France LNV 2016/2017

  • Weird quarterfinals! Which only proves the point I made last year - the French league has become increasingly balanced both for local and for European standards. Paris Volley, Tours, and now even Montpellier got knocked out :!: One among Chaumont, my personal favourite, Ajaccio, Nice, and Toulouse will win the title.

  • One of the most underrated coaches in the volleyball world, Silvano Prandi, won the French league with Chaumont! A total sensation but a well-deserved success both for him and the club, which has shown serious progress in the past 2-3 years. His story (and age) kind of reminds of his countryman Claudio Ranieri's football fairy tale.

  • One of the most underrated coaches in the volleyball world, Silvano Prandi, won the French league with Chaumont! A total sensation but a well-deserved success both for him and the club, which has shown serious progress in the past 2-3 years. His story (and age) kind of reminds of his countryman Claudio Ranieri's football fairy tale.


    Well I wouldn't call it sensation, in fact I forseen them as title contenders :) Prandi was building this team for 2 years, gathered players by his "taste" and had "deep" bench, probably the deepest in France. Even Pascal Foussard, Tours CEO, admitted Chaumont had more depth than they. Not to mention other teams like Paris (starting 7 + big nothing), Toulouse, Nice...France suits well for Prandi as he reached semifinals with Lyon (2-3 years ago) and after moving to Chaumont he had a vision. In 1st year Chaumont played great (3rd in regular part), Boyer was revelation but they lacked something, IMO better setter. In 2nd year Prandi signed Gonzalez (with whom he worked in Cuneo and Lyon), wanted to have profi staff so for the first time Chaumont had full time physio and fitness coach... Just for the record Lyon relegated after Prandi left with the same team which played in semifinals year earlier :teach:


    I'm sure Prandi will stay (he had 2 year contract) but Wounembaina already left (Tours), there are rumors some other players will also change club because Chaumont's budget isn't big (around 1,3-1,4 mil. €). They've signed Yacine Louati from Toulouse so far.

  • Regarding other clubs :whistle:


    Toulouse was true sensation :obey: no one expected them to reach finals due enormous number of injuries, mostly OH's, and in one moment coach Enard didn't have healthy OH :white: Van den Dries and Brizard were key players, young Chinenyeze total revelation (destoryed Tours with 9 kill blocks in one match) but this team come to an end. Enard, Brizard, Van den Dries, Louati and Rossard left Toulouse and IMO the next season will be really tough for them.


    Nice and Montpellier were also surprised in a positive way. Nice returned in Ligue A after several years so there were some question marks around them. Egleskalns was dominating force, just like Van den Dries, and I expected he is going to leave (signed 1-year deal with Tours). Montpellier came as 2nd in regular part and reached playoffs for the first time since 2011! Even though they won 17 out of 22 matches Chaumont wont 1 point more and took the 1st place. Nice stopped them in QF's after 3 matches so we can say it was surprise...


    Ajaccio had a good season after winning Supercup and retaining Cup. 3rd or 4th time in a row they were stopped in SF's (Chaumont) but in general - great season.


    Tours was the biggest disappointment. In short tragic season for them within France but winning CEV Cup saved the day. Paris story is similar, crucial thing was really short bench without any player who can turn the match. Vice champion from 2015/2016, Sete, barely avoid playout but one of the biggest French clubs, AS Cannes, relegated after losing Ligue B finals to Rennes (1:3).


    As expected Narbonne directly left Ligue A after winning only 1 match while new teams are Tourcoing LM and Rennes


    Eurocups for 2017/2018


    Champions league - Chaumont, Toulouse
    CEV Cup - Ajaccio, Montpellier
    Challenge Cup - Tours

  • Well I wouldn't call it sensation, in fact I forseen them as title contenders :)

    Check out my earlier post here, I also considered Chaumont a title favourite from the semifinals on. Besides, Tours and Paris used to compensate in the play-offs in previous seasons. Well, OK, maybe it wasn't a total sensation but a relatively surprising achievement for the new champions anyway. Not because they didn't have a strategy or had appeared from nowhere, but because the French league used to be mostly dominated by the big two. But true, I have to admit, the fact that we have had different Cup holders, European Cup participants and overall one of the continent's most balanced league doesn't really make Chaumont's achievement super sensational.