Bulgarian Superliga 2012/2013

  • I wanted to make this thread long time ago, now finally I find some time to do it.


    Our volleyball championship has started and 2 rounds are already in history. My opinion is that the trend is continuing and our league is getting weaker and weaker after every year. The main favourites are Marek and Levski as they are the only teams with some ambitions different from developing it's young players(probably Pirin are closest to them, but their team is weaker than last year). I don't know what to say about CSKA - that they are trying to build a completely new team with young players or that they are just trying to "remain" a team(to save themselves from bankrupt). The only interesting result from the 2 rounds for me is Levski's loss from Gabrovo(they were without Bratoev brothers but still had a lot of class and experience in the squad.)


    1st round:


    Marek Union Ivkoni - Neftohimik 2010 3:0 (25:18 25:19 27:25) stats
    Slavia - CVC Gabrovo 1:3 (24:26 25:20 20:25 16:25) stats
    Montana - CSKA 3:2 (25:23 20:25 19:25 25:23 20:18 ) stats
    Victoria Volley - Pirin Balkanstroy 0:3 (19:25 16:25 22:25) stats
    Levski Volley - Arda Kurdzhali 3:1 (25:15 25:21 22:25 25:20) stats

    2nd round:


    Victoria Volley - Marek Union Ivkoni 1:3 (13:25 25:20 20:25 20:25) stats
    Neftohimik 2010 - Slavia 3:0 (25:20 25:17 25:17) stats
    CVC Gabrovo - Levski Volley 3:2 (25:19 18:25 22:25 25:20 15:7) stats
    Arda Kurdzhali - Montana 0:3 (25:27 18:25 12:25) stats
    Pirin Balkanstroy - CSKA 3:2 (20:25 21:25 25:21 25:21 15:13) stats


    Standings:


    1. Marek Union Ivkoni 6pts
    2. Pirin Balkanstroy 5
    3. Montana 5
    4. CVC Gabrovo 5
    5. Levski Volley 4
    6. Neftohimik 2010 3
    7. CSKA Sofia 2
    8. Slavia 0
    9. Victoria Volley 0
    10. Arda Kurdzhali 0

  • 3rd round:


    26-October


    Montana - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 26-24) stats
    Slavia - Victoria Volley 1-3 (15-25, 25-21, 20-25, 23-25) stats


    27-October


    Levski Volley - Neftochimik 2010 1-3 (25-27, 25-19, 24-26, 20-25) stats
    Marek Union-Ivkoni - Pirin Balkanstroy 3-1 (25-16, 19-25, 25-21, 25-10) stats
    CSKA - Arda 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-12) stats


    4th round:


    02-November


    Neftochimik 2010 - Montana 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-16) stats
    Pirin Balkanstroy - Arda 3-1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-20) stats


    03-November


    Victoria Volley - Levski Volley 0-3 (24-26, 16-25, 14-25) stats
    Marek Union-Ivkoni - Slavia 3-0 (25-13, 25-14, 25-18 ) stats


    04-November


    Coco Volley Club Gabrovo - CSKA 3-1 (25-20, 25-21, 22-25, 27-25) stats

  • 5th round:


    9-November


    Arda - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo 1-3 (25-23, 15-25, 19-25, 19-25) stats
    Montana - Victoria Volley 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-22) stats
    Levski Volley - Marek Union-Ivkoni 3-2 (25-14, 26-24, 16-25, 29-31, 15-7) stats
    Slavia - Pirin Balkanstroy 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-22) stats


    10-November


    CSKA - Neftochimik 2010 3-2 (24-26, 25-14, 22-25, 25-19, 15-8 ) stats


    Standings:


    1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni 13
    2 - Montana 11
    3 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo 11
    4 - Neftochimik 2010 10
    5 - Levski Volley 9
    6 - Pirin Balkanstroy 8
    7 - CSKA 7
    8 - Slavia 3
    9 - Victoria Volley 3
    10- Arda 0

  • As promised, the Bulgarian league update has been done :) Soon I will post the team rosters as well.


    About the league itself, I don't agree that it is weaker compared to last year's edition. A lot of players have returned in Bulgaria after several years abroad (Ivan Stanev, Martin Penev, Georgi and Valentin Bratoev, Krasimir Gaydarski, Hristo Tsvetanov, Ivaylo Barutov, Stanislav Petkov, Krasimir Stefanov, Todor Valchev to name a few), so as far as competition is concerned, the teams are more balanced than last year (with a few exceptions, of course). The league is surely not amid the best in Europe, but I think the level is slightly better this time. The huge problem is finding money for most of the clubs, CSKA had to sell players to allow the trip to Latina for the CEV Cup rematch, for example.

  • Levski Volley. He is the owner, not the manager. This doesn't mean that he's not making all the decisions.


    As for better/worse than last year - yeah, maybe you're right, but... The new good players are only rusty guns + Bratoev. But also Gotsev is out, Niki and Evgeni Ivanov, Ivaylo Stefanov(also very old, but...). But competition-wise, only Levski and Marek are stronger, the others are weaker than last year. All the new good players filled 2 clubs, the others got weaker, so I don't know if this means that the championship has become stronger. I think it's quite the opposite.

  • Levski Volley. He is the owner, not the manager. This doesn't mean that he's not making all the decisions.


    As for better/worse than last year - yeah, maybe you're right, but... The new good players are only rusty guns + Bratoev. But also Gotsev is out, Niki and Evgeni Ivanov, Ivaylo Stefanov(also very old, but...). But competition-wise, only Levski and Marek are stronger, the others are weaker than last year. All the new good players filled 2 clubs, the others got weaker, so I don't know if this means that the championship has become stronger. I think it's quite the opposite.

    Good point, but I still disagree. Neftochimik is much stronger than last year. Gabrovo, Montana, Marek and Levski as well. CSKA is maybe weaker, Niki Ivanov is a great setter, but it was time this happened, at least they got now a relatively decent opposite (Barutov) even if he is not that young. Only Pirin and Arda are actually weaker compared to the teams last year ;) Last year CSKA and Pirin were leading all the way through the regular season, as you see now - there is no clear favourite, a very close margin at the beginning of the season. Last, there are 10 teams, not 12, it raises the quality a bit as well ;)

  • 6th round:


    16-November


    Neftochimik 2010 - Arda 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-21) stats


    17-November


    Victoria Volley - CSKA 2-3 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 23-25, 7-15) stats
    Slavia - Levski Volley 0-3 (21-25, 21-25, 14-25) stats


    The games of Marek Union-Ivkoni and Coco Volley Club Gabrovo against Montana and Pirin Balkanstroy respectively have been postponed for the middle of December due to the European Club Competitions participation of both teams.


    Standings:


    1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 13
    2 - Neftochimik 2010 13
    3 - Levski Volley 12
    4 - Montana (-1) 11
    5 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 11
    6 - CSKA 9
    7 - Pirin Balkanstroy (-1) 8
    8 - Victoria Volley 4
    9 - Slavia 3
    10- Arda 0

  • 7th round:


    23-November


    Arda - Victoria Volley 3-0 (25-18, 25-10, 25-20) stats
    Montana - Slavia 3-1 (25-15, 26-28, 25-22, 25-14) stats


    24-November


    Coco Volley Club Gabrovo - Neftochimik 2010 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-19) stats


    25-November


    Levski Volley - Pirin Balkanstroy 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-20) stats


    26-November


    CSKA - Marek Union-Ivkoni 1-3 (20-25, 17-25, 25-21, 18-25) stats


    Standings:


    1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 16
    2 - Levski Volley 15
    3 - Montana (-1) 14
    4 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 14
    5 - Neftochimik 2010 13
    6 - CSKA 9
    7 - Pirin Balkanstroy (-1) 8
    8 - Victoria Volley 4
    9 - Arda 3
    10-Slavia 3

  • BULGARIAN SUPERLEAGUE
    2012-2013
    TEAM ROSTERS


    ------------
    CSKA Sofia


    Head coach: Alexander Popov
    ------------
    Setters: Georgi Manchev, Georgi Seganov
    Opposites: Ivaylo Barutov, Ivan Krachev
    Attackers: Boyko Bonev, Ivaylo Stefanov, Velizar Kiossev, Veselin Iliev
    Middle-blockers: Petar Kirchev, Krasimir Georgiev, Andrey Nikolov
    Liberos: Anton Vasiliev


    ------------
    Pirin Balkanstroy Razlog


    Head coach: Miroslav Zhivkov
    ------------
    Setters: Dobromir Dimitrov, Chono Penchev
    Opposites: Yordan Zhelyazkov, Marian Urdov
    Attackers: Blagovest Katrandzhiev, Valentin Dimov, Iliyan Bozhkov, Rozalin Penchev
    Middle-blockers: Ivaylo Filipov, Petar Nenkov, Georgi Chalakov, Martin Krastev
    Liberos: Petar Karakashev


    ------------
    Neftochimik 2010 Bourgas


    Head coach: Daniel Peev
    ------------
    Setters: Ivan Stanev, Tedy Dremsizov, Neno Toskov
    Opposites: Georgi Petrov, Petar Hristov, Venelin Kadunkov (often converted for the needs of the team to a middle-blocker)
    Attackers: Andrey Nikolov, Martin Penev, Stoyan Zlatev, Kostadin Nikolov
    Middle-blockers: Georgi Dimitrov, Stoyan Samunev, Krasen Nikolov
    Liberos: Dobromir Ivanov, Hristo Velkov


    ------------
    Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa


    Head coach: Nayden Naydenov
    ------------
    Setters: Gjorgi Gjorgiev (F.Y.R. Of Macedonia), Yordan Peev, Stefan Stoyanov
    Opposites: Mihail Mandjukov, Todor Valchev
    Attackers: Georgi Elchinov, Zlatan Yordanov, Angel Velkov, Dmitriy Bahov (Moldova), Stanislav Velichkov
    Middle-blockers: Kostadin Gadzhanov, Martin Ivanov, Borislav Apostolov
    Libero: Martin Bozhilov


    ------------
    Levski Volley Sofia


    Head coach: Martin Stoev
    ------------
    Setters: Georgi Bratoev, Georgi Topalov
    Opposites: Kostadin Stoykov, Zhani Zhelyazkov
    Attackers: Valentin Bratoev, Dimitar Marinkov, Simeon Aleksandrov, Tsvetan Petrov
    Middle-blockers: Vasiliy Petrov, Hristo Tsvetanov, Krasimir Gaydarski
    Liberos: Ivaylo Lalov, Zlatko Kiossev


    ------------
    Montana


    Head coach: Severin Dimitrov
    ------------
    Setters: Borislav Georgiev, Lyubomir Agontsev
    Opposites: Tsanko Tsankov, Alexander Gorbatkov
    Attackers: Branimir Baev, Kamen Kamenov, Yavor Genov, Nikolay Kostadinov
    Middle-blockers: Denis Chavdarov, Georgi Mihov, Ivaylo Velikov
    Liberos: Georgi Georgiev


    ------------
    Coco Volley Club Gabrovo


    Head coach: Lyubomir Gerassimov
    ------------
    Setters: Nikolay Naydenov, Nikolay Kichukov
    Opposites: Krasimir Stefanov, Mincho Minchev
    Attackers: Stanislav Petkov, Stoyan Vuldzhev, Teodor Bodurov, Marian Danovski, Stiliyan Yordanov
    Middle-blockers: Martin Paliyski, Ivan Vlasev, Nikolay Lekov
    Libero: Atanas Mitev


    ------------
    Slavia Sofia


    Head coach: Ivan Dimitrov
    ------------
    Setters: Nikolay Nedelchev, Stiliyan Asenov
    Opposites: Dimitar Ivanov (used in a rotation formation, not a real opposite, Slavia play without an opposite but with three receivers)
    Attackers: Ivan Dimitrov, Galin Nikolov, Milan Milanov, Iliyan Peychinov, Ivan Simeonov
    Middle-blockers: Alexander Kordev, Ivaylo Enev, Martin Danev
    Libero: Toma Stankov, Hristo Kolev


    ------------
    Arda Kardzhali


    Head coach: Ivan Halachev
    ------------
    Setters: Raycho Raev, Vladimir Lobutov
    Opposites: Neven Neshev, Petar Karagyaurov,
    Attackers: Zapryan Donikyan, Kiril Hadzhiev, Nikolay Kolev, Kristiyan Penchev
    Middle-blockers: Mladen Kavaldzhiev, Pavel Dushkov, Dimo Todorov, Ivan Latunov
    Libero: Teodor Marinov, Hristo Ginev


    ------------
    Victoria Volley Plovdiv


    Head coach: Petar Kostadinov
    ------------
    Setters: Evgeni Grigorov, Vasil Atanasov
    Opposites: Ivan Ivanov, Todor Petrov, Stoyan Bozhilov
    Attackers: Spas Bayrev, Plamen Dragiev, Kiril Meretev, Petar Bachvarov, Petar Bachvarov, Trifon Lapkov, Kostadin Bishurov
    Middle-blockers: Anton Kostadinov, Georgi Stoykov, Yordan Atanasov, Nikolay Georgiev, Nikolay Kartev
    Liberos: Stanislav Dramov, Asen Dapev

  • 8th round:


    30-November


    Slavia - CSKA 1-3 (25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 22-25) stats
    Marek Union-Ivkoni - Arda 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-21) stats
    Pirin Balkanstroy - Neftochimik 2010 3-1 (25-23, 25-20, 25-27, 37-35) stats


    01-December


    Victoria Volley - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo 0-3 (19-25, 19-25, 16-25) stats
    Levski Volley - Montana 3-0 (25-23, 30-28, 28-26) stats


    Standings:


    1 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (-1) 19
    2 - Levski Volley 18
    3 - Coco Volley Club Gabrovo (-1) 17
    4 - Montana (-1) 14
    5 - Neftochimik 2010 13
    6 - CSKA 12
    7 - Pirin Balkanstroy (-1) 11
    8 - Victoria Volley 4
    9 - Slavia 3
    10-Arda 3

  • The game demonstrated by Levski today in the Sofia derby completely summarizes Martin Stoev's abilities as a head coach - mediocre if not worse. I have said good words about Georgi Seganov before, I still think he has chances in the future, but I hoped that until now he would have learnt not to set these balloons around the court. This kind of volleyball is not played anymore, he needs to adapt as soon as possible to faster sets, otherwise he risks any NT call-ups. He sends the ball way too high for the opposites and the OHs which might be OK for youth and junior level, but he is with the senior team already.

  • I don't know if it was the coach or the players, but Levski looked horrible. Not that CSKA showed awesome volleyball, but they at least had some reasons to be this way - most of the players in their team are young and they have a lot to learn. And still they won.


    Levski played with the Bratoev twins, Tsvetanov, Gaydarski and other experienced players and they still couldn't do anything right. They had like more than 20 serving errors. It was just sad to watch the quality of our league.


    I agree about Seganov.

  • Martin Stoev :obey: :obey: :obey:


    He should sue all his opponents, cause they always beat him and make it look like he is a bad coach :rolll: :rolll: :rolll:

  • Incompetence is forgivable. Sending you team to lose in Tampere is not. Stoev disgraced Levski