Italy NT 2015

I also don't think he meant Travica. Juantorena probably doesn't want to be associated with Travica in any way. But I were Osmany, I wouldn't miss this golden opportunity

Quote from ravens#7

Juantorena joking Travica on Instagram: "Rio, we are coming; for sure we won't be late".

source

I'm disgusted.

He actually trolled Berruto, the one who didn't want him in the NT

Berruto also posted one of this pathetic "poetry" in his own blog after Italy grabbed its ticket, basically trying to jump on the bandwagon and claim merits on this victory. Zaytsev's answer was even less diplomatic that Juantorena's

I'm impressed: Juantorena is learning how to write in Italian

It is the obvious attempt to restore an athmosphere of chaos and drama under which the italian NT obviously works best. Just too much harmony around lately....

We have qualified for Rio and gotten rid of Travica forever. Now if only we could win the single thing still missing...

Quote from Mamdani

Last victory was in 2005 if I rememeber well, anyway I think it's almost impossible. We are a good team, but I consider Poland, Serbia and France still above us, on the bench in particular. We are tired due to the World Cup and without our best back-ups about OHs (Kovar and Parodi) and our best MB (Birarelli). I hope to reach semifinal and honorably fight on equal terms with the others

This is true, however reaching the second place in such a tournament without a decent MB and almost no block was remarkable. Who knows what will happen in Rio if we get another of our ridiculously lucky draws.

Anyway I am sure one between Poland, Serbia and France will not qualify to the games.

There is any chance for Falaschi or Baranowicz in NT? I know Giannelli has been perfoming really well and exceeded the expecations. However, I think it is necessary to have another kind of setter on the bench in case Giannelli couldnt handle the pressure (so far he did it fine, except against USA).

What aboust Cester as MB? I agree Italy biggest problem is the middle and OHs back up. Massari and Oleg arent enough in such a high level. But i´m confident Stoychev could help Oleg a lot in this season.

Of course, the Ech will be a lottery.
Alekno will take this team to the Olympics whatever it takes. If there's someone who should be worried about not qualifying, that's France.

Baranowicz specifically said that he doesn't want to be sitting on the bench, so as long as Giannelli exists he simply has no place in this team anymore.

Quote from Mamdani

My concern is from "generazione di fenomeni" to Massari, not to Juantorena. I don't give a damn about his provenance, as well as I did not give a damn about Aguero some years ago

Agree!! Massari won the jackpot being in the NT out of nowhere (with no offense).

Quote from ravens#7

Juantorena joking Travica on Instagram: "Rio, we are coming; for sure we won't be late".

source

I'm disgusted.

It's the first time it cross my mind it's referred to Travica. I think it was referred both to the 'WL-incident' in general (and in case mostly vs Berruto than Travica) and to the fact that we won't be late in Rio because we are the first vb team to qualificate

Quote from Mamdani

ECH 2015, same roster of the WC

Setters: Giannelli, Sottile
MBs: Buti, Piano, Anzani
OH: Juantorena, Lanza, Antonov, Massari
Opp: Zaystev, Vettori, Sabbi
Libero: Colaci, Rossini

No Birarelli, no Parodi. I hoped they would have recovered

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Oh God, I missed that, I was still waiting for the roster!
I'm so sorry Bira and Simo won't be there. Especially Parodi, not because he is more useful than Bira itself, but because another competition without a decent OH on the bench it's going to be tough (= there is more difference between Massari and Parodi than between Anzani and Bira, imho, even if probably Bira right now is more important for the A team).

Quote from vabo

Baranowicz specifically said that he doesn't want to be sitting on the bench, so as long as Giannelli exists he simply has no place in this team anymore.

I can understand that he had is trouble with the NT, but imho this is absolutely the wrong way to approach the NT. It should be a huge honor even only being there, and every one should be ready to do whatever the team needs and the coach asks.
And that's a thing I didn't like form Zaytsev either, even if I esteem him a lot since he played with MRoma.

To be fair he said this after being thrown out of the NT twice a few months before the Olympics (2012 and 2016), to Travica of all people in the world. Baranowicz was by far the best Italian setter that Italy had until last year.

However Blegnini needs to get rid of all players perceived as troublemakers, so, even if wrong, I understand why Italy NT at the moment cannot have Baranowicz in the team. Hopefully it will change in the future, but this was the perfect situation of a legitimate complaint going wrong.

I agree on Falaschi!

Here is Falaschi's recent interview during World Cup;

Quote

I keep my fingers crossed for my teammates .I hope Poles and Americans will directly qualify to Olympics.

http://sportowefakty.wp.pl/sia…m-meczem-kibicuja-polakom
I don't think he has a place in national team after such interviews.

Quote from scarpetta

Here is Falaschi's recent interview during World Cup;

http://sportowefakty.wp.pl/sia…m-meczem-kibicuja-polakom
I don't think he has a place in national team after such interviews.

This is just surreal I doubt Blengini reads Polish, but I guess there must be a reason why he was never called in the NT, but we saw people like Beretta, Botto, Nelli and Mengozzi.