After the Olympics - what now?

When it comes to Brazil, big changes await the team. First of all, the two setters of the team are leaving Fofão and Carol Albuquerque won't play for Brazil anymore. It seems her substitutes will be Dani Lins (Rexona's setter, she is being coached by Bernardinho for 3 years and she's improving a lot) and Ana Tiemi Takagui (Finasa's setter, she's not as experienced, but she's rather tall, her height is 1.87m)

Walewska is also leaving the team, at least for the next couple of years. Her substitutes are Thaísa and Adenízia. Adenízia is great, but she's not that tall for a middle blocker, her height is 1.87m. And there's also Gattaz who will be given another chance too, in my opinion, after Walewska's retirement. Another player who will leave the team is Valeskinha.

As for the outside hitters, there are a lot of tall and talented players: Natália Zílio, Regiane and Suelle are the most promising in my opinion. But as the other players like Jaqueline, Paula, Sassá and Mári are young, I don't know if they'll have a chance immediately. As for opposite, I believe Juliana Castro, aka Lia, will be given a chance, since she's 1.88m tall and left-handed. There is also Joycinha. Despite the fact that she is taller than Lia, I prefer Lia, though.

Fabi's substitute might be Camila Brait, she will play for Finasa this season and she's very young too.

It will be difficult time for Poland now. After retiring of Glinka and Liktoras and not many young tallented players on the horizon. I think the bright era of Polish volleyball is coming to the end. But on the other hand I hope some new coach will prepare our team to the ECH in our country. It would be big disappointed, if Poles played badly as a host - it will be first big event in female volleyball in our soil, not including GP.
It was time, when I was a child (in 80' and 90') when Poland was very, very average team or even weak. I don't want to repeat that situation...

I don't know for sure, but I think Piccinini, Lo Bianco, Gioli, Secolo and Cardullo will retire from NT. Aguero may too.

Del Core may return, but it all depends on her health problems.

Quote from Konrad

It will be difficult time for Poland now. After retiring of Glinka and Liktoras and not many young tallented players on the horizon. I think the bright era of Polish volleyball is coming to the end. But on the other hand I hope some new coach will prepare our team to the ECH in our country. It would be big disappointed, if Poles played badly as a host - it will be first big event in female volleyball in our soil, not including GP.
It was time, when I was a child (in 80' and 90') when Poland was very, very average team or even weak. I don't want to repeat that situation...

I dont think that Poland will have so many problems...
Imo, Glinka and Liktoras were overrated in the past 2 years.
Look, "we" have Podolec, Skowronska, (Baranska... if she continues to play for the NT), Kaczor, Bednarek, Sadurek and Skorupa are also pretty young.
Frackowiak, Wozniakowska, Sawicka..... and i can name more...

I think Poland can achieve a lot if these players will be trained the right way.
And for the next year (ECH) there will be still Rosner, Zenik, Gajgal, Dziekiewicz.....
Who knows, maybe the new coach will bring Belcik and Mirek back. Both are not too old but experienced and could help the team a lot.

So you see, im not worried much about the team. Especially knowing that Russia will loose many players. Also Serbia without Citakovic wont be the same, cos the main leader is gone.

Also Italy will try to experiment with new players....

Im very excited to follow the next 2 years, cos we will see a big change i think.
Poland can win the ECH but only if the inner scandals stop and they start playing as a team

Quote from Nastja

So you see, im not worried much about the team. Especially knowing that Russia will loose many players. Also Serbia without Citakovic wont be the same, cos the main leader is gone.

Also Italy will try to experiment with new players....

Im very excited to follow the next 2 years, cos we will see a big change i think.
Poland can win the ECH but only if the inner scandals stop and they start playing as a team

I agree with you Nastja! Poland has chances next year at ECH for gold, as well as Turkey.
I'll be more worried about Russia, Italy and Serbia. Italy and Russia will loose their more important players, who play in NT already for 10 years or even more. Serbia will loose Citakovic, probably Nikolic, and I'm not sure if Spasojevic will return. And Djerisilo may retire from NT too.

(These are just my speculations, they aren't nor news nor rumors)

Quote from samba player

I don't know for sure, but I think Piccinini, Lo Bianco, Gioli, Secolo and Cardullo will retire from NT. Aguero may too.

Del Core may return, but it all depends on her health problems.

You think? In my opinion, maybe Gioli will leave the NT, but I wouldn't be so sure about Cardullo, Lo Bianco and Piccinini. They can still give their contribution to the team. I don't know about Aguero and Del Core, though.

I think a problem of Italy wont be a lack of new talented players but their unexperience... But thats not so important.
Look at the polish team they are experienced but they still fail cause of their weak mentality (and other side effects )

I just checked some italian players and i think the italian fans shouldnt be that worried either.
Btw will Barbolini continue the work with the nationalteam?

Joana,
What about Terzic? Will he also continue?
I think a change wouldnt be that bad, especially after this passed year. And having Spasojevic back in the team would be great, too.

Btw i think Jovana could replace Citakovic as the mental leader of the team on court, she is also such a screamer and full of energy

Quote from Nastja

I think a problem of Italy wont be a lack of new talented players but their unexperience... But thats not so important.
Look at the polish team they are experienced but they still fail cause of their weak mentality (and other side effects )

I just checked some italian players and i think the italian fans shouldnt be that worried either.
Btw will Barbolini continue the work with the nationalteam?

I think Barbolini will stay. (I HOPE he will stay. )
As for the experienced players, I hope that at least some of the "veterans" (Cardullo, Lo Bianco, Piccinini) will stay to guide the new girls. And, maybe, Togut will be back. Or Rinieri. Who knows?

Quote from Ros

And, maybe, Togut will be back. Or Rinieri. Who knows?

nobody needs them....
Its time for progress and not for steps back.

It would be great if Lo Bianco stayed, she could help the 2nd setter a lot.
As for the libero position, i'd give Merlo a chance. She surprised me a lot in Bergamo last season.

Quote from Nastja

nobody needs them....
Its time for progress and not for steps back.

It would be great if Lo Bianco stayed, she could help the 2nd setter a lot.
As for the libero position, i'd give Merlo a chance. She surprised me a lot in Bergamo last season.

Yes, maybe you're right. But I liked Togut, I was sad she wasn't in the NT last year.
Anyway, I think Merlo is good, too. But maybe we should give Croce another chance. She's always been Cardullo's replacement...
Bosetti definitely needs a chance, too. She did a good job in the Grand Prix.

I have no problems with Croce but she is "old".
Im sure the Italian team has room for her as a clown or sth similar

Ah, i forgot to say that im happy that Russia has at least one great talent!
Sasha Pasynkova! Hope she will keep on developing and kick some butts

ıf you are right, lots of important and experienced players will leave NT.so there will another teams that they will become favourite of new compitiations(2009 european championship in poland) ı think especially turkey and germany will become new favourite of final in poland coz they are young teams.
germany lost grün,pachale and hart.but they still have dumler,hance(young setter),fürst,shücke...
turkey lost ayusun özbek,bahar mert,özlem özçelk.but we have young and talented players like naz aydemir,eda erdem,nerman özsoy,seda tokatlıoğlu,bahar toksoy,duygu bal.neslihan demir,gülden kayalar and esra gümüş will play for a long time.
so ı thnk this two teams will become süper powered teams of europe..

Quote from Nastja

I dont think that Poland will have so many problems...
Imo, Glinka and Liktoras were overrated in the past 2 years.
Look, "we" have Podolec, Skowronska, (Baranska... if she continues to play for the NT), Kaczor, Bednarek, Sadurek and Skorupa are also pretty young.
Frackowiak, Wozniakowska, Sawicka..... and i can name more...

I think Poland can achieve a lot if these players will be trained the right way.
And for the next year (ECH) there will be still Rosner, Zenik, Gajgal, Dziekiewicz.....
Who knows, maybe the new coach will bring Belcik and Mirek back. Both are not too old but experienced and could help the team a lot.

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Generally I agree with you. I don't have any reason not to agree, but I think THIS generation of players, I mean young girls who are future of our team are from worse palyers generation, thank for example: Glinka, Śliwa, Świeniewicz, Liktoras, etc. We don't have successes in junior volleyball and I'm worried about the girls. However, that's very good we will have ECH next year. This is the main goal for the team and it has to focus on that. New coach has to build representation and be in good relations with the girls.

Grün just took a break for this year, im pretty sure she will be back next year again

Anyway, i dont think that these 2 teams will become "superpowered" teams.
They might be on the same level as the Topteams, but as for germany i dont have such high hopes.

AS for Poland i dont worry YET. our team is preatty young. Skowronska Zenik Baranska Podolec SKorupa Sadurek Kaczor Bednarek. Rosner and Gajgal arent old either but i heard that Rosner will leave after OG(just rumors). when those girls someday will retire then i will worry because we have some good young players but they will never be as good as Skowronska, Glinka etc . the most talented now are Kaczorowska Tomsia Sawicka Frackowiak Efimienko Maj and few others. Kaczorowska and Frackowiak will soon be in "12" this 2 play in Pila from this season and there is Matlak there(for me the best Polish coach)and im sure they improve a lot like Bednarek and Skorupa did(they were, well Agnieszka still is under Matlak Command) generally Pila is a factor of talented players. most of girls in NT used to play there. i hope that players like Bejga WOjtowicz(firs is 197 cm and second is 202!!)will start to play more then in the previouse seasons and Matlak will make of them great players

I think USA will see tremendous turnover after the Olympics, but it is very hard to foresee many of the changes.

The USA will go into a building phase now with the target probably being a medal in 2016. Brazil, Cuba, China, Italy and the Netherlands are all in a better position for 2012 and several others are even with the USA.

I can see a World Championship lineup that looks something like this: S: McGinnis Op: (Nnamani?) M1: Joines M2: Crimes O1: Willoughby O2: Glass L: Barboza/Richards? The USA needs immediate help at the opposite and libero positions.

All indications are that Akinradewo does not plan to continue her volleyball career after college. Everything I've heard to this point says she is going directly to medical school. Busse, Barboza, and Richards can be good club attackers, but cannot win World and Olympic championships as hitters. Stalls will probably be beaten out by other middles such as Crimes and perhaps Christina Harmotto.

The most exciting reinforcements for the USA still have two or three years of college left. Alicia Glass, Megan Hodge and Ashley Engle still have two more years and Julianne Fawcette has three more years of college.

I agree that Russia is the one who will have the hardest time after 2008. No new stars have appeared. Fateeva cannot play at an international level. She is already 24 years and has not shown great things. Maybe Pasynkova and Kosheleva can bring hope as they are around 20 years old and still have many years to gain experience and prove their worth. There are also other players like Markova, Andrushko.

I think there can be lots of good possible attackers for the team. What it should do is to look for a good setter. Enough with Sheshenina or Akulova. Find a young setter and develop her for the ENTIRE YEAR. Look also for good middle players. Russia has been known for powerful middle attackers/blockers, but we cannot see that now. I am not sure of Merkulova. She is such a liability in blocking. I am also not sure of Borodakova. She is such a liability in attacking.

First Polish 'six'?

Setter: Sadurek, Skorupa, Bełcik
Receiver: Podolec, Rosner, ?Baranska
Attacker: Skowronska, Kaczor
Blocker: Dziekiewicz, Bednarek, Gajgał
Libero: Zenik, Maj, Sawicka

We can have more chances for winning in Poland!

Polish NT will need a good and suitable caoch, who can pursuade them that they are able to be nomber 1 on the ECH and make them think as champions, to build a real spirit of winners. It is necessary a person who will bring motivation and some constant level of the team. It won't be easy for sure coz girls are young and unexpirienced and that's why Poland has to choose its coach very carefully. I think that they should try with some pole instead of a foreign proffesionalist.Someone who could unite them and make from this talanted players one team able to win.