Interview of rc cannes' coach Yan Fang.
Sorry of translation is not accourante, I just googletranslate the original text.
It sits comfortably on the sunny terrace of the 'Patata 55 "restaurant Victoria Ravva, Yan Fang received us.
Relaxed in this pre-season, he takes stock of the past season, reported on the movements of the offseason (departures, arrivals) and gives us the ambitions of the club for his new team.
Yan, with a few months back, what is your assessment of the 2013-2014 season of the Racing Club de Cannes?
Yan Fang: As in previous years, and this is still true for the coming season, our goals were to try to win two national titles (league and cup) and go as far as possible in the Champions League (LDC ). With the title of champions (undefeated in the league and only lost 5 sets throughout the season), and the Coupe de France quarter-final memorable Champions League (narrow defeat at the Golden Set against the Vakifbank Istanbul) We all, at the club, the feeling of having achieved a great season, very full, and that brought us many satisfactions. Despite the serious injuries Vica (Ravva) and Maret (Grothues), I think you have optimized the workforce available to me to have made the most, which is what we ask in the first place to coach.
How was the offseason and recruitment to replace the "outgoing"?
Y.F. The first priority was to keep the players. Almost all of them wanted to stay elsewhere, making necessarily please a coach, its leaders, and any club. But after our good run in the LDC and to solicitations from major European clubs, some of which were simply impossible to refuse, we quickly realized that we were going to lose many of our key players: well, we lost 4 of 6 major players: Ana (Antonijevic, partly Volero Zurich, Switzerland), Milena (Rasic, Vakifbank Istanbul, Turkey), Nadia (Centoni, Galatasaray Istanbul, Turkey) and Eva (Yaneva, Dinamo Kazan, Russia), and even 5 of 7, when including libero Chiara (Archiangeli, Modena, Italy), excluding Freya (Aelbrecht, Busto Arsizio, Italy), also very important in the team for the long absence of Vica.
These great clubs worldwide have offered their sporting and financial prospects as they had to leave, even though they would be much remained. Some, like Ana (arrival at age 20 and remained 5 years) and Milena (arriving at 21 and remained four years with us), we even have each sent a very warm letter at check out, which really warmed our heart, we, the leaders, especially President Anny Courtade and myself. It is not impossible at all that some are ending their careers at Cannes a few years, if not settled there at the end of their careers. Meanwhile, I sincerely wish them success in sport and professional success.
Faced with so many departures, how did you react?
Y.F. : With peace and quiet, despite the need to rebuild everything, because this has happened to me 4 or 5 times in 20 years of career. I'm not complaining, because it's part of being a coach. Although it is increasingly difficult to recruit because of foreign clubs that have much higher than those of RC Cannes financial means, we have an important advantage: Cannes has a very good image worldwide full, built over the years. This image of "good" club is certainly due to our sports results significant in light of our financial resources. During this offseason yet, we were approached by many many agents who actually offered us a lot of good players who were highly motivated to come and play with us. I also feel that we're well out for the coming season.
Tell us when the team for the next season ...
Y.F. : Obviously, Vica and Maret constitute the core of our six major for this new season, which should be added Deborah (Ortschitt) will assume much of the responsibility libero.
First, we recruited Mareen Apitz, from Dresden, the setter of the German national team for 8 years (70 selections). She is an experienced player, a very high level, which is also currently with the German team. His early signing was significant because its arrival sent a clear and strong message: a very high level player (Ana) part, replaced by another player of the highest level (Mareen).
Then we obtained the agreement of Yukiko Ebata, a receiver / attack that comes from Japan, which was also much in demand by multiple clubs abroad. It is indeed "small" but very technical, very dynamic and intelligent in the game. It also comes with a real international experience and continues the tradition of Japanese came to defend the colors of RC Cannes, after Yuko Sano and Akiko Ino.
Sanja Bursac, then joining from Le Cannet, another R / A, is a comprehensive, technical and versatile player, an important quality to play at home. She knows perfectly well the championship of France, which is a plus for a quick and successful integration.
Then comes our American trio, in chronological order of signature:
Carly Wopat. This is still a young player (21 years), after Stanford University, also known for the quality of its volleyball team for its excellent academic background. She still has no experience of Europe, but has a remarkable physical potential and a bright future.
Julianne Faucette should also be an important player for us in attack. Also has a very good physique and although still young, she will bring her experience of Chinese and Italian championships, where it has evolved over the past two years.
Logan Tom, finally, that no introduction, both his career and his record is rich. Literally approached by clubs around the world, by its very complete game, it will bring us experience and stability on the ground and also outside.
Add the three young Ilka (van de Vyver), Alex (Lazic) and Nneka (Onyejekwe) remaining from last year and you have the full complement of Racing Club de Cannes 2014 to 2015, which he seems is an interesting and balanced amalgam with players 'young' or early career, players mid-career and other highly experienced (be careful what they say in these cases! laughs ).
So, what are your ambitions with this new workforce?
Y.F. : They remain the same as last season and previous seasons, with the same mindset and applying substantially the same revenue, which, in my opinion, are the pillars of high performance sport: always do your best and stay focused on ourselves, without worrying about others or the "what people will say we."
Currently, our preparation is a little disturbed by the absence of some players as Mareen and Ilka our two setters, retained their national team at the World Championships, which could generate some spark retard. Indeed, when we know that it takes about three months to a full membership to achieve true automation and build a homogenous group (which is one of the "trademarks" of the club) and that our workforce will actually full 10 days before the start of the season and three weeks before the one in the Champions League, our fans will understand that the team did not immediately find the optimal carburetion.
However, I have every confidence in this team to achieve the goals we set for this season.
