Andrea Giani

Andrea Giani (born 22 April 1970) is an Italian coach and retired volleyball player who scored numerous successes in the 1990s, including three World Championships with his national team. He is 196 cm (6 ft 5 in) tall. He is considered as one of the best volleyball players ever. He was an all-rounder able to play both as outside hitter and as middle blocker, but he played several times as opposite too.[1]

Andrea Giani
Personal information
Nationality	Italian
Born	22 April 1970 Naples, Italy
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Coaching information
Current team	Germany
Previous teams coached Years Teams 2007–2008 2008–2012 2013–2016 2015–2016 2017– Cimone Modena M. Roma Volley Calzedonia Verona Slovenia Germany
Volleyball information
Position	Middle blocker/Universal
Career
Years Teams 1982–1985 1985–1996 1996–2007 Pallavolo Sabaudia Pallavolo Parma Cimone Modena
National team
1988–2005 Italy (474)
Honours Men's volleyball Representing  Italy Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 2 1 World Championship 3 0 0 World Cup 1 1 1 World Grand Champions Cup 1 0 0 World League 7 2 2 European Championship 4 1 1 Total 16 6 5 Olympic Games 1996 Atlanta Team 2004 Athens Team 2000 Sydney Team World Championship 1990 Brazil Team 1994 Greece Team 1998 Japan Team World Cup 1995 Japan Team 1989 Japan Team 1999 Japan Team World Grand Champions Cup 1993 Japan Team Goodwill Games 1990 Seattle Team World League 1991 Milan Team 1992 Genoa Team 1994 Milan Team 1995 Rio de Janeiro Team 1997 Moscow Team 1999 Mar del Plata Team 2000 Rotterdam Team 1996 Rotterdam Team 2004 Rome Team 1993 São Paulo Team 2003 Madrid Team European Championship 1993 Finland Team 1995 Greece Team 1999 Austria Team 2003 Germany Team 1991 Germany Team 1997 Netherlands Team
Last updated: 14 February 2017

Career

Giani’s father, Dario, was a rower who had taken part in the 1964 Summer Olympics for Italy. After having trained with the 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 in 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 club 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 in 1990 his first scudetto, it was to be followed by four more. In the meantime, in 1988, Giani had scored against Finland his first cap for the Italy, his career with the Azzurri colours ended in 2005 after a total of 474 caps (record), becoming one of the most renowned players in Italy and in 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 (1993, 1995, 1999, 2003) and many others. He won three medals at the Olympic Games but his team never won the gold medal, even though Italy was generally considered the top favourites. He won silver medals at the 1996 Olympic Games and 2004 Olympic Games, and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and make Golden time with team other members. During his career Giani became renowned for his polyvalence, starting as a middle blocker, he turned into a power attacker and passer. Giani before Modena, played in Parma 1985-1996 and winner three Italian Championship Serie A and Club World Championship.

After having quit the national team, Giani played for Cimone Modena until 2008 and winner two CEV Champions League. He taking the reins of the team as manager starting from season 2007–2008. His nickname is Giangio and at the season winner CEV Challenge Cup 2008. Giani at 2009-2010 year won Championship Serie A2 with M. Roma Volley. Giani became the manager of the Slovenia men's national volleyball team in May 2015.[2] 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 on a major volleyball tournament, after reaching the Final of the 2015 Men's European Volleyball Championship where they were defeated by France. In 2017, Giani replaced Vital Heynen as head coach of the Germany men's national volleyball team.[3]

Achievements

As coach

• 2008 CEV Challenge Cup, with Cimone Modena
• 2010 Italian Championship Serie A2, with M. Roma Volley
• 2010 Italian Cup Serie A2, with M. Roma Volley
• 2015 CEV European Championship, with Slovenia
• 2016 CEV Challenge Cup, with Calzedonia Verona

Individual

• 1994 Best Blocker in FIVB World League
• 1995 Most Valuable Player in FIVB World Cup
• 1998 Best Blocker in FIVB World League
• 1999 Most Valuable Player in European Volleyball Championship
• 2010 Costa-Anderlini Award for Best Coach of the Year Italy - Serie A2

State awards

• 2000 Knight's Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
• 2004 Officer's Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

References

1. Andrea Giani - International Volleyball Hall of Fame
2. "Legendarni Andrea Giani na čelu slovenske odbojkarske reprezentance".
3. Giani reaches agreement with German federation

External links

• Andrea Giani at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
• Andrea Giani at the International Olympic Committee
• Andrea Giani at the Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (in Italian) (in English)