sabaudia
Pallavolo Parma
Modena Volley

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry| {{ITA}} }}

{{MedalSport| Head coach {{vb|SLO}} }}

{{MedalSport| Head coach {{vb|GER}} }}

{{MedalSport| Head coach {{vb|FRA}} }}

}}

Andrea Giani ({{IPA|it|andrea d͡ʒani}}; born 22 April 1970) is an Italian professional volleyball coach and former player who serves as head coach for the France national team and the Polish PlusLiga team, ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle.{{cite web |url=https://zaksa.pl/andrea-giani-nowym-trenerem-zaksy/ |title=Andrea Giani nowym trenerem ZAKSY |work=ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle |language=pl |date=11 June 2024 |access-date=11 June 2024 }}

Giani achieved numerous successes in the 1990s, including three World Championships with his national team. He was an all-rounder able to play both as an outside hitter and as a middle blocker, but he played several times as an opposite spiker too.

In 2008, Giani was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |url=https://www.volleyhall.org/andrea-giani.html |title=Andrea Giani |website=International Volleyball Hall of Fame |access-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223035820/https://www.volleyhall.org/andrea-giani.html |archive-date=23 February 2024 |url-status=live }}

Career

Giani's father, Dario, was a rower who took part in the 1964 Summer Olympics for Italy. After having trained with his father, now a rowing coach, Andrea tried for brief period as a football player. In 1985 the 14-year-old Giani began his career as a volleyball player for the local team of Sabaudia, in the Southern Latium, where he lived. Soon news about his qualities spread and attracted attention from the two main volleyball clubs of Italy of the period: Panini Modena and Santal/Maxicono Parma.

Giani was chosen to play for the latter, initially with the junior team under Gian Paolo Montali as coach. Giani's first final for scudetto in the Parma major team was in 1987. Parma was defeated, as well as in the following seasons.

Giani won his first scudetto in 1990, which was to be followed by four more. In the meantime, in 1988, Giani had scored against Finland his first cap for Italy. His career with the Azzurri colours ended in 2005 after a total of 474 caps (record), making him one of the most renowned players in Italy and the world for his excellent technical and jumping capabilities. With Italy Giani won three World Championship titles in a row (1990, 1994 and 1998) and four European Championship titles (1993, 1995, 1999, 2003),{{Cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52439 |title=Andrea Giani |website=Olympedia |access-date=8 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429182520/https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/52439 |archive-date=29 April 2024 |url-status=live }} and many others. He is a five-time Olympian who won three medals at the Olympic Games but his team never won the gold medal, even though Italy was generally considered one of the favourites. He won silver medals at the 1996{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/05/sports/the-dutch-at-last-catch-up-with-italy.html |newspaper=The New York Times |title=The Dutch At Last Catch Up With Italy |last=Rhoden |first=William C. |date=5 August 1996 |page=C5 |access-date=5 September 2024 }} {{subscription required}} and 2004 Summer Olympics, and a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He also played at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics.

During his career Giani became renowned for his polyvalence, starting as a middle blocker, who turned into a power attacker and passer. Before Modena, Giani played in Parma 1985–1996 and won three Italian Championship Serie A and Club World Championship.

After having quit the national team, Giani played for Cimone Modena until 2008 and won two CEV Champions League. He took the reins of the team as manager starting from season 2007–2008. His nickname is Giangio and was the season winner CEV Challenge Cup 2008.

In 2009–2010 Giani won Championship Serie A2 with M. Roma Volley.

Coaching

Giani became the manager of the Slovenia men's national volleyball team in May 2015.{{cite web|title=Legendarni Andrea Giani na čelu slovenske odbojkarske reprezentance|date=16 March 2015 |url=http://www.delo.si/sport/drugi-sporti/andrea-giani-na-celu-slovenske-odbojkarske-reprezentance.html |newspaper=Delo |language=Slovenian |access-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309174324/https://old.delo.si/sport/drugi-sporti/andrea-giani-na-celu-slovenske-odbojkarske-reprezentance.html |archive-date=9 March 2022 |url-status=live }} A few months later, he led Slovenia to victory in the European Volleyball League, which secured them a spot at the 2016 FIVB Volleyball World League. In October, Slovenia unexpectedly won their first medal in a major volleyball tournament after reaching the final of the 2015 European Championship, where they were defeated by France.

In 2017, Giani replaced Vital Heynen as head coach of the Germany men's national volleyball team.{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldofvolley.com/News/Latest_news/Germany/79668/ger-m-giani-reaches-agreement-with-german-federation.html |title=GER M: Giani reaches agreement with German federation? |website=WorldofVolley |date=25 January 2017 |access-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308164621/https://worldofvolley.com/latest_news/germany/79668/ger-m-giani-reaches-agreement-with-german-federation.html |archive-date=8 March 2022 |url-status=live }}

Honours

=As a player=

CEV European Champions Cup
16px 1996–97 – with Modena Volley
16px 1997–98 – with Modena Volley
FIVB Club World Championship
16px Parma 1989 – with Maxicono Parma
CEV Cup
16px 1987–88 – with Maxicono Parma
16px 1988–89 – with Maxicono Parma
16px 1989–90 – with Maxicono Parma
CEV Challenge Cup
16px 1991–92 – with Maxicono Parma
16px 1994–95 – with Maxicono Parma
16px 2003–04 – with Modena Volley
Domestic
1989–90 16px Italian Cup, with Maxicono Parma
1989–90 16px Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma
1991–92 16px Italian Cup, with Maxicono Parma
1991–92 16px Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma
1992–93 16px Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma
1996–97 16px Italian Cup, with Modena Volley
1996–97 16px Italian Championship, with Modena Volley
1997–98 16px Italian SuperCup, with Modena Volley
1997–98 16px Italian Cup, with Modena Volley
2001–02 16px Italian Championship, with Modena Volley

=As a coach=

CEV Cup
16px 2022–23 – with Modena Volley
CEV Challenge Cup
16px 2007–08 – with Modena Volley
16px 2015–16 – with Calzedonia Verona

=Individual awards=

1994: FIVB World League – Most valuable player
1995: FIVB World Cup – Most valuable player
1998: FIVB World League – Best blocker

=State awards=

References

External links

{{CEV player|9839|Player profile}}
{{CEV coach|9839|Coach profile}}
[https://www.volleyhall.org/andrea-giani.html Player profile] at Volleyhall.org
[https://volleybox.net/andrea-giani-p1857 Coach/Player profile] at Volleybox.net
[https://www.legavolley.it/player/GIA-AND-70 Player profile] at LegaVolley.it {{in lang|it}}
[https://www.legavolley.it/coach/GIA-AND Coach profile] at LegaVolley.it {{in lang|it}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{Olympics.com profile|org_archive=20210423114931}}
{{CONI profile|new_id=941|old_id=517}}
{{CONI honored athlete}}