European Championships 2011

I know that....but they can afford to be better.
it was rhetorical question

Quote from Nati

Quote

Oh, you want 'luck' for men team also ?

Yeah, we want "luck" also for our male team. We are full of greed
Have you seen a "Conspiracy Theory" movie? If not - you should watch it.
In the last 4 ECh Poland won three medals and was 4th once. And these results are important for the draw... so - I would be surprised if we didn't have such an easy group. And that group don't give us medal automatically.

Quote from Mary

it was rhetorical question

So was mine

I mean, lets be honest guys..II have a lot of polish friends, but you will have to excuse me, I'll ahve to agree with everyone else, that is not luck!

Polsat buy all tournaments, and its a big sponsor of FIVB and CEV. Polish Federation definelty have an agreement with them.

And even if it were just the case of Poland being in easy groups, but its worse, also winning of Wild Cards all the time. ITs not fair, lets be honest. Other Nt teams work really hard too, but they have no chance to quali in an Olympic Games for example, cause they can't add points in raking like Polish team can. And that is the true.

But again, it is not Poland fault, it is CEV and FIVB fault that accept and do this things...unfortunelty....

I wouldn't be too critical of Poland being in the easiest group AGAIN. because they easily lose to any teams. last year they lost to Thailand, and this year they almost got the games against Japan and Serbia but They eventually couldn't get the games, because of their weird problems. (Let's say those are their mental problems).
so, what I'm talking about is even if Poland is in the easiest group, I'm pretty sure that some of other teams of group C can possibly beat Poland. and I really do hope so.

btw, well-said Joana. I don't get why Poland is always taken as a Wild card all the times either. It is obviously not fair. though I know it's not Poland's fault. but the point is as you guys said, it's all about gathering points, and all the teams are working for it. Let's see what will happen.

Playoff between group B and group D will be just fascinating. too strong, too hard. poor Croatia and bulgaria

well it is quite obvious that Poland is getting help from everywhere from CEV FIVB and Polsat. we are getting so many tournaments to host, couple of wild cards and most of the times easier groups. but it is a bussines, if you can offer something for FIVB or CEV you are getting many privilages. i mean volleyball is so popular in Poland and because of that FIVB helps us. plus i think Polish NT is very popular worldwide and we provide at least decent eneterteiment and whole bunch of nerve wracking matches and people wants to watch that
on the other hand we hardly ever use our chances. apart from ECH we have never done much on WCH WGP or other international tournaments.

Well, volleyball is very popular in Brasil as well, and no even cause of that we are so "helped" by FIVB, on the contrary..hehehe

ok ok, yeah we did recieve Wild Card to play next WGP, and definelty that happened cause we are a big team, and our confederation have contacs....that dont mean I have to agree with that. I think it must be fair. So I really think Brasil should not play 2011 WGP.

I think if the other teams were not being prejudicated by the fact that FIVB help Poland then its all right, if it was just to host tournament and anything, I think that is part...but when starts to prejudicate other teams then its not right!All teams should recieve same conditions to qualify, but when Poland its the only one in Europe to recieve wild cards to play interenational tournaments all the time, such as WGP and World Cups, then its not fair, cause even if Poland gets last they will win points that other teams such Holland, maybe Germany, Turkey, and even Russia or Italy in case of not quali, wont recieve, and that is not fair if you think in a qualification to Olympic Games. They should respect the continental qualifications. Players work very hard, and its stupid to think they can be out of such important thing as an Olympic Game based only in politics.....Poland has a great team, they can work and quali to big tournaments without help of FIVB and CEV of course! At least like that would be fair, they would conquer the qualification to Olympic Games inside court, and that is how should be, in my opinion of course!

Quote from mariuszj1939

Your memory is short - few years ago Italy organized WGP tounaments at home and they received all the time "wild cards" ...
Korea is receiving "wild card" for all tournaments organized by Japan but it's always FIVB and hosts decision.

Please watch volleyball regulary and travel more often with your team abroad so maybe organizer will choose your country as seeded team ...
Is volleyball so popular in your country as football or basketball ? I know it's true in Poland !

You cannot buy the success! this is what japan,korea and poland do. They pay for broadcasting rights of tournaments and sponsored all events and then buy the slot from international federations in other words they but the success also.

On the other hand, i agree that voleyball is really popular in poland. And this is really nice. But in order to universalise volleyball interest you need to give hosting to other country. For example befor the organisation of european championship in 2003, there was no interest in turkey for volleyball but after that now voleyball is probably best second popular sport in turkey after football. So when you support the countries in which already volleyball is so popular, you gain nothing than making voleybol supporters in that countries happier. But if you support the countries in which volleyball is not so popular, you will have one more country which would interested in and support volleyball!

Quote from serdar

is probably best second popular sport in turkey after football

Football? I have thought that Basketball.

Quote from Bartek

Football? I have thought that Basketball.

popularity in the press shows that volleyball is more popular than basketball but football is far away the most popular sport in turkey

Quote from serdar

now voleyball is probably best second popular sport in turkey after football.

Too bad it was hard to notice that during male ECh in Izmir last year: the halls were empty like a desert during the sand storm...
When Turkey stopped playing there were hardly no audience on the matches (except some Poles)...
I know, that female volleyball is more popular in Turkey, but still... If you have a lot of fans in the halls not only when your team plays - IT means the sport is really popular.

Quote from mateo

well it is quite obvious that Poland is getting help from everywhere from CEV FIVB and Polsat. we are getting so many tournaments to host, couple of wild cards

I can't object. That's truth. But some people here try to convince me, that the draw was a swindle. And that's a sience-fiction for me. They "gave" us the easiest group on purpose? In the tournamentt which is held by Italy and Serbia? What for? Come on... Let us be serious...

Of course it is not Poland fault, not as country! Like I said before, we have to blame FIVB and CEV for their politics, for me, no matter witch country it is, is just unfair when a team gets more chances to win points then others ut of court.....ocasionaly in the female volleyball in last years end up to be with Poland...but the critics are not for Poland as a country, but for the situation...you polish guys dont need to feel personaly offended. I lvoe Poland! I just dont think is fair with other countries in Europe that have to fight for the same qualification sopts as Poland, that is all

Quote from Konrad

We are talking about Women Volleyball .Men volleyball is less popular in Izmir and it is growing like 2003 Women volleyball but Women's are at the top now.I think you have to watch 2010 Turkish Cup Final in new hall (7000 capacity) Hall was full and many people watched the game while standing.Not only turkey all country's are giving importance to their NT team and other matches are less important for them expect Finals.GP EQF tournament:Russia Netherlands 3-2 with 250 spectators Netherlands-Italy game with 4000 spectators

We can not say that in Turkey men volleyball is as famous as women volleyball..However it is getting better..Turkey men's NT's last match against Greece(European Championship Qualification) was played in front of 6000 spectators!

I don't want to comment on Poland receiving Wild cards for various tournaments, because I did it before.

But in this particular case, when we are talking about DOL for EC 2011, I must agree with Konrad. I think Poland was simply lucky. I mean, come on people, you don't believe that DOL was just a farce, do you?

But there is something else that's bothering me. The host countries are given too much power.Not only that they create competition formula(well, at least in that part the power was not misused by the hosts of EC 2011) but they also can directly influence the composition of groups.
Somebody asked why Russia is seeded and not Netherlands(silver medalist from EC 2009). Well, it's because that's what Italy decided. According to rules of CEV, the host countries have the right to choose one team(any team that participate in competition) each, to be seeded in their respective country. So, Serbia chose Poland as a seeded team in group C in Serbia, and Italy chose Russia as a seeded team in group D in Italy. Now, why Italy didn't choose Netherlands?
The answer is simple: Italy don't want to meet Russia before finals.
If Netherlands were seeded, the groups would probably look different.
That's what is bothering me.I wouldn't give this kind of power to the hosts. Seeded teams should be determined by the ranking in the previous EC.

maybe serpantine system must be used like the previous WCH by considering the previous ECh or World Ranking.

If CEV to use the DOL-rules of the WCH:
A: Serbia, Chech Rep., Croatia, France
B: Italy, Turkey, Azerb., Israel
C: Russia, Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine
D: Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain.

not much change

Objectively in Europe 2 top teams (Russia and Italy) and 5 goodteams (Turkey, Poland, Germany, Serbia & Netherlands). Other teams are weaker, so a one pool of 4 will be easier. Poland was just lucky.