European Championships 2009

    Quote from Ros

    Well, in the Olympics we didn't have Del Core. And there was the sad story of Tai Aguero's mom, who died when the Olympics had already started (Aguero flied back and forth from Germany to Cuba a couple of times hoping to get a visa to see her mother, but they granted her a visa only after her mother had died).
    So...I don't know. Many little things happened, that had a negative effect on the girls' morale. I bet today we'd win that quarter final. But in sports like volleyball, the nerves are very important. If your head isn't completely in the game, you'll probably lose. That's what happened to Italy during the Olympics, I guess. :(

    Yeah, sometimes even with best teams and best players something just doesn't click. I guess that's what happened at the Olympics. But the Italian team proved that right now they are the best team in Europe!! I was a little sad that the Dutch didn't even try to fight back in the final. I don't know if it was because they didn't have the strength anymore, or they were so afraid of Italy or something. Of course Italy played a perfect game, but I still thought that the Dutch team would show more power!! Oh well, not this time I guess. But the silver medal is very well deserved and I'm very happy for them!

    Quote from Ros


    @ Konrad: FIRST PAGE today!! :D


    In Poland the same. Of course :D

    The most important 3:
    POLAND-SZCZECIN-VOLLEYBALL


    5th place - Prediction Game - World League 2011 :D

    Quote from SHABOVTA

    They chose the best in Italy. And i think that most of the best players should have to be chosen from Italy.Of course it had to be Francesca Piccinini,she was much much better than Manon Flier.Flier was the last person who deserved this award.because I saw her in the worst shape. Or Simona Gioli she was the best spiker and deserved it more than Flier. Aguero was not in her best shape just only in attack,but her defence was one of the Italy`s won key. She deserved it too. But Picci was my favourite.Anna Baranska should have to be given award because she was very good both in attack and defencemalso in the reception. I don`t agree with CEV!


    Your opinion, but as somebody has already said - Holland means much less without Flier, so MVP award for her is OK. Especially, that she played great tournament, even if final was bad. But I suppose the decisions about awards were made before the final.

    The most important 3:
    POLAND-SZCZECIN-VOLLEYBALL


    5th place - Prediction Game - World League 2011 :D

    I think that if Simona Gioli didn't get the best spiker award, she might have gotten the MVP one instead. But since she got this one, I guess they gave Manon the MVP as sort of a consolation price. But IMO she did deserve it even despite the last not so good game.

    Amazing closing ceremony.


    I think Manon was tired


    Thanks Oranje


    I'm happy because Dutch volleyball team played fair play



    Incredible tournament :obey:

    i've just came back from Lodz and i gotta say:
    wwwwwwwooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww what an amazing tournament. in 2nd group phaze we played just a fantastic vollayball. match with Russia was the best match this year of our team. i'm soooo happy with this bronze medal :drink: winning it at home celebrating with 13 000 of people was such an amazing experiance i can't describe how happy i was after the last point :dance6:


    but i was i little disapointed with the level of finals. both semis were bad with one side victories(our girls woke up a "little" to late u can't win with such a good team like Holland starting playing in 3rd set) and i have to admit:Mariola Zenik sucked so much at this tournament. COME ON such a good player cant play so bad like in semis :| )
    Italy was just superb in the final. perfect match on incredible good level. i looove that poster with : " Gioli mama:fast and furious" :lol: she is amazing player for me she was MVP of ECH


    and last but not least:Holland. first of all i would like to thank them so much .they showed they are professional team that doens't let go. i felt in love with that team after ECH :drink:
    the atmosphere in hall thaa day was just from another planet. i knew the whole hall will cheer for Dutch girls but i've never excpect THAT!! i was screaming like crazy vaving this orange ballon shouting "Holland Holland" after every point. after 3rd set when Hol was loosing 2-1 Magiera(speaker in the hall) has spoken very motivating speech about dreams, faith in succes, and after that i think there wasn't a single person who did not believe in Holland's win :D and then very nerve wrecking match against Bulgaria and after last point explosion of happines :D


    eh too bad it's over already it was great organised tournament and most importnat with success at the end :cup:
    great season of POlish Volleball 2 medals hope we can continue this next year
    and one last thing Poland is the only team that plays in semifinal of ECH since 2003 :dance6: we still at the top at least in Europe


    Anyone can support a team that is winning - it takes no courage. But to
    stand behind a team to defend a team when it is down and really needs
    you, that takes a lot of courage.

    Yes it was! Of course I might be saying that because I'm from Poland and I was there, but I think it really was a great tournament. Can you guys tell me what your commentators in other countries had to say about the tournament? In Poland it's a little hard to be objective :D

    @ Ania


    Italian commentators were impressed by the beautiful halls (especially the Centennial Hall) and by the amazing audience.
    And I agree with them. :)


    @ Mateo


    I love the "Gioli: mamma fast & furious" poster too! I don't know who invented that slogan, but now everybody uses it when talking about her. :lol:

    2007- 2009 CAMPIONESSE D'EUROPA!!!
    2009 WORLD GRAND CHAMPIONS CUP

    Edited once, last by Ros ().

    Quote from qwerty150515

    i made this clip because for Polish fans this bronze medal is like a golden one in such circumstances! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA2aWKEaR3w

    I just watched the clip and I loved it!! I didn't even know you made it :D I'm still high after last night and after the entire tournament!! And I'm so proud of our team and of the volleyball fans in Poland! And I'm even proud of the organizers :D


    Ros, thanks for your input from Italy!! I'm glad the Italians appreciated our efforts to organize such a huge volleyball event for the first time in history! And I'm sure the Italian team is gonna remember this tournament for a long time, hehe :D

    @ Ania


    All volleyball-loving people in The Netherlands (Holland is just a part of the country) know now, because of the tournament, that Poland is an art volleyball-paradise.


    The players ( Ingrid Visser said on tv she became goosebumps as 13.500 people cheered for them and screamd 'Holland' in the match against Russia), press, people of the Dutch federation, the parents/husbands of the players, spectators on tv...everbody expressed that they were overwhelmed by the great volleyball-atmosphere in Poland.The papers wrote big articles about the 13.500 red/white-crowd in Lodz and the noise they make. Pictures of the Atlas Arena in Lodz and the great audience were in all papers.Atlas Arena in Lodz is now well known here (in Dutch volley-community) :) .



    It's clear that the Dutch volleybal-community loves Poland. I hope Poland loves our 14 girls too ;)

    Quote from Ania

    Yes it was! Of course I might be saying that because I'm from Poland and I was there, but I think it really was a great tournament. Can you guys tell me what your commentators in other countries had to say about the tournament? In Poland it's a little hard to be objective :D

    Oh we do, we do!!! They are my favorite team, right after the Polish girls of course! :D And I'm sure you could see that the red/white crowd became a little orange for the final! :) I, for one, changed my red T-shirt to an orange one, and my red/white scarf to an orange one as well :D My heart was with the Dutch team, but unfortunately it wasn't enough. But it was still so wonderful to see them being so nice to the fans and interact with us even though they lost the game. What class acts those girls are!! Manon Flier was THE LAST player to leave the arena after the ceremony after giving probably a thousand of autograpgh and posing for hundreds of pictures. She was a sweetheart! I hope to see the Dutch team back in Poland soon. I know Manon will be coming to Muszyna (at least I think she will be) with her new team to play the Champions League, but it would be wonderful to see the whole Dutch team again! I guess we'll see :)


    Thank you for your reports about the Dutch volleyball community. I'm glad everyone thinks so well about Poland and the Championships that we organized :) Hopefully that means that we will get more tournaments in the future, besides the men's world championships in 2014.

    Bulgaria is the best serving team in the pre- semifinal phase. 44 aces in 22 sets. Germany has 45 aces, but in 23 sets :)


    Did someone notice that the women team of Italy has the same blocking strategy like the men's team - unlike Netherlands for example - keeping more people at the net for triple block?

    Quote from mateo

    and i have to admit:Mariola Zenik sucked so much at this tournament. COME ON such a good player cant play so bad like in semis :| )


    Generally, she played only one rally good match - against Russia. It reminded me Zenik from the best years. But it is a little bit to less for such a good player. That's for sure.


    flyingdutchman and Ros - thanks for your "firsthanded" news about ECh from your countries :)

    The most important 3:
    POLAND-SZCZECIN-VOLLEYBALL


    5th place - Prediction Game - World League 2011 :D

    Nobody wants to analyze the games, no mad fans like me? :what:

    @ raylight


    It's not easy to say serious things about block-strategy ;) I myself for example have not the knowledge to say something serious about it! I just enjoy watching the games.

    It is not easy to claim, but to suggest is possible. I am not an expert of course, so I can only deduce, but I feel this is enough for fan's talk :) We are not going to lecture volleyball strategies, so... :win:

    Now with some distance I'd like to make some comments about the tournament and the teams, please share your opinions...


    Italy:
    They were certainly the best team in this competition, even if they didn't play all matches with their best performance. I think the main reason for their success is that they are very balanced, very experienced and very solid. All 5 attackers are dangerous, there is no weak point in attack which makes it very hard for the opponent to block. The receivers are also very good, and what is even more important is that Del Core and Piccinini are good in reception and in attack. In many other teams there were players who were good in only one of the elements. Italy also had a very well organized block even though they don't have very tall players. The key in their block was the cooperation block-defense which often allowed them to build up a counterattack and score.
    It will be interesting what will happen to Italy in some years. All the players are now about 30 so they can continue until 2012 but then I expect most of them to retire, and the question is who will come up from the next generation.


    Netherlands:
    Like Italy, they were very balanced, experienced and solid. The team plays together in more or less the same composition since 2005, so the teamwork is of course very well developed. One main problem was the reception of Chaine Staelens, so most of the opponents aimed serves at her. Dutch reception also was not as good as sometimes in the past, so the middle blockers could not show their full potential in attack. I don't think Kim Staelens is a very good setter, but she has played with this team for a long time so her individual quality doesn't matter too much. Another problem is that the team doesn't have many good alternatives on bench. Nobody can replace Manon Flier and Kim Staelens, Alice Blom and Francien Huurman played less than I expected. Like Italy, many players of Dutch team will soon retire but I think Selinger is doing a good work to create good new players from young age.


    Poland:
    They certainly achieved a much better result than expected considering that their main weapons from the past years Glinka, Liktoras and Skowronska were missing. In Grand Prix, playing at home has never been an advantage for the team but this time it was different. Joanna Kaczor used her chance very well, but I don't think she is on the same level as players like Skowronska, Flier etc. I have to say that Poland didn't have a very difficult 1st and 2nd round, the only important victory there was against Russia but they didn't have to play against Italy, Turkey and Serbia. But in the end they deserved the medal because they played above their level and I also see this medal as a reward for the great organization of the tournament.


    Germany:
    Actually I don't think the team played very well, but still they managed to win against Serbia and Turkey and take a set from Italy in semifinal. Kathleen Weiss isn't a very good setter in my opinion, the outside hitters are too weak in attack and Brinker isn't even a very good receiver. I think Guidetti must find (create) some better outside hitters who can attack and receive. Kozuch played quite well, unfortunately she wasn't so good in the last two matches. The team is quite young and in the next years I am sure some players from the U20 world champion team will become part of the main team, so I hope for a good future.


    Turkey:
    Not much to say...if Neslihan had played on her normal level and if Gözde had been healthy and played I am sure Turkey would have won a medal. Naz, Eda and Esra played very well, Bahar also performed on her normal level, but Neslihan was too weak and Deniz is not a player of international class.


    Russia:
    Unfortunately they couldn't repeat their performance from WGP final round. I think they should not rely too much on Gamova, she can't do everything alone. Kosheleva has played very well all summer, but in the line-up she is beside Gamova, so she doesn't get many balls and can't show what she can do. The main problem is that Russia has no receivers. Safronova wasn't in a very good shape but there was no alternative. I think Kuzyutkin should have kept the system from WGP with Murtazaeva and Sedova as receivers. That is another weak point of Russia, the middle blockers. Only Borodakova is on a good level, the others are too weak. I think when Merkulova returns and they find a different reception system, Russia can be back on top.


    Serbia:
    Terzic said after the tournament that the team wasn't prepared, so I am wondering what he did with them all summer?? I agree with the people here saying that Terzic should be replaced, of course he brought the team to the top but now the players are not performing any more. There is a good mix of strong young players and some older experienced players, but the performance has certainly not been satisfying. I think Jelena Nikolic is one of the most overrated players. She is a big liability in reception, and even if she makes some spectacular kills her overall attack performance is not solid enough either. If the team can integrate the young players and everyone performs what they're capable of then I am sure Serbia can be back on top, but in this tournament they have been disappointing.


    Spain:
    They have been quite surprising. Romina Lamas is an excellent setter and leader, I think she is one of the main reasons for their success. There aren't any real stars in the team (maybe Yasmina Hernandez, but she is not like Flier etc. either), but they played very balanced and also could substitute more than most other teams.


    Belgium:
    Virginie De Carne played very well, but not like 3-4 years ago. I think Belgium played better without her in WCHQ, because then all players took responsability and the team was more balanced, now it was only De Carne.


    Azerbaijan:
    They were certainly unlucky with injuries, but I don't think that they could have achieved a much better result otherwise either. They have some very good players, but it isn't enough to beat the big teams any more.


    Croatia:
    They were surely the biggest disappointment of the tournament. A team with so many good individual players and then they finish LAST! This should not happen. I don't know what exactly went wrong there, but there must have been some big mistakes in all areas.

    Wow! Very good analysys. Impressive and objective :thumbsup: And I generally agree with you. Maybe with one exception: I'm not surprised with Croatian result. They were also last in 2007 ECH. It is even difficult to call Craotia a team. It is rather a group of quite good players, who play for themselves only, not for the goodness of team...

    The most important 3:
    POLAND-SZCZECIN-VOLLEYBALL


    5th place - Prediction Game - World League 2011 :D