Plamen Konstantinov should go, and some sadist should become the new coach and make them train 8 hours a day with a ball /they will have fitness too/. It is not acceptable for a team with top players to display consistently amateur level of play in important matches. It is 2 years now, of the same thing.
Also Salparov and Zhekov must go. The team needs a full change
France are a very very decent team and a very enjoyable one to watch. Grebennikov is world class. Ngapeth on a good day is a beast. So are the MBs. Tillie and Toniutti are solid, don't get me wrong. But France will be amongst the top 5 elite if they find a better partner for Ngapeth, a better and maybe taller setter, and a good, reliable sub for when Rouzier gets shaky.
Bulgaria were unsurprisingly poor. All this team relies on is attack and block. If you look at the court movement you might think that a professional team is playing a bunch of amateurs or veterans. With that team, they are just mediocre. But I wouldn't bet on them beating France even with their starters playing.
France are a very very decent team and a very enjoyable one to watch. Grebennikov is world class. Ngapeth on a good day is a beast. So are the MBs. Tillie and Toniutti are solid, don't get me wrong. But France will be amongst the top 5 elite if they find a better partner for Ngapeth, a better and maybe taller setter, and a good, reliable sub for when Rouzier gets shaky.
Bulgaria were unsurprisingly poor. All this team relies on is attack and block. If you look at the court movement you might think that a professional team is playing a bunch of amateurs or veterans. With that team, they are just mediocre. But I wouldn't bet on them beating France even with their starters playing.
Indeed Sidibe is a good sub for Rouzier. Perhaps their coach is very confident about his players such that he keeps Rouzier on court in the 3rd set. Nothing wrong from their coach coz they have every right to be so confident.
FINALLY. Congrats to France for finally advancing to the elite of the WL and right into the F6 death group. 
Plamen Konstantinov should go, and some sadist should become the new coach and make them train 8 hours a day with a ball /they will have fitness too/. It is not acceptable for a team with top players to display consistently amateur level of play in important matches. It is 2 years now, of the same thing.
I'm not saying he is a super coach. I don't even know if he is really a good coach but you can't blame him. France have a better player on every position, in some they have way better players. BUL is just not good enough and that's it.
Plus, I can't see how NT coaches can impact much on the technical side of grown-up players, some 30+. The only thing they can do is work on the game tactics and possibly a conditioning programme which is short-term, because they are with him only for a couple of months. From my observations, Bulgarian players in general lack some fundamental skills in defence and team organisation on the court, and with a few exceptions always rely on killing their first spike (therefore, a poor set almost always leads to an error in attack). A great example is Aleksiev - all due respect, but if not near the net, this guy is dead weight. He's worse than being with 1 player less because he takes up space. He'll never have court time in any elite team practicing some defence.
I think on only one occasion before (last year's WL against Russia, maybe some years ago again vs. Russia) have I seen a guest destroy Bulgaria 3-0. Congratulations, team France, well deserved! Let me explain why I hoped for a different outcome the whole week even if everyone was pretty much sure France would advance. We've discussed it here before, France just lose their momentum when it really matters sometimes. So I hoped for a similar scenario this time as well, despite the more or less identical win against Argentina yesterday. It had to do with the Australian deja vu I hoped to see today, with the OG2012 qualifier in Sofia, with the type of risky player Ngapeth is, with the inexplicable mistakes Rouzier does sometimes. Well, I was wrong, nothing like that happened. Actually, it seems like Tillie has gone a completely different level with these guys. Nothing in common with the qualifier 3 years ago, nothing left from the final match against Australia last year, pretty much the same level from the WCH and a whole new amount of self-confidence. Now this is a French team that has changed drastically and are finally ready to step in, with some luck. The moment they make 2 jump serve mistakes in a row, they can all easily switch to floats, be just as effective and win it. No need to discuss their defence. Also, I looked at their age - it ranges between 20-something till 28, I think. They should play in the finals, in Division I and in Rio next year. I know you might say it is crazy or too early to say, but I like their game more than the one showed by their "golden" generation with Antiga, Granvorka, Kieffer, Henno, etc. Even if the older guys won medals, these guys play better volleyball and I wish them medals as soon as possible.
Bulgaria hasn't really improved with Konstantinov, I totally agree with the criticism, but now it's not the time to deal with him. Let's judge him after the ECH.
So, my Argentinian friends, not only Argentina got taught volleyball by France. What an amazing team they are! I shall root for them next week 
Indeed Sidibe is a good sub for Rouzier. Perhaps their coach is very confident about his players such that he keeps Rouzier on court in the 3rd set. Nothing wrong from their coach coz they have every right to be so confident.
Perhaps. To be honest, I haven't followed volleyball a lot recently so I haven't seen him play. But from my knowledge Sidibe isn't the player I was thinking of. For me, Rouzier isn't amongst the top elite opposites although he is smart, and in times versatile. What I was thinking of is having someone else to form a pair in the same way Grozer and Schoepps were (and maybe still are) for Germany.
But after all, that's a national team, you can't just sign someone so they'll work with what they have.
When we beat them 4 times out of 5 in the previous 3 years and Ngapeth cried in Sofia, were they with far better players? They do not have better players /except Ngapeth in the abscence of Sokolov/. They have balance on all elements, but are not stronger than us, Poland, Russia and so on. We played at very low level and that made the difference in this match. Very poor reception /WHICH IS TRAINABLE AND WE HAD MUCH BETTER RECEPTION WITH STOYCHEV WITH THE SAME PLAYERS/ and a lot of errors in attack and serve, that made it. Blaming the players is just not knowing how a system works, who builds it and how it achieves stability. All managers who know nothing about managing blame the workers the same way and 94% of the errors come from the management or the system designed by them.
When we beat them 4 times out of 5 in the previous 3 years and Ngapeth cried in Sofia, were they with far better players? They do not have better players /except Ngapeth in the abscence of Sokolov/. They have balance on all elements, but are not stronger than us, Poland, Russia and so on. We played at very low level and that made the difference in this match. Very poor reception /WHICH IS TRAINABLE AND WE HAD MUCH BETTER RECEPTION WITH STOYCHEV WITH THE SAME PLAYERS/ and a lot of errors in attack and serve, that made it. Blaming the players is just not knowing how a system works, who builds it and how it achieves stability. All managers who know nothing about managing blame the workers the same way and 94% of the errors come from the management or the system designed by them.
OK, I won't join an argument with you, you have your own opinion.
In my opinion you are exaggerating Bulgaria's qualities. For me Grebennikov is way better than Salparov is now, the Ngapeth & Tillie pair is better than the Aleksiev & Penchev one, Rouzier is better than 35-or-so year-old Nikolov. And let's assume for the sake of argument that setters and middles of both teams are on par. Bulgaria doesn't have a single world class player and a single player better than France.
You can't compare this game with games years ago, because since 2012 Bulgaria is on the decline and France is on the rise. Bulgaria might have had a better reception statistically under Stoychev, but they have never had a better overall reception (not judging from 1 match) than France. And their defence has never been impressive, just passable.
And in my own opinion, Bulgaria's successes between 2008 and 2013 are overachievements. Now the team is not amongst the top 10 even with the likes of Skrimov and Sokolov. But that's my own opinion.
When we beat them 4 times out of 5 in the previous 3 years and Ngapeth cried in Sofia, were they with far better players? They do not have better players /except Ngapeth in the abscence of Sokolov/. They have balance on all elements, but are not stronger than us, Poland, Russia and so on. We played at very low level and that made the difference in this match. Very poor reception /WHICH IS TRAINABLE AND WE HAD MUCH BETTER RECEPTION WITH STOYCHEV WITH THE SAME PLAYERS/ and a lot of errors in attack and serve, that made it. Blaming the players is just not knowing how a system works, who builds it and how it achieves stability. All managers who know nothing about managing blame the workers the same way and 94% of the errors come from the management or the system designed by them.
Mhm, I completely agree with triglav_kran that you will probably never look at the Bulgarian side objectively. Even if they are in top shape, there are sometimes just better teams and you have to acknowledge that. Also, the French team back in 2012 was a different one (game style, confidence, half of the players, coach), so the comparison doesn't really hold. Even when they swept the floor with us today you still claim they are not better. Sure, Bulgaria played poorly, no question about that, but I am amazed at the lack of appreciation for the quality on the French side. A team that can change tactics during the game, always with glamorous reception and defence, and what I am mostly impressed by - the variety of serve types. The only problem might, in fact, be the short bench indeed and maybe this is the reason they won't get a title in a longer tournament. But who cares, they play fantastically!
I am also leaving the discussion about Bulgaria, let's give them time until the ECH and see what changes they are about to take. Let me just remind you how angry Lazarov was when Bulgaria lost to Germany in the first Olympic qualifier in 2012, almost immediately after that the head coach was fired due to undelivered results, but I guess it won't happen to Konstantinov for reasons we all know why. And to win the finals in Varna was his main goal this summer before the ECH. Which means Plamen has been miserably failing so far.
If you ask me, Bulgaria has clearly better individuals in all positions (except Libero and setter, IMO the two most important positions in volleyball). But Men's Volleyball is not straightforward as many think, teamwork and system can make up for many things and that's why France makes this difference.
Rouzier served ace to prove he's not sissy. No, he is. Congrats France.
Death group: Brazil, USA, France. First opening match in Final Six: Brazil - France.
OMG, why top pool A and B are in same group. In other side, POL is more easier. Is it possible if both Us and France elimimate Brazil in Rio ??? 
OMG, why top pool A and B are in same group. In other side, POL is more easier. Is it possible if both Us and France elimimate Brazil in Rio ???
Definitely. BRA-FRA will be close, but I'm sure USA can beat BRA any day. I wouldn't be surprised to have another USA-POL final.
Are there any individual Best Player awards for Group 2 Finals? Thanks.
Talking about French setters, there are very few of them of world class and Toniutti is by far the best we've had for a long time and will remain so for a few years. This year he was hired by CHL winner Kazan but was immediately taken out with the arrival of Marouf (Russian management).
Also, remember that in France, volleyball is a minor sport and only a small portion of youngsters get involved in it (they'd rather play football, basketball or even rugby, in the south west), that makes high-level recruitment a lot more difficult.
For that reason, respect is due to the current NT, je leur dis bravo !!
Toniutti is underestimated. Watch even last matches of France and see he can radicule by his blocks many tall trees. His results first in Ravenna that was in top of Italian League mainly thanks to him, later hired by Kazan are not accidental. Thanks to him game of France looks like poetry.
On the other hand, I don't like Ngapeth's "hothead". He sometimes should use easier but less risky choices.
According to what people write here, France was very understimated in this forum. I'm sorry for that, because France has one of the best line-up in the world guys, deal with it! We have to begin to consider France among the best teams in the world. After 30 years of up and down, now France is going to spend the next 10 years among the best ones because they have young and very talented players:
Toniutti: I now he's short, but his hands are wonderful: he's a very clean and fanciful setter
Rouzier: good player, nothing more.
Ngapeth: simply one of the best OHs in the world. When he's in a good mood, there's nothing he can't do. A true leader, the only problem is the excessive self-confidence somethimes.
Killie: just like Ngapeth, he can do everything (he's good in dig, pass, attack, block, serve), a very good player in everything.
Le Goff: very complete MB who he's great both in block and in attack.
Le Roux: one of the best MB in Europe regarding attack, even if he has to improve the block.
Grebbennikov: simply the best Libero in the world right now IMHO (but I'm not the only who thinks so, Giani said that too and I trust him).
For these reasons I considered France the best team of groupe 2 since the beginning of WL, and we have to accept that from now on France will stay among the best ones every year, at least until 2025 (I repeat, they are all very young). Personally, I think that for European Championship, France will reach semifinals with Serbia, Poland and one between Russia and Italy.
Display MoreAccording to what people write here, France was very understimated in this forum. I'm sorry for that, because France has one of the best line-up in the world guys, deal with it! We have to begin to consider France among the best teams in the world. After 30 years of up and down, now France is going to spend the next 10 years among the best ones because they have young and very talented players:
Toniutti: I now he's short, but his hands are wonderful: he's a very clean and fanciful setter
Rouzier: good player, nothing more.
Ngapeth: simply one of the best OHs in the world. When he's in a good mood, there's nothing he can't do. A true leader, the only problem is the excessive self-confidence somethimes.
Killie: just like Ngapeth, he can do everything (he's good in dig, pass, attack, block, serve), a very good player in everything.
Le Goff: very complete MB who he's great both in block and in attack.
Le Roux: one of the best MB in Europe regarding attack, even if he has to improve the block.
Grebbennikov: simply the best Libero in the world right now IMHO (but I'm not the only who thinks so, Giani said that too and I trust him).
For these reasons I considered France the best team of groupe 2 since the beginning of WL, and we have to accept that from now on France will stay among the best ones every year, at least until 2025 (I repeat, they are all very young). Personally, I think that for European Championship, France will reach semifinals with Serbia, Poland and one between Russia and Italy.
A fair point. Now let me explain why I disagree with some things mentioned.
1. Well, in 2014 France finally "woke up" after several hibernation years. Of course, they have always managed to find decent players with great technique, but it hasn't always worked well for them. Since the silver medals at the 2009 ECH and until the 4th place at the 2014 WCH the French team had been, more or less, idle.
2. I agree about the qualities of Grebennikov, Toniutti, Le Roux, and even Le Goff. However, Ngapeth and Rouzier remain somewhat risky and depend a lot on a good day match routine. They have been surprisingly consistent in the NT for, maybe, 2 years in a row now, which is an impressive, lone fact. I can't predict how long it will continue. However, I also tend to disagree Ngapeth is a leader of this team. To me, they have no obvious leader, but rather a group of players sacrificing themselves for the team's goal. Last about individual skills, Tillie is a great receiver and a reliable player overall, but he can't do everything. I mean, usually his role is a bit restricted and can rarely carry the whole team forward (which, of course, he hasn't felt the need to do yet).
3. 2025 is a bit far away in the future
Having said that, I want to state France have never really been undersetimated here. They remind me of Bulgaria a lot, only in terms of history and performance, of course, not of style, which means they show up with good stuff occasionally. I wrote it last night already, I feel different about them now, this game they are displaying belongs to the world's elite, no question about that. But they weren't always mentioned among the favourites for any title just because we were never sure if they will shine brightly just then. I seriously doubt any coach, player, or fan was ever OK and would gladly accept to play against France, not in the last 15 years, surely not now. But even this group of players around Laurent Tillie needs to win some medals, just like Konstantinov-Kaziyski's Bulgaria and Antiga-Kieffer-Granvorka's France did. It's pretty much the same with the Iranian team, we've had the discussion earlier.
But to sum up, yes, I even think 2014 was the time when France officially stepped inside the world's elite. We all know how thin the ice over there on the top is 
Talking about French setters, there are very few of them of world class and Toniutti is by far the best we've had for a long time and will remain so for a few years. This year he was hired by CHL winner Kazan but was immediately taken out with the arrival of Marouf (Russian management).
Also, remember that in France, volleyball is a minor sport and only a small portion of youngsters get involved in it (they'd rather play football, basketball or even rugby, in the south west), that makes high-level recruitment a lot more difficult.
For that reason, respect is due to the current NT, je leur dis bravo !!
Toniutti is surely the best French setter nowadays, but not the only one who is, in my opinion, world class. Toafa Takaniko is another classy setter and I would gladly take him instead of Jaumel. And in recent history France have come up with other great names on the playmaker's position. Pujol, Bazin, de Kergret, Chambertin. Even Le Marrec wasn't bad. Patin is another story, though