The Oakland Raiders training camp will have an international flavor for the sixth straight year, as the Silver and Black have invited six international coaches to join Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable's staff during summer workouts at the team's Napa Valley, California training complex.
The Raiders International Guest Coach Program welcomes coaches from foreign countries to the team's training camp complex each year. The coaches are given the unique opportunity to observe practices and learn from the Silver and Black.
"The Raider Nation is worldwide and our unique International Guest Coach Program is just one of our exciting initiatives designed to unite our global fan base," said Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask.
The six international coaches will arrive at camp on Thursday, August 6, and continue their stay through the first preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, August 13. They will participate in our annual fan festival, Raider Nation Celebration, which will take place on Saturday, August 8 at the Oakland Coliseum. The coaches will travel back to their home countries on Friday, August 14.
Markus Krause will represent his home country of Austria in this year's International Guess Coach Program. Krause started coaching after a successful playing career with the SWARCO Raiders. His first coaching stint took place in 2008 as the SWARCO Raiders youth team defensive back coach as well as special teams coach. In the same year the youth program reached the Austrian youth championship final.
Robert Balazinec also comes from Austria. He grew up playing soccer in Croatia, his native country and started to play football two years ago. In 2008, Balazinec became the SWARCO Raiders kicker. He then started his coaching career the same year as a kicking coach and assistant coach to the Tyroleans' youth and junior teams. Balazinec got promoted to special teams' coordinator/kicking coach with the SWARCO Raiders' second team in 2009. Balazinec won as a player the Eurobowl XXIII in 2009 and Eurobowl XXII in 2008 with the SWARCO Raiders.
Alex Adamo was born and raised in Sweden. Adamo started his coaching on a local junior program as the receivers and defensive backs' coach during an entire year. The following year, Adamo was asked to work with the senior team on 2006 where he started coaching the defensive backs as well as assisting the defensive coordinator Larry Lishey, who participated in the Raiders International Guest Coach Program in 2007.
Jose Antonio Madinaveitia is from Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, where he is currently the Head Coach of the Universidad Autónoma de Durango. Madinaveitia began his coaching career in 1983 being a part of local junior leagues and continue succeeding as a coach occupying the role of defensive coordinator in others college leagues. He is currently working on his master in sports managements from U.E.D.E.P.
Fernando Maniega Legarda is an independent conditioning coach in his home country of Spain. Maniega has trained professional sport players from the following categories: American football, tennis, golf, racquetball, basketball, polo, aerobics and horse racing. He worked as the conditioning coach of the NFL Europe's team Barcelona Dragons on different occasions. He attended the University of Barcelona majoring in Physical Education and Sports in 1994 and is currently pursuing his master on sport team's high level of performance.
For the first time, the Raiders will host an international guest coach from Australia. Mel Martin will be representing his home country of Australia at the 2009 Raiders Training Camp. He comes with many years of experience in playing as well as in coaching. From 1993 he was Head Coach for the Waverley Sharks winning the championship in 1995. He became Head Coach of the Berwick Miners in 1996 a position he holds this year after a couple of seasons break. He will join the rest of our international guess coaches for this year' Training Camp.
The Raiders have long been recognized as a global organization and have increased the popularity of NFL football worldwide by playing in American Bowls in London, Barcelona, Tokyo and Mexico City. The Raiders reach an international audience through the team's official web properties in English, Spanish, Chinese, German, Japanese and Tagalog.
