Brazil NT 2012

    Quote from TheUSAFAN

    I think it's a safe bet that Natalia will be cut. She hasn't played a single match all professional season and there is just too little time for her to get back into playing shape to really be ready for the Olympics.


    you can say that again, FE vs TANDARA, very interesting battle now...
    and apart from injury, the rest 11 roster should be like this, dont forget ze is always keeping old friendship in his mind.


    S - dani, fabiola
    OP - sheilla, mari
    OH - jaque, paula, sassa
    MB - fabiana, thaisa, ade
    L - fabi

    i may not be the tallest,
    the fastest, or the strongest,
    but at least i can do one thing better than anyone else,
    to be me...

    I think that Ze will take Sheilla and Tandara as OPP and for the OH spots there will be Jaque, Paula, Garay and Mari or Sassa since both Garay and Jaque are good receivers there is no need for Sassa.

    Quote from DarkoMacedonia

    I think that Ze will take Sheilla and Tandara as OPP and for the OH spots there will be Jaque, Paula, Garay and Mari or Sassa since both Garay and Jaque are good receivers there is no need for Sassa.

    But they just said Mari will be back as OPP;

    For me, Fe will win this battle.
    Tandara is more a post-London bet.

    I don't think Mari automatically gets the spot at the OPP spot. It's been a long while since she's played the position full-time and I think Tandara can do just as good of a job and would go further for the Brazilian team to develop her talent. I'm a huge Mari fan but with the shoulder issue and the current availability of quality players for Brazil it really doesn't make sense to take anyone injured and/or not in top form. Fernanda Garay and Tandara have both proven that they are able to compete and deliver at this level.

    Quote from joanamss

    Mari might come back playing as opposite!


    Zé said in interview, he thinks she carried a big reponsability having to pass and attack, and that she fells more confortable playing as opposite. He talked to her, and she will probably play Grand Prix as Opp again.


    Honestly I never understand why she was passed to OH. She is incredible player as opp. She is talented, but with Sheilla arrival, didnt have room for her. Though I do believe she can play better than Sheilla as opp. We will see what happen. I think is a wise decision for Zé.


    I remember asking people this very question when Ze moved her to OH. And more or less the reason that I got was that Ze thought his team's left-side blocking was one of the weaker parts of their game and he thought Mari could help out in that area.


    I think Sheilla's emergence at the opposite position let Ze move Mari to Opp. And it's funny because I remember that Sheilla used to play Outside Hitter earlier in her career but became an opposite ^^

    I think Mari's move to the left turned out to be a huge benefit for the Brazilian team. Prior to her move, struggled in 2000 and 2004 with Coimbra and Sassa on the outside. They are both great all-around volleyball players but they didn't provide the offensive power to push past the top teams. Now that Brazil has multiple VERY good outside hitters who have the offense and better reception it may make sense for Mari to move back to the OPP. Ze seems to have a very strong relationship with Mari though and he is known for his conservative roster selections so it may be probable that a younger player will be left off even if Mari is not in top form.


    Overall, I hope to see the Brazilians play well this year. They had a disastrous year (by their expectations :)) and I am anxious to see how they perform in the GP. The core of their team had very successful professional seasons and probably the most important one, Fabiola, looks to be much more secure in her position and playing well.

    Yeah, but It was always a sacrifice for Mari to play as an OH, cause she has big troubles to recieve, and she was really bad judge cause of that here in Brasil, she had to handle with a lot of preassure already to play in a position she dont fell confortable in playing, she just did for the best of NT. So I think now she is having a hard time It is wise to make her play in a position she feels confortable, so she can gain the trust in her game again.

    I don't understand why you don't give Fernanda Garay bigger chances. She has improved a lot lately. For me except Jaqueline she should be even starter due to weaker Paula's shape and turning Mari to OPP. In this case Natalia certainly will be out because she didn't play at all and it would be risky taking her to London. Tandara also probably will be out, Sassa is more experienced as OH for many years. Tandara as OH also isn't really safe option. The only chance for Tandara can be OPP position, if Mari doesn't accomplish Ze's expectations as OPP. OG roster should be this:
    S: Fabiola, Dani Lins
    MB: Adenizia, Thaisa, Fabiana
    OH: Jaqueline, F. Garay, Paula, Sassa
    OPP: Sheilla, Mari
    L: Fabi

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    Quote from kondzio

    I don't understand why you don't give Fernanda Garay bigger chances. She has improved a lot lately. For me except Jaqueline she should be even starter due to weaker Paula's shape and turning Mari to OPP. In this case Natalia certainly will be out because she didn't play at all and it would be risky taking her to London. Tandara also probably will be out, Sassa is more experienced as OH for many years. Tandara as OH also isn't really safe option. The only chance for Tandara can be OPP position, if Mari doesn't accomplish Ze's expectations as OPP. OG roster should be this:
    S: Fabiola, Dani Lins
    MB: Adenizia, Thaisa, Fabiana
    OH: Jaqueline, F. Garay, Paula, Sassa
    OPP: Sheilla, Mari
    L: Fabi

    Yes, I think this will be the final roster for the OG.
    Zé Roberto said Camila Brait has a 50% chance of being there replacing Fabi. I wish this would happen, but I don´t trust him, he is too conservative.
    Tandara is post-London, along with Priscila Daroit. I wish that after London the OHs would be: Fernanda Garay, Jaqueline, Priscila and Tandara. Paula wants to go to Rio 2016, but it´s going to be really hard for her. Natália is young too but I wish she is the OPP after Sheilla retires from the NT.

    What happened to Fernanda Venturini? I thought she's going to London. I'm not following Mari closely but I thought she was fantastic in reception. For someone who was originally playing as OPP, she's good in receiving. I remember in Beijing, she was Brazil's best receiver according to statistics.

    Quote from bibetron

    What happened to Fernanda Venturini? I thought she's going to London.

    She wasn't even in wide roster. Another setter who had chances to play in London was Fernanda Ferreira. Venturini has a lot of experience, but Brazil now don't need her. After Beijing Ze Roberto counted on Fabiola and Dani Lins. Both of them seem to be good enough for this team. Return of Fofao or Venturini isn't necessary. :)

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    Quote from bibetron

    What happened to Fernanda Venturini? I thought she's going to London. I'm not following Mari closely but I thought she was fantastic in reception. For someone who was originally playing as OPP, she's good in receiving. I remember in Beijing, she was Brazil's best receiver according to statistics.


    Fernanda retired, was about time, though is impossible not to admit that she still got the hand, definetly so talented, but her body cant take it anymore. She just came back this season cause Unilever was without main setter. At the end of season she was having a lot of troubles due herniatic disk, and also she has problems in her knee.


    Well, about Mari during the season, she didnt recieve much, Bernardinho used to replace her by fabi in reception when she was in the back line, and let the MB passing.

    I see. Thanks for the answers, Kondzio and Joanamss :)

    Brazil will travel to Poland for first WGP leg with these players:


    S:: Fernandinha, Dani Lins.
    Opp: Tandara, Joycinha, Juliana Nogueira.
    OH: Fernanda Garay, Paula Pequeno, Mari, Gabi.
    MB: Adenízia, Juciely, Andressa, Natasha.
    L: Camila Brait.

    Quote from joanamss

    Brazil will travel to Poland for first WGP leg with these players:


    S:: Fernandinha, Dani Lins.
    Opp: Tandara, Joycinha, Juliana Nogueira.
    OH: Fernanda Garay, Paula Pequeno, Mari, Gabi.
    MB: Adenízia, Juciely, Andressa, Natasha.
    L: Camila Brait.


    In the end, Mari still plays as OH instead of OPP that Zé Roberto mentioned earlier.

    I want to see how Gabi will behave in this WGP... It's gonna be kind of interesting to see a 17 yr old girl playing for a national team full of well experienced players... I like her!

    Quote from Miguel

    I want to see how Gabi will behave in this WGP... It's gonna be kind of interesting to see a 17 yr old girl playing for a national team full of well experienced players... I like her!


    I hope she recieves chances to play, but I think she will only be in the rost of this leg. Cause later she will go to play tournament in Russia with Brazil B team.

    Quote from joanamss

    Zé said he will try her as opp in Poland. It will be just the first experiences. Paula and Garay will probably play in starting team as OH


    I see, thank you.
    Expecting good results from this new team. Wondering who will be in the starting lineup?
    I guess it will be Dani(S), Fe Garay(OH), Paula(OH), Mari(OPP), Aden(MB), Natasha(MB), and of course Brait(L).