Italian has worked with New York Cosmos and Serie A outfit Sampdoria in the past

Leyton Orient have announced Simone Lucchesi is the new fitness coach at the club replacing Craig Smith, who left yesterday.

The Italian has most recently been with Serbian club FK Cukaricki as a sports scientist & fitness coach.

He joined the Belgrade outfit in January of this year, but departed in May and will now move to Brisbane Road.

Lucchesi has previously been head strength & conditioning coach at New York Cosmos - he was there for two years before leaving last summer.

Prior to that he is understood to have done a similar role at Serie A club Sampdoria where he served during the 2011/12 and 2012/13 campaign.

The Italian replaces a popular figure in Smith, who received various praise from O’s players after it was confirmed he’d be leaving.

He’s become the new head of sports science at Stevenage with the Hertfordshire-based club revealing the news yesterday evening.

Among those to laud Smith’s work was physio Peter Webb with the pair working closely together during their time in east London.

He said: “I’m gutted Craig is leaving the club and the medical department. He was the first in and last out everyday.

“We established a good work ethic which was respected by the staff and I not only gained a work colleague, I gained a friend. I wish Craig all the best in the future. The stats don’t lie and they will be shown later.”