National Teams - 2007 Season

  • Does anybody guess which team will be the Champion of the following competitions?


    2007 Montreux Volley Masters
    2007 Valle d'Aosta Tournament
    2007 World Grand Prix
    2007 European Championship
    2007 Pan-American Games
    2007 World Cup


    It would be nice to see everyone's predictions about the champions of all these tournaments. If there are any other competitions you guys like to add up, please, do so!

  • 2007 Montreux: Russia, China, Serbia, Cuba, Poland, Germany, Holland, Turkey


    Grand Prix 2007: CHN, BRA, JPN, KAZ, TPE, DOM, CUB, POL, ITA, NED, RUS, USA


    2007 ECH: POL, ITA, RUS, AZE, NED, SER, TUR, BUL, ESP, SVK, CZE, BEL, GER, BLR, CRO, FRA

  • 2007 European Champion TURKEY :D :D :D

  • Hey Bobaas are you sure these 8 teams will take part of the 2007 edition of the Montreux Volley Masters? I was almost sure that Brazil as the defending Champions would participate of this tournament.


    My guesses are (not very daring, I acknowledge that):


    Montreux Volley Masters and Valle d'Aosta Tournament: I have no idea so far.


    European Championship:


    Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, Italy, Poland and Netherlands can be the winners in my opinion. Russia, is for sure, the biggest favourite.


    Pan-American Cup:


    Brazil, Cuba, USA and the Dominican Republic will be 4 top ranked teams, not necessarily in this order. For me they will be the 4 semifinalists.


    World Grand Prix:


    Russia, Brazil and China, as well as Italy can end up with the golden trophy.


    World Cup:


    Russia, Brazil, Italy, Serbia and Cuba can qualify for the OG in this competition. It's really hard to tell who will be the top 3.

  • Yes, in this year Montreux Volley Masters will be without Brazil NT.


    European Championship 2007
    hmm... :roll:
    Pool E :arrow: Russia, Italy
    Pool F :arrow: Serbia, Poland :wink2:
    1. Russia
    2. Serbia
    3. Poland :)

  • [quote="Celso"]


    World Grand Prix:
    Russia, Brazil and China, as well as Italy can end up with the golden trophy.
    World Cup:


    Russia, Brazil, Italy, Serbia and Cuba can qualify for the OG in this competition. It's really hard to tell who will be the top 3.


    i have to say that after the world championship, i think china will not come back so soon
    they are gonna to have more new players this year and the veterans gone for treatment and trest, so, china this year wont stand much chance


    as for italy, serbia alone could stop it, germany and holland are strong enough to have a good fight lol
    my guess will be brazil, russia and holland :)

  • I think that Russia will win all the tournaments this year. But I'll be happy if Brazil win World Cup, Italy the Euros and Poland the Grand Prix and I'll leave Montreaux Cup to Russia. :wink2: :lol:

  • Quote from "samba player"

    I think that Russia will win all the tournaments this year. But I'll be happy if Brazil win World Cup, Italy the Euros and Poland the Grand Prix and I'll leave Montreaux Cup to Russia. :wink2: :lol:


    Hey, samba lol :D (long time no see)
    As for me, I can't make any predicitons, everything may happen with any team. Samba it's not fair :wink2: why Montreaux? :)
    I'll be happy if Russia win ECH and World Cup, Brasil will win World Grand Prix as usual and Italy will win Valle d'Aosta Tournament :wink2: :lol:


    The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself. (Oscar Wilde).

  • Hi Nick!! Nice to see you again!!! :wink2: :D


    Hehe, Valle D'Aosta's cup :roll: That's not fair either! :lol:


    Well, I have to admit that I fear Russia so much this year. So strong. To be objective, I think that only Brazil can scare them. Italy and Poland can't, unfortunately.

  • Quote from "samba player"

    Hi Nick!! Nice to see you again!!! :wink2: :D


    Hehe, Valle D'Aosta's cup :roll: That's not fair either! :lol:


    Well, I have to admit that I fear Russia so much this year. So strong. To be objective, I think that only Brazil can scare them. Italy and Poland can't, unfortunately.


    Hmm, well we'll see but but a lot depend on the squad and the form of the pleyers after inner championships as well as our team depend on Sokolova who hasn't made her decision about participating in WGP and ECH, she says that our team can qualify to World Cup without her :? I think she doesn't want to play ECH (she refused in 2005 and we got only bronze, this year it's more important because if we want to qualify for World Cup we need at least to be in final of ECH). So, if our team plays the same volleybal as in Japan or may be better and with Sokolova, I think we have chances on both ECH and WC.
    Samba, now there's nothing to fear. When time comes we'll see :wink2:


    The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself. (Oscar Wilde).

  • I think it will be hard for Brazil to win the 4th consecutive title of the WGP cause Brazil will prioritize the Pan-American Games, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro. As the volleyball tournament of the Pan-Am Games will finish just one week before the WGP, it is likely that Brazil sends its B-team for the WGP.


    For this reason, in order to make everybody happy, I hope Serbia wins the Montreux Volley Masters, Russia wins the WGP, Italy wins the Valle d'Aosta Tournament and Brazil wins the gold medal of the World Cup.


    I hope Brazil could keep the same pace of the 2005 and 2006 seasons!
    (Brazil won 11 Gold Medals and 1 Silver Medal in the 12 competitions it played! Nothing bad, huh? :D )

  • Quote from "Celso"

    I think it will be hard for Brazil to win the 4th consecutive title of the WGP cause Brazil will prioritize the Pan-American Games, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro. As the volleyball tournament of the Pan-Am Games will finish just one week before the WGP, it is likely that Brazil sends its B-team for the WGP.


    so brazil is not sending its A team for WGP, i dont know if russia will send the B team as well


    if russia re-call artamonova to sub safronova, i think russia this year also has great chance for the world cup


    just my opiion, since artamonova can receive and defense well, i think caprara should use her to sub merkulova and borodakova in the back court

  • Quote from "Celso"

    I think it will be hard for Brazil to win the 4th consecutive title of the WGP cause Brazil will prioritize the Pan-American Games, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro. As the volleyball tournament of the Pan-Am Games will finish just one week before the WGP, it is likely that Brazil sends its B-team for the WGP.


    For this reason, in order to make everybody happy, I hope Serbia wins the Montreux Volley Masters, Russia wins the WGP, Italy wins the Valle d'Aosta Tournament and Brazil wins the gold medal of the World Cup.


    I hope Brazil could keep the same pace of the 2005 and 2006 seasons!
    (Brazil won 11 Gold Medals and 1 Silver Medal in the 12 competitions it played! Nothing bad, huh? :D )


    Brazil is not going to Montreux because they'll focus on Pan-American Games. I'm not sure Brazil will send its B team to WGP, actually I think they'll do like last year, some players from the main team play both tournaments. At least I think USA will send its main team to Rio.


    It's nothing bad to see 11 gold medals in 12 tournaments, but that silver medal is still stuck in my throat.
    I'd rather see Brazil winning 10 silver medals in WGP, South American, etc, and see it winning 2 gold medals in competitions that really matter (World Champions cup and the World Championship). It doesn't matter how many competitions you win if you always lose in the ones that matter.

  • :P it's hard to predict anything
    but in my opinion China will be the winner of Montreux...probably Russia could win it but according to their lineup i won't be easy
    2007 gp gold can be hold by the russian team
    2007 european championships
    Russia, Poland, Serbia and Italy
    there is no doubt that those four teams will play in european championships semifinals:


    I'd wish that final standing will looks like that::D
    1.POLAND - third gold in row...really impressive!
    2.RUSSIA - sory girls but you can't win everything :lol:
    3.SERBIA - bronze for consolation
    4.ITALY - the great looser


    and i think Brazil will win pan american and World Cup '07
    in China's absense Russia could be second
    there is less teams which are able to win with Brazil than win with Russia


  • i like ur predictions ehehe
    especially that poland will win its 3rd EC title in a row ehehe
    im with u :good:

  • Quote from "ZONK"

    :
    2.RUSSIA - sory girls but you can't win everything :lol:


    Hi Zonk, it's a pity but our team don't win everything at all or what do you consider to be all?))
    Our last gold medal ( I don't count this WCH) was in far 2002. Here results of russian team since 2002:


    ECH:
    2003 - 5th place
    2005 - bronze


    Montreux:
    2002 - gold
    2003 - silver
    2004 - 6th place
    2006 - 8th place


    Grand Prix:
    2002 - gold
    2003 - silver
    2004 - 7th place
    2006 - silver


    World Cup 2003:
    Haven't qualified


    WCH:
    2002 - bronze
    2006 - gold


    Olympic Games:
    2004 - silver


    So... only 3 gold medals for 5 years (one of them on Montreux)... Do you think we can call that win everything?. Russian fans were so tired of bronze and silver medals. It's good of course that our team was on leading positions but always lost most important matches. At least they did it, won gold medal for the last 5 years. So, I wish our team win this ECH and WC, because when Gamova, Sokolova and Godina leave the team we won't be on leading positions for a long time I think :cry2: because there are no young stars in Russia by now like in China, Brazil, Cuba. There are no very talented girls like were Artamonova, Sokolova, Godina and Gamova at their age. I wish I'm wrong. So, whilst we have team that really can win everything I wish them use their chances.


    The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself. (Oscar Wilde).

  • I agree with you Nick! Russia has great chances to win everything from here to 2008. But after the Olympics, Sokolova, Gosha and Gamova will retire and other teams will win the next competitions. It's a circle. In the 60s-70s URSS and Japan won everything, in the 80s China, in the 90s Cuba and now is Russia's turn. Russia didn't win everything. If we don't count URSS, Russia still misses an Olympic gold and a World Cup gold.
    But for me now Russia is the strongest team with her three stars.

  • Quote from "samba player"

    I agree with you Nick! Russia has great chances to win everything from here to 2008. But after the Olympics, Sokolova, Gosha and Gamova will retire and other teams will win the next competitions. It's a circle. In the 60s-70s URSS and Japan won everything, in the 80s China, in the 90s Cuba and now is Russia's turn. Russia didn't win everything. If we don't count URSS, Russia still misses an Olympic gold and a World Cup gold.
    But for me now Russia is the strongest team with her three stars.


    you guys are so right, with the three star spikers gone, russia will have great gap to fill


    but currently, i dare say russia is still the best team, why?
    i always believe from 98 - 2004, the x factor that cost the golds for russia is the setter---just look at how high the balls were set even in 2000OG, russia should have won; 2004, should have if artamonva is not injured


    now, russia have a better setter, 184 cm tall, 2 prospective middle blockers, hard to imagine what will happen if they go on improving at current rates