Veli Kavlak Returns To Rapid As Academy Coach
Alongside Head Coach Florian Forster, Kavlak will be coaching the Rapid U-15s in the future.
The training sessions for the Rapid junior teams are back up to speed in Hütteldorf. New to the team, though, is a former Rapid player who will contribute to the development of the Austrian record champion's talents of the future. Veli Kavlak returns to the playing field, and will from now on work as the U-15 Assistant Coach under Florian Forster, and also as an individual positional coach for Rapid’s talented Project-12 players. The 34-year-old officially ended his playing career in the summer of 2022 due to injury, and now wants to find his feet as a coach. Last year, the 31-time ÖFB international took his first step towards a coaching education and completed his UEFA B license course. The midfielder wore the Green & White jersey a total of 181 times, making his debut at the tender age of 16 and becoming Austrian champion twice as well as being named Rapidler of the Year twice, in 2006 and 2010. After a successful spell in Hütteldorf, the soon-to-be youth coach moved to Besiktas in Istanbul, where he not only became captain but also added 110 games and two titles in Turkey's top flight to his CV.
As strong on the ball as ever - Veli Kavlak.
Managing Director of SK Rapid Steffen Hofmann had the following to say on the appointment: "Veli is a Rapid player through and through, who not only made his way to professional football via our youth team, but also gained a lot of international experience as an ÖFB national team player and captain of Besiktas. Both professionally and personally, he is an absolute asset and, as a positional coach, should further improve the skills of our Project 12 players. It fits our philosophy to train and develop not only players but also young, ambitious coaches."
Veli Kavlak on his return: "My time as a player unfortunately went by far too quickly due to injury, so it was clear to me early on that I wanted to pursue a path as a coach. I am incredibly proud to be back at the club of my heart. My playing career started here in Hütteldorf and now I want to start my coaching career here as well. I'm very grateful to SK Rapid for the chance to be directly involved on the pitch as an assistant coach, to pass on my playing experience to our young talents and to learn new things myself in the process."
Fotos: Fussballfotograf AT | Vrano