Belgium - Ethias Volley League 2013/2014

    Cup of Belgium


    Semifinals:
    2013-11-27 Knack Roeselare - Volley Haasrode Leuven 3/0 (25/19, 25/20, 25/15)
    2013-11-23 VC Argex Duvel Puurs - PRECURA Antwerpen 0/3 (21/25, 18/25, 22/25)


    2013-11-30 Volley Haasrode Leuven - Knack Roeselare
    2013-12-01 PRECURA Antwerpen - VC Argex Duvel Puurs

    Volley Haasrode Leuven - Knack Roeselare 1/3 (19/25, 15/25, 25/22, 23/25)
    PRECURA Antwerpen - VC Argex Duvel Puurs 3/1 (22/25, 25/20, 25/19, 25/12)


    Final:
    Knack Roeselare - PRECURA Antwerpen

    I couldn't follow the Belgian league, so I was kind of shocked when Noliko missed both the Cup final and now the league final playoff. What is even more surprising is that Precura Antwerpen is leading by 2 victories to 1 against Roeselare. I am really curious to know what went wrong for Noliko, why and how they got knocked out so early and whether Antwerpen are really that strong.

    Quote from YavorD

    I couldn't follow the Belgian league, so I was kind of shocked when Noliko missed both the Cup final and now the league final playoff. What is even more surprising is that Precura Antwerpen is leading by 2 victories to 1 against Roeselare. I am really curious to know what went wrong for Noliko, why and how they got knocked out so early and whether Antwerpen are really that strong.


    What went wrong for Noliko? Different reasons. At the begin of this season they signed Vincenzo di Pinto as coach. After the devastating loss against Haasrode Leuven (Liga B) in the Cup of Belgium, they sacked him already. Di Pinto couldn't speak an English word, so the communication with the team was bad. After this, they signed Erik Verstraten as coach.


    After a few weeks, Hoho felt down during a match against Knack Roeselare. He has heart problems (cfr. cardiac arrest 2009), but his defribillator saved his life. But he couldn't play for few weeks. Also Maan was out for few months, because of surgery. These two leaders of the team were out during a part of the season, so there wasn't a leader anymore in the rest of the team. During the playoffs, both of the players were back. Maan did a very good job as leader of the team, but lacked play time for making the difference.


    Also a bad transfer policy was important for missing the cup final. I expected much more of Pereyra. Some matches he was good, but the other games he played awfully bad. Lecat is too young for the starting six, Menzel had enormous ups and downs and personally I think Valkiers is not a good setter. Devany is even worse than Valkiers. Only the MBs (Raymaekers and Parkinson) were good on some moments. And in this team, there wasn't a real leader.


    So what was the problem with Noliko? A coach who couldn't communicate with his players, a bad transfer policy, injuries and bad luck.


    Topvolley Antwerpen on the other hand, did a magnificent job during this season. With a bigger budget, they signed some good players (Van Harskamp, Van Bemmelen,...). The MBs are the best of the Belgian League (Van Bemmelen and Koelewijn) and they have all a very good mentality. After the loss of Noliko in the cup, it was an easy task to get to the Cup Final. During the playoffs, it was exciting who will join Knack Roeselare in the playoff final: Noliko or Antwerpen. At the beginning there was a gap of points between these teams, but at the end Antwerpen had just 1 point more than Noliko.


    The first match of the play off finals was a strange match: Knack Roeselare (home) was paralyzed by stress, so it was an easy task for Antwerpen for defeating Roeselare. The next match, Roeselare played better (but not in their best level), so it was a close match. Antwerpen won. Wednesday the third match was played and now Roeselare completely trashed Antwerpen at home. Tomorrow the fourth match will be played in Antwerpen. I expect a close match. When Roeselare plays on their best level (cfr. Champions League level), Roeselare will win. If not, Antwerpen will win and they will become champion.

    Quote from njvhaeck

    What went wrong for Noliko? Different reasons. At the begin of this season they signed Vincenzo di Pinto as coach. After the devastating loss against Haasrode Leuven (Liga B) in the Cup of Belgium, they sacked him already. Di Pinto couldn't speak an English word, so the communication with the team was bad


    I can't believe my eyes...I didn't expect such a huge mistake by Noliko-management, transferring a headcoach,who is incapable of communicating in English :white: :white: :white:


    Who is responsible for that mistake?

    Thanks for the input!

    Fourth match:
    Top Volley Antwerpen was leading 2-1 in the best-of-five Play Offs final against Knack Roeselare and this match was played in Antwerpen. It was a great and very close match, but the experience and the "big bench" of Knack Roeselare was decisive. Everyone agreed that this match was real propaganda for Belgian volleyball. Tuerlinckx and Van Hirtum (Roeselare), Ditlevsen and Baetens (Antwerpen) were the scoring machines. Big dissapointment for Top Volley Antwerpen.


    Score: 1/3 (25/22, 23/25, 25/27, 23/25). Stats: http://telegraaf2.tss-sport.co…PO/&1161935-PO_REPORT.htm


    Fifth match:
    This match was decisive. The hunger for the title in both teams was enormous, but Knack Roeselare managed to control the stress more than Antwerpen. We can't speak of a real match, because Roeselare was better in every aspect of the game. In the beginning of set 1 and 2, it was close. But at the second time out, Roeselare already had few points more than Antwerpen. The third set started with a blitz start of Roeselare. Antwerpen couldn't find the rhythm of their first two matches, so it was an easy task for Knack Roeselare to become champions. After scoring the last point, E. Rousseaux (coach of Roeselare) cried almost 5 minutes. He couldn't speak a word and his wife had to comfort him. Also tears for Baetens (Antwerpen), because he knew Antwerpen was so close for winning the championship, but they didn't complete it.


    Score: 3/0 (25/21, 25/21, 25/20)


    Conclusion of this season for Roeselare, Antwerpen and Maaseik:

    • Knack Roeselare had a wonderful year. First place at their poule in Champions League (they didn't lost a match), they lost the Cup Final, but they managed to become the Champions of Belgium. Very homogenous team with Tuerlinckx as leader and Tervaportti as an excellent setter. Also the great bench for OHs was decisive (Van Hirtum, Verhanneman, Rousseaux, Claes/Guzman). Largest share in winning the champions title: Emile Rousseaux, the coach of the team.


    • Top Volley Antwerpen had their most succesful season ever. With a bigger budget, they've won the Cup Final and they managed to qualify for the Play Offs Final and the Champions League next year. Van Harskamp as central player with Ditlevsen as scoring machine and Van Bemmelen and Koelewijn as big middles. But personally, the best player of Antwerpen was Baetens. Very emotional player, one who never stops playing and always work.


    • Noliko Maaseik had a rather bad season. Bad transfer policy (Pereyra was one of the most unsuccesful transfers in years for Noliko Maaseik), problems with coach (cfr. Di Pinto), injuries (Maan and Hoho) and no true leader in the team. During the Play Offs, Maan and Hoho returned and they played better. Season to forget.


    Rumours and transfers

    • Rumour: Tuerlinckx (OPP, Roeselare) next season in Resovia Rzeszow (POL).


    • Rumour: Koelewijn (M, Antwerpen) next season in Vfb Friedrichshafen (GER).


    • Confirmed: Broshog (M, Moerser VC, GER), Finoli (P, Untref, ARG) and Padar (OPP, Kecskeméti RC, HUN) next season in Noliko Maaseik

    Thank you very much for the extensive review. I enjoyed reading it. I am really happy for Antwerpen, they broke the two-horse race. I like Noliko and I would be disappointed if they miss the Champions League, but perhaps Roeselare and Antwerpen deserve to be there more. I am also glad to hear good things about van Harskamp, we had a discussion some time ago that he isn't a good player and I disagreed. He might have not made it to a big team (except Perugia), but I stay behind my words that he is a good setter. Good for him and his team that they made such an impact in the Belgian league. I would love to watch him in the CL with Antwerpen, providing that he stays there, of course.

    Quote from YavorD

    Thank you very much for the extensive review. I enjoyed reading it. I am really happy for Antwerpen, they broke the two-horse race. I like Noliko and I would be disappointed if they miss the Champions League, but perhaps Roeselare and Antwerpen deserve to be there more. I am also glad to hear good things about van Harskamp, we had a discussion some time ago that he isn't a good player and I disagreed. He might have not made it to a big team (except Perugia), but I stay behind my words that he is a good setter. Good for him and his team that they made such an impact in the Belgian league. I would love to watch him in the CL with Antwerpen, providing that he stays there, of course.


    Van Harskamp did a good job this season. He's a sub-top setter: not the level comparable with great setters like Bruno and De Cecco, but in sub-top leagues (Belgian League etc.), he can make the diffence with his sets. Next season he will stay in Antwerpen. He already confirmed that during an interview.

    Quote from flyingdutchman

    I can't believe my eyes...I didn't expect such a huge mistake by Noliko-management, transferring a headcoach,who is incapable of communicating in English :white: :white: :white:


    Who is responsible for that mistake?


    Noliko thought they had an Italian top coach with a lot of experience and that he will learn English quickly. Big mistake, I guess... His knowledge and skills about coaching and training is excellent, I have no doubt about that. But a good communication between the coach and the players and vice-versa is another thing. After Noliko-management sacked him, some players were relieved with the new Belgian coach.