27th July 2008

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

In this post you find the video interview with:


Bernardinho

BRA Coach

I asked the following questions:


1) Could you give a comment abut the 2008 WL Finals?
2) How did your players react after many years of victories?
3) You lost in front of Brazilians fans and your winning streak finished. Is it very tough?
4) Were do you really surprised by your team performance?
5) Player worked very hard and seemed slower. Is it true?
6) A group of six teams is said as favourites for Beijing. Do you agree?
7) Will the Beijing Games be the last tournament of this wonderful group?
8) What about you?
9) Is it the first time in your life that you really need to slow down?
10) How will the new Bernardinho be?
11) Could you give a comment about the new ball?
12) Which fundamental will be more affected by the new ball?


To watch the video clic HERE or on the picture above

Bye bye andrea zorzi

27th July 2008

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)


After the last match of this 2008 World League Finals, I write a brief comment about the participating teams.

Below you can see the final standings and, on the right, my personal judgment on the teams’ performances.


+ means that they played BETTER than I expected
= means that they played EXACTLY as I expected
-  means that they played WORSE than I expected

For the asterisk in Russia BOX read my comment about Alekno’s team.

Of course, if anyone of you disagree with my opinion, be so kind to send your reasons by e-mail (mailto Andrea Zorzi)



U.S.A. First the US team topped Brazil making the Olympics much more interesting and then they ended up winning the 2008 World League for first time ever.
The Us key to the victory was playing with a few errors and following good plans.

But please, read before what I have written after the 2007 World Cup, when they failed to qualify to Beijing. Useless to say that they got the Olympic berth a few months later in the North American Olympic qualification tournament.

...I have a high respect for the US Volleyball team. McCutcheon’s team is standard talented, but their remarkable ability to take advantage of any situation make them a model to follow. They are patient when necessary, fully motivated in digging and never giving up. During the match, you’ll never see an American player with a discouraged expression. Until the very last point, they are thoroughly focused on the game and when they leave the court, as happened after the defeat with Russia, they can be displeased but without any regret ...

That happened in the last November, today there were rightly satisfied. They played a wonderful tournament joining the well known digging and blocking skills with a surprising attacking ability. Many times they paid for their standard hitting talent but in Rio de Janeiro, they displayed a first class attack.
If they’ll succeed in keeping this consistency, they will be a major candidate to the gold medal in Beijing.

SERBIA  Serbians deserve the most sincere congratulations. The performed wonderfully all along the WL Finals. The Serbian line up perfectly combines expert athletes (N. Grbic and I. Miljkovic) and younger players.
The usual willpower distinguishes the Serbians and makes them very tied as a team.
They spent a lot of energies but the satisfaction and confidence they got will be fruitful. The more experienced athletes know how to recharge quickly the batteries, the others will take advantage of this exploit. Having positive feed back is crucial for any athletes, above all for the younger, thus Serbian team will confidently faces the next Olympics Games.
Last but not least never underestimate the Serbian pride.


RUSSIA * (they didn't play better than Brazil but they performed as I expected)

The Russians, traditionally stern, were oddly smiling after the first victory over Brazil since 2002. In the morning, they arrived with gloomy faces due to the previous bad defeat against Serbia and they seemed impatient to go back to Moscow.
After a few rallies, they were aware of the great opportunity they had to beat Brazil. They suddenly changed the mental approach and, relying on the amazing power of the young spiker M. Mikhaylov, they overcome a willing but not consistent Brazil.
Winning the third position in the WL, Russia gains a crucial point in the FIVB World Ranking but they could mislead the truth.
This third place isn’t the result of their progresses and depends mainly on external causes. To fully exploit their astonishing talent, they have to increase their level, digging better, setting less predictably and playing at the best, when the matches are fought point by point.

BRAZIL
Winning is never easy.
After a victory is fairly easy being a good winner.
But, what is very hard, is to accept the defeat still behaving the best and Brazilians succeeded in it.

They were respectful when they won (almost always) and now, for the first time after six years, they have to face an overcome in one of the a most important tournaments. Actually, they played worst than usual, but they are still the favorites for the Olympic gold medal.
They prepared this Final working truly hard and in the court their reactions were a slight slower. That’s why Bernardinho pointed out the frustration they felt during the last match against Russia. They strove for the best but the performance was not as good as they would have liked.
Giba added: “now we have to close the door, gathering the team together once more time and fight”.
In the Giba’s language, fighting means to speak frankly about any technical or personal problem.

POLAND Since the beginning of the 2008 WL Finals I was looking for an explanation about Polish poor performance against Serbia. Obviously, there are many reasons, the preparation aimed for Beijing, the lack of demanding matches in the last period and so on.
But, to properly evaluate Polish team, it is necessary to think about their psychological approach. Too many times they played under their level looking spiritless.

To explain better this behavior I give you an example.
In these days in Rio de Janeiro, I interviewed many athletes and they answered to the same question differently . I asked two Serbian players which is the worst defeat of their careers.
They both said: “ I have totally forgotten all the defeats I only think about the victories”.
The polish answers was:“ I lose too many times and I cannot choose a single defeat…”
They are paying for the lack of victories and the only way to overcome this is to focus on the present forgetting the past.

JAPAN I’m still wondering why the Japanese didn’t seize upon the opportunity to play some tough match just a few days before the Olympic Games. They are not talented enough to aim for a medal in Beijing. Therefore, I think that practicing one more week at home, (avoiding a long trip and the jet leg of course) isn’t more useful than being here. Only the teams which are said favorites, can focus on the small technical details, while the lower level squads can improve more challenging the first level teams than practicing alone.
Moreover, I consider the missing of the whole coaching staff and of ten main roster players out of twelve a slight.
Thus, I would say that the Japanese lost a crucial opportunity.

.
Bye bye andrea zorzi

26 July 2008

Rio de Janeiro (BRA)

After the comments of Sergio and Lambourne given a few minutes after the match (WATCH HERE an HERE) I try to analyze that match.

Let me write a list of reasons which can explain why the US team won the second match in a row with Brazil (US team topped Brazil in Japan during the 2007 World Cup).

- I start from the statement of R. Lambourne: “the whole is bigger than parts”. This is the first aim for any Volleyball squad and today US team made it true. All the US athletes who entered performed wonderfully both individually and collectively.

- Although the Us Team is one of the best in the world in digging, today I was impressed by their defense. It relies on their personal skills and on a detailed and right strategy. Lambourne, Salmon, Priddy and also Ball defended many strong attacks putting a huge pressure on the Brazilian spiker. The US players didn’t (ever) give up any (opponents') attacks and, also when the ball was actually unreachable, they chased for it.

- Stanley served successfully forcing Marcelinho and Bruno to play more predictably than usual.

- Salmon and Priddy hit with a very high percentage.

- On the Brazilian side, they paid pay for the missing of tough matches. Usually they play so good that the opponents cannot keep their pace.


- I don’t know why Bernardinho replaced Andrè Nascimiento with Samuel as opposite instead of using Anderson. As a matter of fact, Samuel wasn’t efficient enough and to help Brazil to tie the match.

- Also the turn over between the two setters Marcelinho and Bruno wasn’t helpful as happened many time. Both of them lost the thread of the game and they reacted at opponents playing rather than anticipating them. 


- The Brazilian block an defense were less organized and many times they failed to get easy ball due to a wrong timing. An evidence of this weird situation was the substitution of Gustavo, their discrete leader, who usually is the best middle blocker.

-  Last but not least, the huge crowd in the Maracazinho put further pressure on the Brazilian players.

-  Given that they are truthfully displeased for the home defeat after many years of victories, I guess that Bernardinho and his players will exploit this overcome. They will strive for the best to achieve the third place and by now, Brazilian journalists and fans will pay more attention at the ceaseless warnings of Bernardinho to keep on a resolute approach.

Bye bye andrea zorzi

26 July 2008

Rio de Janeiro (BRA)


In this post you find the video interview with:

Richard Lambourne

US Libero

just after the victory against BRA



I asked the following questions:

1) Why do you play always so good against Brazil?
2) You beat them also in the 2007 World Cup.
3) Does Brazil undergoes your team?
4) You played poor in the first match with Serbia but was it very important?
5) Do you mean that US athletes aren’t so talented?
6) What about your today’s performance?
7) Which is the favourite team to win the Olympic Games?
8) Could this defeat help Brazil to play better at the Olympic Games?
9) Is the new ball affecting all the fundamentals?



To watch the video clic HERE or on the picture above

Bye bye andrea zorzi

26 July 2008

Rio de Janeiro (BRA)


In this post you find the video interview with:

Sergio

BRA Libero

just after the Brazilian defeat against US Team:

THERE ARE SERGIO’S ANSWERS IN PORTUGUESE AND ENGLISH TRANSLATION


I asked the following questions:

1) Why is it so difficult play against US team?
2) Is this defeat totally unexpected?
3) Could this overcome help you to play better at the Olympic Games?
4) Will the Beijing Games be the last tournament of this wonderful team?
5) Give a comment about the new ball.


To watch the video clic HERE or on the picture above


Bye bye andrea zorzi

In this post you find the video interview with:


William Priddy

US Team Spiker



I asked the following questions:


1) When and where were you born?
2) When did you start playing Volleyball?
3) Did you improve fast?
4) You have played in many countries, could you compare the 5) different experiences?
6) You have played in Novosibirsk (RUS) such a far and different town from your.
7) In which conditions is your national team?
8) Which is the favourite team to win Beijing Games?
9) Which is the most important victory of your career?
10) Could you give a comment about the new ball?
11) Are you married?
12) The US Volleyball environment is changing.
13) Have you ever really tried to play Beach Volley?
14) Have you any idol in Volleyball?
15) US Volleyball players behave very professionally.
16) You are describing the Russian clubs in a new way.


To watch the video clic HERE or on the picture above

Bye bye andrea zorzi

25 July 2008

Rio de Janeiro (BRA)


Also in Brazil, a black cat crossing one's path, breaking a mirror and walking underneath an open ladder are said to bring misfortune, (I didn’t check for opening an umbrella indoors and placing a hat on the bed yet ), thus I’m pretty sure that foretell Brazilians as the winners of the 2008 World League is perceived as bad luck.
Given that journalists are much less concerned than athletes about superstitions, the most part of the local newspapers are anticipating the eight World League victory, which allows Brazil to reach Italy as best WL winner ever.

That’s why, a local reporter asked me: “how will you feel if Brazil will reach Italy? (the future tense was only a matter of courtesy).

How I feel? Good, because my best Volleyball memories are tied to the single victories, not to the winning streaks.
After many year, I still perfectly remember the emotions of the tough matches we won. The indistinct sound within the competition halls, the blurred images of my team mates running, jumping and hugging each other and their broad smiles are carved in my memory.
On occasion, I like to share those emotions with my former team-mates. But, as the most part of the players I know, we never wasted time thinking at the honours list.

Anyhow, this Brazilian team is making his amazing winning streak longer. They are better than any other group in the Volleyball history. I truly think that the team leaded by Bernardinho is better than the Italian National team awarded as the Best Team of the Century (the nineteenth century obviously).
Since 2002 they didn’t lose any match (in the major international tournaments) and they seem able to keep on winning the 2008 WL and their last big aim: the Beijing Olympic Games.

I don’t like to compare teams that performed in different periods but when the Brazilian reporter asked my opinion I replied: “ we never won the Olympic Games, we never dominate as they are doing, we weren’t able to be as consistent as they are and we never played with the Rally Point System. (The RPS, introduced in 1998, makes the matches more unpredictable and achieving long winning streaks is actually tougher).

The reporter sincerely smiled welcoming my positive comment.

Just then I added: “Remember that the fans all over the world don’t like just watching a victory. They enjoy the struggle, the unpredictable results, the matches fought point by point and, from this perspective, the Italian team was better. We rarely won overwhelming the opponents, often fighting until the last point.


The today’s matches have been a further confirmation of my opinion. Brazil and Serbia have performed fantastically, both technically and tactically, but the missing of an adequate opponent has made the show exciting only for Brazilian and Serbian fans.

Bye bye andrea zorzi

25th July 2008
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

In this post you find the video interview with:


Vladimir Alekno

RUS team Coach

I asked the following questions:


1) In which conditions is your team?
2) In the recent years Russia called for foreigner coaches. Why?
3) Are the athletes following you in this transition?
4) Who is the favourite team to win the gold medal in Beijing Games?
5) Could you give a comment about the new ball?
6) If you will play again with Brazil in the WL Final, what do you expect?



To watch the video clic HERE or on the picture above

Bye bye andrea zorzi

24 July 2008

Rio de Janeiro (BRA)

Just a brief note about the “unbalanced” match between Russia and Japan.

Unbalanced is an euphemism because, as soon as the two teams went into the court and lined up to listen to the hymns, it was clear that the tiny Japanese players seemed the sons of the tallest Russian athletes.
Despite of this physical gap, the match was less predictable than expected. Russia won 3-0 but the second set was fought until the end.

Let me introduce the second match, recalling the yesterday’s statement of McCutcheon (US Team Coach) after the poor performance of his players.
“My team was wrapped up and never played as a team. The players were too much concerned about the PRODUCT (the score) failing to focus the PROCESS (playing Volleyball as good as possible)

The players have to use all their energies doing something useful: looking at the scoring board won’t help at all!

Watching the match, keeping in mind this approach, was very interesting.

In the first set the wrapped up Us team which we saw yesterday disappeared. They played with great commitment and concentration. The evidence of this right approach came from the few mistakes they made and from the capability to control easily the level of the risk.
But in the first set, the Polish poor performance, helped the opponent. Being their first match in this WL Finals, they paid for the missing rhythm. Moreover, Polish players didn’t play many tough matches in the Intercontinental Round and they had to adjust their approach quickly.
Then, relying on the wonderful Wlazly’s performance, Poland actually started to play the WL Finals and the match turned into a great struggle.

In the fifth set both teams wasted some chances: Hoff hit awkwardly out an easy opportunity and Winiarsky didn’t kill an attack on the first match point.
But both teams can be disappointed and, at the same time, happy.

Wlazly (31 points) and Wika (13) attacked pretty well but the most encouraging Polish achievement was the blocking and digging performance. They miss the top level matches since long time and against USA, they quickly succeeded in finding the needed rhythm.

US players might not qualify for the semi-final (it depends on the match tomorrow between Poland and Serbia) but, in any case, they will leave this Final “with an important victory in a tough match” as their coach said after the match.

I know that Polish fans will not like what I’m saying but, the Polish defeat makes the second match of tomorrow (POL – SRB) very exciting. It’s particularly significant, because the first one (BRA- JPN) won’t be nor interesting nor balanced. At the most this match could be dangerous for the Japanese players due to the large quality gap between the two teams.

Bye bye andrea zorzi.

24th July 2008
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

In this post you find the video interview with:

Hugh McCutcheon

US team Coach

I asked the following questions:


1) How have you planned this full season?
2) Which was the biggest difficulty to overcome until now?
3) Have you reached the expected target so far?
4) Playing the WL Final Six a few days before the Olympic Games, could be a risk for the team performance in Beijing?
5) About the core question of these days. Apparently the biggest problem seems more the little time you had for training rather than playing close to the Olympic games, doesn’t it?
6) Who is the favourite to win the gold medal in Beijing?
8) Brazilians are dominating since 2002, have they any secret?
9) Brazilian team seems to have easily overcame the Ricardo’s missing. What do you think?
10) Do Volleyball depend on team-work more than any other sport?
11) Do players need to be good friends to be a good team?
12) Do you like your group?
13) Many US athletes play overseas, does it helps improve their skills?


To watch the video clic HERE or on the picture above

Bye bye andrea zorzi