2015 World Cup - Japan - 9/8

    Quote from vabo

    Absolutely, and this is something the FIVB should be ashamed about forever. Brazil is getting a cakewalk to the gold medal AND some big team will not be going to Rio because of it. All of my best wishes to European teams, but I think it's inevitable that some big ones will not qualify. Imagine the Olympic games without Russia, or without Italy, it's not such a remote possibility at all. You fail the European qualification tournament (where fail means losing the semifinal and the 3rd place final) and everything is over. But there will be two African teams and maybe two or three South Americans. Great job!


    Someone here on the forums has posted that the FIVB receives the majority of its money from tv rights paid by Poland, Italy, Japan and Russia. What's going to happen if one or more of these teams are not at the games?


    There is a difference between growing the game and having a high class competition. When you have a leader from a developing country running the organization, he probably received votes from the developing countries. So he has to repay their efforts. This is done by allowing more teams from weaker regions into FIVB tournaments. Hence, the expansion of the World League to 32 teams. At some point the World Championships will also go to the 32 teams. They can look at FIFA as an example.


    Brazil is not getting a cakewalk into the tournament. They have always had the host get into the Olympic tournament. Great Britain had a team in London. Did they deserve a team in the tournament? Probably not because they normally play as different countries (Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland). But they still did beat an Algeria team, which was the best team of Africa in their Olympic Qualifier.


    I don't know if the FIVB has really tracked performance by confederation at the World Championships, but Africa has floated between 2 and 3 teams on both the men's and women's tournaments. Will they get more in the future?

    Completely forgot about Serbia :wall:


    Do we have any chance of FIVB letting a further European team into the final world qualifier in case, say, Russia doesn't make it? (the one with NA 3rd, SA 3rd, A 2nd and 3rd?) This tournament is beyond ridiculous. Tunisia, Cameroon, Cuba and Colombia :aww:

    Quote from vabo

    Absolutely, and this is something the FIVB should be ashamed about forever. Brazil is getting a cakewalk to the gold medal AND some big team will not be going to Rio because of it. All of my best wishes to European teams, but I think it's inevitable that some big ones will not qualify. Imagine the Olympic games without Russia, or without Italy, it's not such a remote possibility at all. You fail the European qualification tournament (where fail means losing the semifinal and the 3rd place final) and everything is over. But there will be two African teams and maybe two or three South Americans. Great job!


    Someone here on the forums has posted that the FIVB receives the majority of its money from tv rights paid by Poland, Italy, Japan and Russia. What's going to happen if one or more of these teams are not at the games?

    I don't think it's the way to give Brasil cakewalk to gold medal, but situation is indeed dramatic. Talking from Polish perspective, we won WCh last year and yes, we started WC quite well, but it's enough for us to lose ONE match on this tournament and then two in EQ and we will watch Rio in TV. How ridiculous and unfair is that? :wall:


    I don't want to even think about it. It would be a catastrophe...


    it's high time to make qualifications rules clear, fair and constant. Who needs WC? Aside from Japan of course? WCh and continental champions should get olimpic qualification automatically. The rest would fight in one or two world qualification tournament, where team would qualify according to FIVB ranking, And that's it. Representation from each continent would be assured, but the rest would depend only on team level

    Quote from WIELKI ZNAWCA PIERWSZY

    Good to hear that I am not alone with this kind of opinion about Kubiak. He is good player but sometimes really harmful for the team.

    on the contrary, he is doing great, at least lately,. And I think this is what bella meant.


    Michal changed a lot (after he became a father and nees to change diapers) after he became the captain. He improved as a volleyball player, but also his behavior on the court changed drastically. If he influences the team during the match (and as I predict and from what I saw also outside the court) it's always positive influence. He is not destructive anymore (although it was always like that when it comes to NT, he never harmed the national team, he was the one who was making them to get up from their knees and start fighting)


    this is actually IMHO the difference between Kubiak and players like Ngapeth. Michal is not destructive for the team, when something goes wrong.

    Quote from vabo

    Completely forgot about Serbia :wall:


    Do we have any chance of FIVB letting a further European team into the final world qualifier in case, say, Russia doesn't make it? (the one with NA 3rd, SA 3rd, A 2nd and 3rd?) This tournament is beyond ridiculous. Tunisia, Cameroon, Cuba and Colombia :aww:

    Colombia will be "asked" to resign.


    that wouldn't be anything new after all

    Quote from majka.antosik

    on the contrary, he is doing great, at least lately,. And I think this is what bella meant.


    Michal changed a lot (after he became a father and nees to change diapers) after he became the captain. He improved as a volleyball player, but also his behavior on the court changed drastically. If he influences the team during the match (and as I predict and from what I saw also outside the court) it's always positive influence. He is not destructive anymore (although it was always like that when it comes to NT, he never harmed the national team, he was the one who was making them to get up from their knees and start fighting)


    this is actually IMHO the difference between Kubiak and players like Ngapeth. Michal is not destructive for the team, when something goes wrong.


    Oh yes, I understood it a bit wrongly. Kubiak is a clown but in my eyes his behaviour is not helpful. I will not forget his red card during match against Brazil during WCH - we could lost it because of him. Full of nonsense. Also when I heard (real reason) how he broke his fingers last summer... during Satruday's match with Iran we could see that he did not change too much.

    Quote from WIELKI ZNAWCA PIERWSZY

    Oh yes, I understood it a bit wrongly. Kubiak is a clown but in my eyes his behaviour is not helpful. I will not forget his red card during match against Brazil during WCH - we could lost it because of him. Full of nonsense. Also when I heard (real reason) how he broke his fingers last summer... during Satruday's match with Iran we could see that he did not change too much.

    we would have to agree to disagree then :wavy: What exactly did he do on Saturday? Marouf was talking, so him as captain was listening :lol: So what that he was doing it in funny way and probably managed to pi*ss him off? How did it harm OUR team? If anythin it gave them a signal to stop crying and start to fight. Sorry, but I don't care about opponent's mood... I would start to care if he ruins the atmosphere in OUR team and pi*ss Bieniek off


    yes, situation from last WCh was one of very few, when we risk somthing because of him, there's much more of situations where his bahavior and warrior soul has helped us to turn the tide of the match and win it. Right now he is the only one there who is able to shout at these balerinas and wake them up when it's needed

    I am not saying that Saturday's situation was harmful, but that last year, during WCH. Kubiak did not look onto team, but on his stupid needs. After that I am looking for any positive side of his behaviour and for me it is hard to find. He plays very good and should be focused on that.
    As I understood you are saying that Kubias pis*ed off Marouf? In my eyes it looked completely opposite.
    Marouf knew very good to who hit. For me, and only for me, such situations are small character tests.
    Because I am a bit biased about Kubiak behaviour I will skip topic of his positive influence, beacause I don't see it - but maybe I am blind.

    I see that I unleashed quite a debate on Kubiak's topic... Actually, I'm totally ok with his behaviour. He's now more mature, that's a certain thing. To be honest, I wasn't that sure if he fits as a captain. But that was way before he became one! I can partly agree his behaviour towards opponents and refs at times was a bit risky and in the same time my sin is that I've always liked his cheeky attitude :P so no, I've never seen him as harmful for the team, even if we consider the situation from WCh match against Brazil, which isn't hundred percent good example because this gentleman who refereed that match was, to put it mildly, crazy ;) But if Kubiak's actions can for example pis* off Iranians or Italians, especially when they don't behave in the most pleasant way, then go for it.


    I'm a bit amazed and amused. We almost lost priceless points to Venezuela... I almost saw this stupefaction on guys' faces and Stephane was a bit pissed which is not an everyday view. Let's hope we can stay focused in other games, because... ekhm... there is, for example, Australia to face and I know, I know they are super poor on this tournament but Edgar is for sure not a human being. Hopefully he can't score around 50 points in match against us :gone:


    And I wonder if we are sentenced for having referee from Egypt in every single match? Because he refereed 3/5 games we played so far :huh:


    And where the hell is Gavin Schmitt? I know I'm not the most attentive person and maybe it was said like a hundred time why he doesn't play much... but honestly I don't know why and can someone enlighten me, please?

    Australia might have Edgar but the rest of the team is amateurish at best.
    Poland is in an excellent position in the tournament since they play Italy in the final day: if Italy will be already out of the top two, Poland will definitely receive some "help" in remaining there.


    Someone please beat the US :white:

    Quote from vabo

    Australia might have Edgar but the rest of the team is amateurish at best.
    Poland is in an excellent position in the tournament since they play Italy in the final day: if Italy will be already out of the top two, Poland will definitely receive some "help" in remaining there.


    Someone please beat the US :white:


    Yes someone must beat USA!
    Poland lost a point against Iran so they are also in danger.
    Right now the situation is ;
    If Russia wins all of their remaning matches , they will qualify.
    If USA wins all of their remaining matches, they will qualify.
    If Italy wins all of their remaining matches, they will qualify.
    If Poland wins all of their remaining matches, they will qualify.


    So everything is still possible.
    Both Russia and Poland must beat USA for European podium. Otherwise one spot will go to USA .

    There is a difference between growing a game and having a game. Sabotage over sport rules /may the best team win/ via quotas and ever-changing schemes for the highest bidder is not helping volleyball. The management, compared to basketball or soccer is ridiculous.

    Keeping my fingers crossed for two Europeans, any of them, getting their tickets here.


    Otherwise, the European qualifier will be a slaughter already from the qualification pools.



    Italy-Russia for the 3rd place.


    I'm SO worried :S

    Quote from majka.antosik

    it's high time to make qualifications rules clear, fair and constant. Who needs WC? Aside from Japan of course? WCh and continental champions should get olimpic qualification automatically. The rest would fight in one or two world qualification tournament, where team would qualify according to FIVB ranking, And that's it. Representation from each continent would be assured, but the rest would depend only on team level

    I can agree on most points. But apart from the olympic qualification topic, FIVB should acknowledge that the volleyball world is not only cycling around the National teams.


    My biggest concern about the extended NT competitions actually is, how it affects the clubs competition. It is the second year in a row that NT players will arrive at their clubs without a serious preparation time. Lets not forget that it is the clubs, who pay the players wages. :teach: Then there will still be the qualification tournaments in the middle of the season. This year, some leagues reduce or even completely skip their Play-Offs. Imho, that is a big shame as it is my preferred part of the volleyball season.
    The biggest clubs should organize (like european football clubs do) and try to take influence on behalf of the (european) leagues.....

    I watched some WC games and what's wrong with Canada?


    I watched them in Pan American Games and they were not playing well. They have good OHs who can help Schmitt in attack. Perrin is having a good NT season. Hoag need to play better in reception.


    I don't like Schneider, i think he is too predictable. I hope G. Hoag can try Sanders more, IMO he is better setter.


    Their MBs are not so good, specially in block, what makes the game more difficult for them. Daniel Vandoorn had a great game against Australia, lets see what how he will play in next games.


    And Schmitt is having some health problems throughout the summer, i am curious about his season in Brazil. :white: