Preparing for World League 2008

    I want to prepare a short article on each of the USA's pool play competitors in the upcoming World League. I run a website that promotes men's volleyball in the US. I would like to prepare the audiences for the upcoming matches located in the US by providing them with information about the opponents. USA's opponents are: Bulgaria, Spain and Finland.


    I need to research each team to prepare for the articles. Things that would be helpful:


    The national team website;
    Other websites following the team;
    Who the top players are from each team and what club teams are they playing for;
    Photo's of the team and top players;
    Information about the coach;
    Your personal opinion on the team including their performance in the past year.


    You can contribute your suggestions or help by posting here, sending me a personal Inside-Volley message or sending me an email at: webmaster@middlehitter.com


    Thank you in advance!
    Redhawkvb

    Bulgaria: main star is Matey Kaziyski (playing in Italy with Trento), maybe the best wing spiker in the world. Others stars are captain Plamen Konstantinov the other outside wing spiker whose experience is very important for the team. And the third star is Vladimir Nikolov the opposite playing with Trento too. One of the most important point in Nikolov's career was without any doubt this block on Clayton Stanley in the final of the 2005 European Champion's league. This block gave Tours a thrilling second set thus enabling the team to make it 1-1 against Iraklis. Tours eventually won the final 3-1but would probably not have made it if Iraklis had won this set and led 2-0. I think it's a preety goo example of the match between these two greats opposite.


    About wages, Danail Milushev (one of the two backup opposite) that you saw with Tours is earning $150 000 a year.


    Spain: stars are the brothers Angel Miguel Falasca (setter) and Guillermo Falasca (opposite). You can add middle blocker Jose Luis Molto (one of the best blocker in the world) . Angel Miguel and Jose Luis Molto are playing for Mallorca, the best team in Spain. I think that Guillermo is playing in Korea but he was playing with Mallorca as well last year.


    (and you have seen the second middle blocker Julian Garcia-Torres playing with Tours at the french cup semi-final)


    Finland: the star is the captain Tuomas Sammelvuo. He is a wing spiker and played in France, Italy, Japan and is currently playing in Russia with Kaliningrad. Out of Tuomas Sammelvuo I'm not sure that other Finnish players could be considered stars. Finland is a good team where everybody is doing his job.


    And Oli Kunnari (the other wing spiker) is playing with Cannes.


    Hope this could help you a little ! ;)

    Quote from Armel

    stars are the brothers Angel Miguel Falasca

    Miguel Angel :roll:

    "Every volleyball player is a little bit psychopath, there are no normal people who want to voluntarily dedicate their life to this sport"
    Plamen Konstantinov

    Quote from Ann

    Miguel Angel :roll:

    Right ! ;)

    Quote from Armel

    Out of Tuomas Sammelvuo I'm not sure that other Finnish players could be considered stars


    Heikkinen maybe... But Berruto said after the preolympic in Turkey that he 'll probably give Sammelvuo and Heikkinen some (well-deserved) time off from the national team during WL.
    The setters of the national team of Finland (Mikko Esko and Simo-Pekka Olli) are also the setters of Padova, by the way.

    Mikko Esko is a future star of finnish team for sure :)

    "Every volleyball player is a little bit psychopath, there are no normal people who want to voluntarily dedicate their life to this sport"
    Plamen Konstantinov

    Thank you everyone for your help. Now I need to read and do my research with the links and information you have provided me. I hope to have the short article written by early April...

    Quote from redhawkvb

    Thank you everyone for your help. Now I need to read and do my research with the links and information you have provided me. I hope to have the short article written by early April...

    redhawkbv, congratulations, you are doing great job. :)

    [color=#009900][color=#ffffff]


    "I'm so proud that the fans still sing my name. But I fear tomorrow they will stop. And I fear it because I love it. And everything you love you fear you will lose" - Eric Cantona

    I have found the email for the press contact for Finland and Spain but I cannot find any contact names and email addresses for Bulgaria. Does anyone know how to contact the Bulgarian National Team Press person? I want to ask the coach a few questions in preparation for the World league article I am writing. I also would like a copy of their World league press kit...


    Thank you in advance!