Brazilian-born Airton Andrioli, who is long renowned in youth soccer circles, has been appointed coach of Adelaide United's A-League Men's team. Andrioli, the man behind the Reds' widely acclaimed youth program, has signed a two-year deal to replace Carl Veart. "I'm incredibly honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity," Andrioli said in a statement on Monday. "This is a very special moment in my life and something I won't take for granted. "My aim is to continue building on the strong foundations laid through our youth programs, providing young South Australians the opportunity to realise their dreams." Andrioli's promotion comes after being an assistant coach to Veart, and also the Reds' head of youth football since 2020. Before that, he spent a decade as Football South Australia's technical director and played a pivotal role in the state's acclaimed talent pathways. Andrioli, who played for West Adelaide in the National Soccer League (NSL) between 1994 and 1996, also had a stint as assistant coach with the Young Socceroos in 2015/16. United's technical director Ernest Faber said Andrioli was ideally suited to replace Veart, who split with the Reds after a five-year tenure. "Airton knows this club very well," Faber said. "He's the architect of our youth program, which is the lifeblood of Adelaide United and he's already played a significant role in the progress we've made over the past few years. "He'll continue the great work he's been doing, but in a different capacity - backing young players, playing attacking football, and building a strong team culture. "We believe Airton will help us grow steadily while staying true to the identity of Adelaide United." The Reds were tipped from this year's finals with a 3-2 loss to Western United in an elimination final.