European Championships 2015 - hosts Italy and Bulgaria

    Quote from YavorD


    Volleyball.it announced it. I tend to believe them.


    Thanks a lot! Based on what they wrote there their ranking is almost correct, but has a mistake in placing Netherlands above Belgium, it must be vice versa due to set's ratio.

    Quote


    In July, Italy looked like a team without an identity. Today you can enjoy the pass for the Olympics and to play a European Championship semi-final. Zaytsev, what changed?
    Ivan Zaytsev: "A coach, Juantorena and Giannelli. There is more confidence, have fun. We hunger right. "


    It was a beautiful love story between Zaytsev and Travica but I love sad endings :lol: :lol:
    Travica must be the biggest fan of France right now :P

    Quote from B. Moreira

    Bulgaria, with so many injuries, be in semifinal is something very valuable. And if Bulgaria win the game saturday i will not be sad, especially because of Vladimir Nikolov.


    I completly agree. Despite his venerable age, Nikolow is always present for his NT.
    But I like Ivanov and Salparov too. In fact whatever the winner, I will always have a reason to be happy. :dance4:

    Quote from scarpetta

    Travica must be the biggest fan of France right now


    Or the biggest Giani fans :win:


    Speaking of Giani, after almost thirty years with the Azzurri, for the first time in is life he will play against Italy... It's kinda moving for me!
    An year ago he was in the NT and his only hope was for Italy to play well and achieve smth, and now he has to be the one responsable for stopping our dreams... And we have to hope he won't succeed, while I would love to wish him the best ;(

    Quote from scarpetta


    It was a beautiful love story between Zaytsev and Travica but I love sad endings :lol: :lol:
    Travica must be the biggest fan of France right now :P


    I hope he actually didn't say it. I'm the first one who doesn't like Travica as player and considers him as the weakest link wherever he plays, but they were supposed to be good friends and from a friend I expect more diplomacy, not a direct answear which says what everybody knows, Giannelli (and we could say the same for Baranowicz, Falaschi, Coscione, Sottile and so on) improved the team taking Dragano's place. I hope he didn't say so. If he did, I wouldn't like him both for his attitude on court and for his personality outside. As a player I have nothing to say. I would see him as a traitor as well. But who cares? He won't for sure. :lol:


    FORZA SLOVENIA, forza Giani! :wavy:

    Quote from ossubtus

    is this a balkan thing? crovolley thinks everybody hates CRO, deian thinks we hate BUL. just because sometimes we don't pay attention, doesn't mean we are disrespecting a team.


    i never thought i'd hate a coach more than rezende, but heynen has taken that prize now...

    It is probably a general Balkan thing :)

    Quote from ravens#7

    I hope he actually didn't say it. I'm the first one who doesn't like Travica as player and considers him as the weakest link wherever he plays, but they were supposed to be good friends and from a friend I expect more diplomacy, not a direct answear which says what everybody knows, Giannelli (and we could say the same for Baranowicz, Falaschi, Coscione, Sottile and so on) improved the team taking Dragano's place. I hope he didn't say so. If he did, I wouldn't like him both for his attitude on court and for his personality outside. As a player I have nothing to say. I would see him as a traitor as well. But who cares? He won't for sure. :lol:


    FORZA SLOVENIA, forza Giani! :wavy:


    http://dal15al25.gazzetta.it/2…a-con-zaytsev-nel-motore/
    He also talks about jealousy inside the team. :whistle:
    IMO Juantorena is acting very humble that is why there isn't any negativity inside the group right now.

    Quote from raylight

    It is probably a general Balkan thing :)


    I believe it is called inferiority complex :D

    Quote from ossubtus

    there's something in the way that atanasijevic screams and complains to referees that reminds me of bruno rezende, maybe that's why i can't stand him… seems really obnoxious.


    where is nikic?


    Grbic wrongly doesn't care about Nikic, I said wrongly because Serbia would need so much a receiver and digger like him

    Per un pir, un pam un persec per na brogna e na rumleina, nuetr'a sam d'la Ghirlandeina nuetr'a sam da rispeter




    I finally read Zaytsev's interview and I have to admit it's a magnificent work of veiled passive-aggressiveness :lol:


    http://dal15al25.gazzetta.it/2…a-con-zaytsev-nel-motore/




    Here are some of the most interesting quotes:


    "What changed since three months ago?"


    "A coach, Juantorena and Giannelli"


    Putting Giannelli together with Juantorena and a new coach is a BIG statement, has he noticed how his spike effectiveness went over the roof with a better setter?


    "We have a different approach now. We're far more focused on the final goal. Before, there was a way bigger waste of energy on useless things. The slightest movement in the sportshall and you would get distracted. It's no longer the case"


    The first part sounds like one of those typical "training" sessions where Berruto talked for hours about sportsmanship, philosophy, the spirit of whatever he read about some Greek dead guy. The kind of quackery that usually goes with new-age hippies and healing energy, the power of minerals, vegan catfood and how to talk to your internal womyn. He also spent the entire match torturing himself with his fingers up the nose and screaming like a maniac, while Blengini is a chill guy (during the World Cup match against Egypt with Italy down 1 set and losing the second as well, he asked the players to smile a little bit and be nicer to each other).


    The second part sounds like the enormous difference between Berruto and Blengini when a big point is lost due to a referee mistake: Berruto was actively encouraging the players to complain to the referee and throw concentration down the toilet (also jumping and screaming like a cartoon character), Blengini has signaled the team dozens of times to get away from the referee chair at the first sign of distraction.


    My favorite one here:

    "We are fine together. There's no jealousy, maybe a few months ago this wasn't the case. We are all rowing together toward a common goal"


    Wonder who is he referring to again? :lol:


    I think that night out in Rio was the best thing to happen to this team in years. I have no doubt that Travica's ego would have found a way to kick Giannelli out of the team, just like it happened (twice) with Baranowicz.

    Quote from vabo

    The first part sounds like one of those typical "training" sessions where Berruto talked for hours about sportsmanship, philosophy, the spirit of whatever he read about some Greek dead guy. The kind of quackery that usually goes with new-age hippies and healing energy, the power of minerals, vegan catfood and how to talk to your internal womyn. He also spent the entire match torturing himself with his fingers up the nose and screaming like a maniac, while Blengini is a chill guy (during the World Cup match against Egypt with Italy down 1 set and losing the second as well, he asked the players to smile a little bit and be nicer to each other).

    :rolll: :rolll: :rolll:

    Slovenia started great! Cmon guys :thumbup:

    Slovenia are serving great, their block-def is working awesome. Giani has done a great job!!!