'It was easy to choose Sunderland because they were the right club'

Luciano Vulcano, assistant head coach at Premier League club Sunderland.

- by Phil Smith

Perhaps not the most dramatic sentence on its own, but the mere facts within it represent a quite remarkable journey that shows no signs of slowing down. Only twelve years ago, Vulcano was an architecture student. Letting heart rule head, the Italian opted to pursue his dream of becoming a head coach and switched his studies to sports science.

In the time since he has worked at a number of Serie A's biggest clubs, sampled the Champions League, played his part in a league title win with AC Milan and most recently coached Cristiano Ronaldo. Initially starting in football as an analyst, Vulcano picked up his UEFA coaching badges at Italy's fabled Coverciano school and puts his rise down to a lot of hard work but also a significant stroke of luck.

It was Stefano Pioli who noticed Vulcano's potential and handed him the promotion he could scarcely have dreamed of when he took that leap of faith and left architecture behind.

"I was a bit good at doing my job and lucky, because you need to be lucky in football for sure," Vulcano explains.

"I met the right person. First of all, Stefano Pioli. That gave me the chance to be at the highest level. He trusted me a lot and he gave me the chance to show my skills. Fantastic stages, because I was in the Champions League by his side. Now, also thanks to another person and another club, I'm here in the Premier League."