the 90's

I wouldn't call this oldschool yet, therefore a new item "90's" (let's say the Italo-Dutch era).

The '92 Olympics final: Brazil - The Netherlands

set 1 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=U0V29T7T
set 2 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P0527RYX
set 3 http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JIDZSH2D

Quote from "mazia"

Thx a lot!! Do you have more old school matches??

Yep, expect more to come...

Quote from "KO7"

WOW thanks a lot!

One of the greatest matches that I lost is the 96 Atlanta 5-set thriller between Italy and the Netherlands in the Gold Medal Final.

I vote for that as your next upload! Please?

I do have that match, I'll make sure to post that one in a while.
I plan to post my OS'92 material first though.

Quote from "mazia"

do you have nay match with Polish team?

Unfortunately no Polish team-material in my archive (Mainly Belgian and Dutch volleyball).
By the way, the Belgian league was flooded with Polish players during the '80s and '90s (Lubiejewski, Jarosz, Martyniuk, Czapor, Scotnicki, Wagner, Stefanowicz, Roman, Wasilewski, ... just to name a few)

Another Golden Oldie...

The first round in the 1992 Olympic tournament is disputed in 2 poules.
The 4 highest ranked teams of each poule get qualified for the quarter finals.
The Dutch struggle throughout the poule and barely reach the 4th spot.
Reigning World Champion and vice-European Champion Italy wins the other poule and so faces the Netherlands in the quarter finals.

The Italian line-up is stronger than ever with a one-tournament reappearance of setter Fabio Vullo
(Since Velasco took over, he never got selected anymore or he refused, I'm not sure.) and they're confident they'll take the gold, after the '89 European Championship and the '90 World Championship.

The Dutch loose setter Blangé in the second set with a sprained ancle and Avital Selinger takes his plays
(while technically an excellent setter - "the best in the world" according to his father, head coach Ari - his modest height poses problems for the Dutch blocking).
Also, since a number of players left the Dutch national team after the '89 European Championship, they had lost their main reception-specialists.
Benne, a born opposite, had to fill the gap and was turned into a wing-reception type of player. (Imagine suddenly forcing Miljkovic into taking reception in 6 positions)

Nevertheless, the Dutch manage to turn this confrontation in an epic 5-set battle.
And when the stakes are high, Vandermeulen steps forward...

3th set: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TT7TCDFK
4th set: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y00FXPEJ
5th set: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZOCE9JAX

The Dutch and the Italians clash once again in the 1995 European Championships final.
Both line-ups are very similar to that of the 1996 Olympic final, so think of it as a general rehearsal (or was the real general rehearsal the World League final 1996, where the Dutch were finally able to beat the Italians in 5 sets - 22-20 in the tie-break)
Anyway, 1995 EC final in Athens' Peace & Friendship stadium: a great match and an incredible tie-break...

set 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=D9IIB5XF
set 2: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QRV5OCLE
set 3: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=G2F2V1NP
set 4: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GW5SY2GG
set 5: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=E09QNUQZ

Quote from "leo-nl"

Hi Richard,great work, thanks a lot!

I have a question, do you have any women match?

Sorry Leo-NL, I don't have any women matches to offer.

Grtz,

Richard

- Canada - France (final set) http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J9MS1XBY
- Brasil - Japan (summary) http://www.megaupload.com/?d=A00VWNFY
- USA - Former Sovjet Union (summary) http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ASWQJYY3