Men's World Championship 2018

  • I agree with this word by word. Current formula is garbage.

  • True, pool after pool after pool, OMG. FIVB should really reorganise or something cause basically if there is room to do anything stupid they always do. Bunch of stupid ideas as always.

  • The whole formula is just to be sure that hosts can reach to semis :aww: The possibility of getting surprise results is the part that makes WCh interesting, that's why they should have stick to Quarterfinals and even better, to final 16 :thumbdown:

  • The whole formula is just to be sure that hosts can reach to semis The possibility of getting surprise results is the part that makes WCh interesting, that's why they should have stick to Quarterfinals and even better, to final 16


    I would say 'to reach the 3rd phase', since in the 'final6' it's impossible to favor the host, but yes, I overall agree.

    I can even accept two pool phases, but three... :S

  • The whole formula is just to be sure that hosts can reach to semis :aww: The possibility of getting surprise results is the part that makes WCh interesting, that's why they should have stick to Quarterfinals and even better, to final 16 :thumbdown:

    Do I remember correctly that it was (again) a change made to help Japan go all the way to the semis? Not to say that other countries didn't benefit from it... but it changes the result of the competition, and not always the best team wins. Germany shouldn't have won the bronze medal in 2014 after beating Iran and France (and ignoring/losing on purpose half the matches in the tournament) and for sure USA women shouldn't have won the gold in 2014 after getting trashed 3-0 by Italy.

  • The whole formula is just to be sure that hosts can reach to semis :aww: The possibility of getting surprise results is the part that makes WCh interesting, that's why they should have stick to Quarterfinals and even better, to final 16 :thumbdown:

    The whole formula exists to ensure there are as many games as possible, unfortunately. If the hosts want to cheat, they will fix the draw, not the formula. Reference - Italy at the home men's WCH in 2010. This time Italy is hosting again but not alone, so I guess a relatively random draw might be expected.

  • Puerto Rico and Cuba qualified for the last two tickets of the World Championship.


    Final draw will be held on the 3oth of november. Whatever that means.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • So, the list of participants is complete. Slovenia is the only debutant. I found the qualifiers in North America kind of funny. The first round didn't feature all teams and wasn't postponed regardless of the tragedy, the second round got decided by a few points. A full pack of 3-0s in Cuba where Mexico missed their second opportunity to make it to the WCH. The hosts seemed on the verge of losing the ticket but a very "comfortable" 3-0 win on the last day against a probably not quite motivated Puerto Rican side did the job. Still, I will fancy watching both teams next year.


    The draw is said to take place in Florence on 30th November. I am quite sure the Italian and Bulgarian representatives will scheme their opportunities before the draw in a dark room somewhere in Italy. What I normally enjoy is at least a clear cut-out on eventual pots and seedings in those draws, so I hope the Italian side reveals something in the days before that.

  • NORCECA tournament was already scheduled with all of the teams. They could not change the dates to include Cuba and Puerto Rico because there was no timetable as to when they would be ready. Both teams were higher seeds due to NORCECA ranking system and therefore the Confederation wants to make sure that it's best teams were going to the World Championships.

  • The draw will take place tomorrow, 30th November, in Florence. We already know the seeded teams, thanks to a not very clearly defined serpentine system, in each of the 4 pools.


    Pool A (in Italy)


    Italy (Hosts)
    Argentina (7)


    Pool B (in Bulgaria)


    Brazil (1)
    Canada (6)


    Pool C (in italy)


    United States (2)
    Russia (5)


    Pool D (in Bulgaria)


    Bulgaria (Hosts)
    Poland (3)


    Pot 3: Iran (8 ), France (9), Serbia (11), Japan (12)
    Pot 4: Egypt (13), Belgium (15), Cuba (16), Australia (17)
    Pot 5: Finland (18 ), China (20), Slovenia (23), Tunisia (24)
    Pot 6: Netherlands (25), Puerto Rico (29), Cameroon (30), Dominican Republic (38 )


    There should be a draw for the rest of the pots. The distribution of France, Serbia, Iran, Belgium, Slovenia, and the Netherlands might form some very serious groups.Nothing has been said regarding a maximum number of teams from a confederation in a group. I hope this will be taken care of. A predominantly European or Asian group will do the idea of the tournament no good.


    <Joke mode on> Let me guess the Italian group - Argentina (already confirmed), Japan, Egypt, China, and the Dom. Rep. :) Let's see if I am right :) <Joke mode off>

  • But, I don't understand, are you really suggesting that they can willingly alterate the sorting?
    I'm not sarcastic, I'm really asking because it would be shameful. [I know you put the joke mode on, but still...]


    One thing (still shameful, but at least somehow 'legal') is to adjust the rules of the seeding/sorting or adjust the formula to have an easier path as host*, another thing is to deliberately fake the sorting...


    Anyway, why Bulgaria is seeded with the third of the ranking and not with the sixth?
    Like Pool A: Ita, Arg; Pool B: Bul, Canada; Pool C: Brazil-Russia, Pool D: USA, Poland
    Obviously things would have been way more unbalanced, but what I mean is I don't get why Italy was treated quite differently than Bulgaria – not that I underestimate Argentina, for the record, but the ranking says we are with the 7th while Bulgaria is with the 3rd.



    *ps: anyway I've always supported the idea that the host should have some support, for example like being considered the 'head' of the serpentine; still, this may get things messy when the host is a weak team (like Georgia in women ECh, first example that crosses my mind).
    But one thing is support, another thing is cheating.

  • There will be a real draw, at least I hope it will be fair, for the remaining 4 pots. They can't manipulate the sorting of the participating teams there anymore because the sorting itself was only needed to determine the pots. The draw is supposed to be random. What I was referring to was that the Italians may accidentally "draw" the weaker teams in those pots. So not the sorting itself, but rather the draw. Similar to the way UEFA (used to) do it for the Champions League.


    Regarding the serpentine. This is exactly why I wrote "not very clearly defined" serpentine system. Ignore Bulgaria, you would expect a different seeding when there are two hosts. But it doesn't matter, I still consider it fair. Bulgaria is not a top 4 team, so getting seed N3, albeit weird from a logical point of view, is acceptable and kind of balances the top teams distribution. What will make the draw and the groups interesting is the outcome of the remaining pots.

  • Things are looking good for Pool A. :rolll:

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Pool A


    Italy
    Argentina
    Japan
    Belgium
    Slovenia
    Dominican Republic

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Pool B


    Brazil
    Canada
    France
    Egypt
    China
    Netherlands

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Pool C


    USA
    Russia
    Serbia
    Australia
    Tunisia
    Cameroon

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Pool D


    Bulgaria
    Poland
    Iran
    Cuba
    Finland
    Puerto Rico

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney