2014 FIVB World Grand Prix

Quote from Meatballs

I think we have been talking about trends in here. Volleyball is pretty new to Turkey which started to become big around 2003 and now Turkey has a good female team that can compete in top tournaments. Developing players like that in 10 years is a big success IMO. About the teen issue - which team has key players in their teens? Kosheleva in Russia?! Kubra Akman in Turkey is a very good example to that. She is 19 yo, is the best blocker of the tournament now and led her team great. I believe Turkish federation is doing a good job by investing on such young players and there will be many more coming soon. Btw maybe it does not count but Turkey won't European League this summer with a very young team as well.
Coming to other sports. In Turkey Volleyball is the 3rd biggest sport after football and basketball. So it is not different than other countries. Investments to football in Turkey is crazy but there is no success at all. So actually very recently I read some news that more sponsors are getting interested in volleyball than football since volleyball teams are successful. Again that was a very good strategy by the Federation and the clubs.

Finally if you think that it is not hard to organize a top league, why don't others do that? Maybe sponsors/ funders don't see them attractive enough to invest?

How can you say Turkish league is big and successful because of Italy's financial problems? I still love Italian league and I am sure if they had the money the league will still be on the top, BUT Turkey has been making big investments in volleyball for over a decade now. It's not a success over night as you mentioned in Azerbaijan. Turkish league has been growing year by year and there had always been some great players playing there. Also you can look at the Junior and Youth competitions Turkey together with Serbia are one of the most successful teams so it tells you how much they invest in young players too..

And I am not Turkish....

Quote from powsoff

I sometimes think that you guys live on the Moon, seriously. The only encounter vs Turkey on the neutral pitch was for Germany. I have seen how Turkey "beat" their opponents in Ankara/Istanbul :). I do not see much of a talent in Turkish team, apart from the left-handed opp. (Do note that the key players are not in their teens.) I may be wrong, of course, let us wait so they can prove their stellar level that you insist on. So far Turkey has not won anything, despite of all blah-blah, you have to agree here.

Now, there is no such thing as "top clubs" and "high ambitions" in female volleyball. It is an absolutely underfunded competition and the "top league" is not that hard to organize, Azerbaijan being a good example. (Look e.g. how much tougher it is to get a decent men volleyball league.) All but one Turkish players are employed in their home league, which gained the top status thanks to Italian financial issues rather than due to the progress of Turkish volleyball. I therefore do not see much of an ambition among the Turkish players, apart from No13 who traveled worldwide in search of the best options.

Had Germany been doing worse in football, their home volleyball league would have had more attention (=more cash inflow.) In this case, they would be able to set a NT based of one of the home league clubs... and we would probably not debate these things here :). Same applies to USA, Russia etc where the money is being spent predominantly on other sports.

I thought we were discussing Turkey NT and German NT performances, but looks like you have some other stuff in your mind and I am all against your opinions.
Sorry but these are not rational enough for me to answer; such as "I have seen how Turkey "beat" their opponents in Ankara/Istanbul".
By the way there were not any grand prix matches in Istanbul, so please check the matches you have watched, you might have watched something else, after seeing your comments on those matches.
So which part of the moon are you from, I guess you should be from the 'Dark Side'.
End of story for me.

congrats to bulgarian girls
2015 - second group and 2016 first... i believe in them and in their potential
now it's time to think about WCH

Chinese offical roster in the finals:

S: Wang Na, Shen Jing-si (Wei should have a rest. It's right)
OP: Zeng Chun-lei, Yang Fang-xu (Perhaps Zhang Lei returned hard)
MB: Yang Jun-jing, Yuan Xin-yue, Yang Zhou, Qiao Ting (Xu as the oldest player in the team gave others chance)
OH: Liu Xiao-tong, Wang Hui-min, Li Jing (Where is the receival? Is Wang as "two liberos"? Are Hui and Zhu too tired?)
L: Chen Zhan, Shan Dan-na

Quote from Meatballs

Lol! I was just meaning that you guys love her for some reason that I'm not aware of. But anyway you can be Theo part-time and Lenka's manager in night shifts Besides that, I did not watch her for such a long time but during this tournament, I think Thomsen deserved to play more. I remember some guys here again talking bad about Nihan for instance but her case is pretty similar of even worse than the German liberos because she had to receive together with Neriman and I believe Brinker is a better receiver than Neriman. I don't say that Durr should be successful although she covers Brinker's part as well but when Thomsen is in, Germany played better during this tournament.

Mate these are exactly my thoughts thanks for good explanation and when i said dürr isnt ready still i meant she isnt on her best.But we have to accept that she isnt a perfect receiver so covering someone else is big for her.Guidetti already said he learnt what are the wrong parts of NT and he will correct these.

And i guess all users should be aware that this is just grand prix which starts ever year again so teams dont show usually their top performances.So talkig about WCH success is so early,so many things will change especially weaker teams

And i guess all users should be aware that this is just grand prix which starts ever year again so teams dont show usually their top performances.So talkig about WCH success is so early,so many things will change especially weaker teams

I have a feeling that Dominican will stay in Div. A if Thailand sends to WCH B-C Team.

Then, as penalty, FIVB will relegate Thailand to Div. B.

Final round schedule: CET time -7 to Tokyo time

55 CHN-BEL 20-Aug 12:20 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
56 TUR-BRA 20-Aug 15:00 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
57 JPN-RUS 20-Aug 19:05 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
58 RUS-BEL 21-Aug 12:20 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
59 BRA-CHN 21-Aug 15:00 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
60 JPN-TUR 21-Aug 19:05 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
61 TUR-RUS 22-Aug 12:20 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
62 BEL-BRA 22-Aug 15:00 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
63 CHN-JPN 22-Aug 19:05 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
64 TUR-CHN 23-Aug 12:20 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
65 RUS-BRA 23-Aug 15:00 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
66 JPN-BEL 23-Aug 19:05 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
67 CHN-RUS 24-Aug 12:20 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
68 BEL-TUR 24-Aug 15:00 Tokyo Ariake Collesium
69 BRA-JPN 24-Aug 19:05 Tokyo Ariake Collesium

Quote from Matthias

She only gets blocked when she stops thinking, most of the times she easily hits OVER the block. Like Calderon in her best days...

I think its not that easy,bahar or turkey can block her cause they jump in the right time cause stuffs help them so much in the game if u listen they always talk and give tactics to the players even the game is going like guidetti.The problem of german blocking for me timing.They jump in same time so its impossible reaching kosheleva's height.As barbolini said just wait and catch her in the right time.For sure u cant block her everytime but at least u can try to skim the ball for counter attack like japans do.Also i think its a shame cant blocking such a slow player like diouf,she hit and won the game for italy and germans just watched it.

And one more thing for fürst she is still bad at blocking free balls.Especially in the match against turkey germany serves so well and turkish players just keep the ball hardly in the game but neriman can hit all the balls so she hits full of her power and ball goes out from fürst hands cause she knows fürst tries to reach her max height on blocking everytime no matter the position and she uses fürst

the correlation is actually 55%, same faces just different places

Now China team as a European team

Chinese offical roster in the finals:

S: Wang Na, Shen Jing-si (Wei should have a rest. It's right)
OP: Zeng Chun-lei, Yang Fang-xu (Perhaps Zhang Lei returned hard)
MB: Yang Jun-jing, Yuan Xin-yue, Yang Zhou, Qiao Ting (Xu as the oldest player in the team gave others chance)
OH: Liu Xiao-tong, Wang Hui-min, Li Jing (Where is the receival? Is Wang as "two liberos"? Are Hui and Zhu too tired?)
L: Chen Zhan, Shan Dan-na

What is level of these OH who will play in F6? Compares to Zhu and Hui?

Quote from Bartek

What is level of these OH who will play in F6? Compares to Zhu and Hui?

Li Jing is the best scorer in the last two seasons in Chinese League.
about:
China Volleyball League 13-14
China Volleyball League - Nov. 10, 2012 to Jan. 27, 2013

Li Jing.. did She play in previous matches?

What about rest OHs?

Quote from Bartek

Li Jing.. did She play in previous matches?

What about rest OHs?

Just a sentense: You can choose one from receive and spike but not get both.

Quote from tomen

Li Jing is the best scorer in the last two seasons in Chinese League.
about:
China Volleyball League 13-14
China Volleyball League - Nov. 10, 2012 to Jan. 27, 2013

Why would CHINA (Lang Ping) not to invite Regla Bell in Young China National Volleyball TEAM (Regla in Great Shape, playing now in Asia (in Fillipino Club). The EXPERIENCED PLAYER (How REGLA BELL) WOULD HAVE HALPED to WIN Young CHINA NT the World Championship-2014 and Olimpic Games in RIO-2016 (ESPECIALLY in Matches with BRAZIL NT and with USA NT). Now ALL ATTRACT Legionares to Strengthen in National TEAM. WHY NOT TRY CHINA ??????? With this Girl (REGLA BELL) CHINA NT CAN WIN Olimpic GOLD Medals in RIO-2016 !!! Moreover, CHINA and CUBA - FRIENDS !!!!!

Looking at it now, I wonder if it was Marichev's best decision for Russia to be in the Finals. Sure Kosheleva had a monster game in Kaliningrad, but how long can she sustain this? They only have one month to practice before WCH as a team with Gamova back and the vital returns of Morozova and Shlyakhovaya. On the other head, this might be the training they really need. But this will be a different team, dynamics a month from now so..