Russia National Team for Olympics

    Quote from samba player


    Yeah, they declassed Russia and Poland. Because the win at WCH06 is nothing for Russia, just rubbish.


    In 2006 Caprara didn't change the Russian 'obsolete' style yet. It was still two years before Olympics. If they started to play like now at that time, he wouldn't stay in the team for so long. They played their usual game and Caprara just was in place and in time to get the success.
    What we have now with him, is a great shame, first time since 1996 left without Olympic medal.



    Quote from samba player

    Poland played for the first time at WGP Final, won against China for the first time, and after many years they qualifed for Olympics. But this is just rubbish for you. :down:


    Here is the same. 2 times european champion finished on the fourth place. Winning the whole one game on WGP, losing every single game at home in Wroclaw, and, finally, taking a honorable 10th place from 12 teams. Qualified to OG, thanks to... no not to Bonitta. Thanks to wild card.



    Quote from samba player

    My congratulations for your objectivity!!! :whistle: :whistle:


    Thanks! :D


    To make it clearer. I don't claim, that Caprara and Bonitta gave poor trainings to the teams. Moreover, I'm sure, that trainings were very hard :D


    I claim, that they both:
    1. Didn't give enough game practice to the main teams in Olympic year.
    2. Spoiled the psychological athmosphere in the teams in Olympic year.
    3. Left at home very important players. The soul and best MB of the Polish team Lena Dziękiewicz, and the best for now Russian setter Anna Matienko.


    That's it.

    Well spoken. Notice I don't think it's wrong to "modernize" Russian volleyball. Sooner or later, it will be done. The mistake of Caprara, was to think - and to try - he could do that with Sheshenina and Akulova. Honestly, he should had known better.

    Maybe the Grand Prix is not all that useless after all. :whistle: All the teams that skipped it, whether they failed to qualify (Serbia), tanked in the qualies dismissing its importance (Russia) or played with a B/C team (Poland) came looking out of sorts and unprepared, while those who did play are looking much more focused and match-tough. Perhaps it's something for the teams to think about in the future.

    Quote from samba player


    Russia was present at the 2004 WGP, so there is a huge difference!!


    Which surprise are you talking about, if you want that Russia plays just high balls??? Non-sense! :roll:

    Yeah right! They played with Korikovets and Safronova and Chukanova, Vdovina? That was certainly not the Russian team. Come on. Russia team is Gamova and Sokolova.


    And yes, there were surprises in the Athens. Sokolova and Gamova may receive almost all of the attacks but EFFECTIVE quick plays were made. Chinese coach even acknowledged that when they played in the finals, the reason Russia won the first two sets was because China was left unprepared with the quick plays of Plotnikova and Tebenekhina. Compare that to their game in the preliminaries where Russia lost in 3 sets.


    My point is, Caprara should just stop bringing up that the reason they lost was because they failed to participate in the WGP08. That was pointless. He already knew that they did not qualify and should have settled with that fact and stop bringing it up to the media. I just could not understand how Sheshenina, Akulova and Alimova played in the Olympics. Caprara should have done something in the middle positions and the setter. Russia seems to have the worst middle players in this Olympics. Not effective in blocks and not effective in attacks.


    I am not totally blaming Caprara. I just hate him for blaming the team players for lack of mentality and bringing up again and again the WGP08 non-participation. Why can't he acknowledge that he has fault also? Got it?!!!

    Quote from LightMaster

    In 2006 Caprara didn't change the Russian 'obsolete' style yet. It was still two years before Olympics. If they started to play like now at that time, he wouldn't stay in the team for so long. They played their usual game and Caprara just was in place and in time to get the success.


    Yes, he was just there sitting on the bench from 2005 to 2007. Then in 2007 he put his hand on the team and all changed in worse. :roll:


    He has no merit when Russia won, but he is to blame when Russia lost.


    Easy, very very easy!

    In 2005, he tried for the first time to change Russian style and failed miserably. Ok, it was the least important year in the Olympic period.


    In 2006, he seemed to have understood how Russia needs to play. High balls for Gamova and Godina, Gamova playing as OH and not as OPP, Sokolova playing as versatile OPP. Back then, Akulova was the right setter for that style. I remember Caprara said that they won WCH because they had a setter who could run for hours and still play high balls well.


    In 2007, they mainly continued to play like in the previous year but he brought in some new players. The main players were tired and not in their top shape in that year.


    Now, 2008....all of a sudden he introduced a completely new line-up system (new for Russia), and also a change in the play. Quicker sets to the outsides, more sets to the middle (which worked really "great" with Alimova), and where have the backrow sets gone??? Gamova can attack very well from there but not if she has to play quick backrow sets.


    I don't think the setters are to blame so much...because both have demonstrated that they can play much better, although I agree that neither of them is really great. But they do what the coach tells...


    Of course I don't blame ONLY Caprara for the failure, but as coach he is responsible for the organisation of the game, and in my opinion this was the bigger factor for the failure than individual weak performances!

    Quote from samba player


    Yes, he was just there sitting on the bench from 2005 to 2007. Then in 2007 he put his hand on the team and all changed in worse. :roll:


    He has no merit when Russia won, but he is to blame when Russia lost.


    Easy, very very easy!


    I don't see any Caprara's contribution into that victory in 2006. Russia played it's usual style and won. All that Caprara did - didn't resist to that. When he started to resist, we began to lose everything. Can't wait for the new coach to be introduced!

    I agree with what you said. The changes from the way the team played last year and now was so apparent and clear. The lows-middle sets were on good intentions but they just did not work. I think that such change in the way the sets are made was a factor. I noticed that there are so many mistakes in the attacks. A lot of time the attackers would make drop balls.

    I get your points and i totally understand them but there is one thing in my mind still.
    these players are professionals and they cant realize the things the coach expects from them? poor performance....


    Caprara wanted to change the style and unfortunatly failed, because the players couldnt adjust. Im sure he didnt try it from one day to another.

    Quote from Nastja

    I get your points and i totally understand them but there is one thing in my mind still.
    these players are professionals and they cant realize the things the coach expects from them? poor performance....


    Caprara wanted to change the style and unfortunatly failed, because the players couldnt adjust. Im sure he didnt try it from one day to another.

    But that's the point. Akulova and Sheshenina have some SERIOUS technical limitations. Caprara should had known better.