Italian NT 2015

    Gennari and Signorile have been cut from the roster.


    That leaves 16 players in the training camp. Too bad for Alessia, I'd prefer her over Costagrande or Diouf.


    Setters: Lo Bianco and Malinov.
    Outside and opposite hitters: C. Bosetti, L. Bosetti, Centoni, Costagrande, Del Core, Diouf, Sorokaite and Tirozzi.
    Middle blockers: Arrighetti, Chirichella, Folie and Guiggi.
    Liberos: De Gennaro and Sansonna.

    Quote from Emil

    Gennari and Signorile have been cut from the roster.


    That leaves 16 players in the training camp. Too bad for Alessia, I'd prefer her over Costagrande or Diouf.


    Setters: Lo Bianco and Malinov.
    Outside and opposite hitters: C. Bosetti, L. Bosetti, Centoni, Costagrande, Del Core, Diouf, Sorokaite and Tirozzi.
    Middle blockers: Arrighetti, Chirichella, Folie and Guiggi.
    Liberos: De Gennaro and Sansonna.


    I absolutely agree. It better be her health because she is definitely better than C. Bosetti, Costagrande and Diouf.. I would play with Del Core-Tirozi/Lucia depending on Bosetti's shape. MB are not so strong IMO

    I have a feeling that Tirozzi will be one of the last cuts ;( She really deserves a chance to play, I know her play through the summer hasn't been as convincing as her season in Casalmaggiore, but has she ever had a chance to play a full match at least? No. IMO She has to play as starter aside Del core, I agree with you.


    I also hope Sorokaite will make it to ECH as Centoni's back-up OPP because I don't like Diouf at all, she always looks lost on court.

    I've never seen Diouf as solid player, I've said this time and again. She doesn't jump, she hops. She has no defense, which would be OK if she is there to score when she is needed, but she isn't.. so I think she simply is not needed in this team. I would rather play with physically weaker OPP such as Centoni or Sorokaite, but who improve the ball control, than have her on court just because of her height

    The only solid OH is Del Core in Italy at the moment. Lucia was really bad during this summer and we don't know if she will be back in shape now. Cate did a really good job compared to her and definitely deserves a spot, at least as a sub. I'm not very convinced by Tirozzi but from what I saw this summer, Costagrande and Lucia Bosetti are the first ones out when it comes to OH position.
    Diouf is just a tall girl, her ball touch and ability to read the game is bad. Sorokaite should definitely be a starter there, subbed by Centoni if needed.

    I think the cuts Bonitta made are fairly correct. Signorile suffered for the long club season, she skipped the WGP and now it is hard to find the best shape so close to ECH. Moreover Malinov showed good skills and personality, I nearly prefer her to Signorile.
    Gennari was good, but underwent a surgery so it is better for her to recover and take the time needed.


    About the OH position... I think Del Core-Bosetti is the best duo that will start the games. At least last year Bonitta started like this until Lucia's injury, so he called Costagrande back. For the other spots I hope he calls Caterina and Tirozzi, Carol looked slow and out of shape!

    Quote from vabo

    Hopefully Bonitta will not be so stupid to call Piccinini again for the next tournaments...


    Do you think she doesn't have the level anymore? I think she can still give a lot, maybe doing as in London and in WCH, starting as a sub but ready to enter at any time!

    Quote from Diesse14


    Do you think she doesn't have the level anymore? I think she can still give a lot, maybe doing as in London and in WCH, starting as a sub but ready to enter at any time!

    I prefer Piccinini to Costagrande if they are looking for experience. IMO, Italy will suffer more from the middles than OHs. Arrighetti is not in shape and Chrichella can be inconsistent. In overall, the team is a black box right now. If OHs and middles play with their usual performance, I'm sure we will watch a nice Italy.

    Quote from Meatballs

    IMO, Italy will suffer more from the middles than OHs. Arrighetti is not in shape and Chrichella can be inconsistent. In overall, the team is a black box right now. If OHs and middles play with their usual performance, I'm sure we will watch a nice Italy.


    Quote from USAvolleyfan

    I also agree. Italy's problem are MBs not OHs


    I agree with you: also last year in WCH, in the final matches the middle blockers didn't play well at all after a great tournament. Maybe that's why Bonitta called also Guiggi this year! I think that the other cut will be Folie: she basically never played this summer, I don't really know why Bonitta called her if she trusted her so little.

    These are the 14 players who will take part to European Championships:


    S: Lo Bianco - Malinov


    OPPs: Centoni - Diouf - Sorokaite(also OH)


    OHs: Caterina Bosetti, Lucia Bosetti, Del Core and Tirozzi.


    MBs: Arrighetti, Chirichella and Guiggi


    L: De Gennaro and Sansonna.

    I think that this is the strongest roster possible. Folie's cut was kind of obvious as she didn't play through out the summer, while I thought he would have brought Costagrande still and cut Tirozzi or Sorokaite.
    I think Carol is not in shape anymore, also last year and during the club season she showed difficulties and her game is decreasing!


    Del Core-Bosetti L. duo is very balanced, both are great in reception and in defense, they attack well and smartly, more over if the reception is ok I hope that the MBs will be used more and that they show good perfomances... We have three OPPs and alla of them can be fire power attackers.

    Quote from vabo

    I'm pretty sure she will be back for the Olympic qualification tournament, the ECH no matter how important is useless compared to a ticket to Rio.


    I think so too.. And I hope also Picci will come back :heart:

    I had a feeling this would happen. Loss by over-coaching. In fact, a whole summer lost by over-coaching, as it turns out.
    It was the bitter ending because this team eventually pulled off a good performance, but still wasn't good enough ... and I can tell that it should have been enough against a surprisingly "normal" opponent.
    The personnel management by Bonitta was just as controversial as last year's, only this time there will be no popular success to hide behind. If he were weak/stubborn (like, say, Berruto) I'd give him a pass. But this coach who wanted to leave his mark, to be the smartest guy, was a big disappointment.


    It isn't too late to involve other players who are NT-caliber but received little (or none) consideration. We can't afford to fill the roster with people who've shown no sign of improvement in many long summers of training and tournaments invested on them. Possibly somebody who has already showed something consistently, so that we aren't wasting the next five years building around the latest teenage sensation.


    Spoiler: the results indicate that this group isn't going to qualify for the Olympics.

    Harsh but realistic words... the ECH proved that we weren't able to beat a horrible Russia. Serbia is already light years above everyone else. Turkey is a decent team playing home, Netherlands are the rising stars, Germany is crawling out of the blackhole.


    There is simply no margin of error for all European teams at the OQT, and this team could lose to anyone at the moment.


    For the first time ever, not qualifying to the games would not be a tragedy. This entire movement has to be bulldozed in order to restart from scratch. Italy has a bright future if somehow we manage to get rid of the incompetence and the nepotism (Bosetti sisters) plaguing it.


    Qualifying to Rio and lose 3-0 to everyone in the preliminary round is not going to accomplish anything.

    ITA for European Qualification Olympic Games.


    S: Lo Bianco - Signorile


    OPPs: Centoni - Diouf - Sorokaite(also OH)


    OHs: Piccinini, L.Bosetti, Del Core, Gennari


    MBs: Arrighetti, Chirichella, Guiggi


    L: De Gennaro, Sansonna