Germany - Volleyball Bundesliga (VBL) 2017/18

    The season starts on Oct. 14th


    The following teams will participate in season 2017/18:


    Berlin Recycling Volleys (CL)
    VfB Friedrichshafen (CLQ)
    United Volleys RheinMain (CEV)
    SWD powervolleys Düren (CEV)
    SVG Lüneburg
    TSV Herrsching
    TV Ingersoll Bühl
    Netzhoppers SOLWO Königspark KW
    TV Rottenburg
    Bergische Volleys
    Hypo Tirol Alpenvolleys Haching (wildcard)


    Schedule / Results / Match Statistics


    Live Ticker


    Livestreams and Replays


    Cup Schedule


    (Thanks TimHH for the "template" :flower: )



    Within the next days I will start to post the rosters (as the corresponding page of the league is alwasy far behind).

    Thanks a lot for the update and for the work in the thread in advance :) I guess it means that Tirol will no longer compete in the Austrian league, right? Posojilnica is the team to play in the CL instead, they were even drawn against Fenerbahce in the 3rd qualifying round. Both Tirol and Unterhaching are said to keep their junior/youth/amateur structures. As for Unteraching, they will have a team in the 2. Bundesliga South comprised mostly of the players who gained that right last season anyway. At least this is the information I read recently. Some of the more promising players are said to play full time or eventually just train with the first team. Now, where it gets interesting is the location of the team's matches. Most of them will be played in Innsbruck, according to the schedule on the Bundesliga's page, and just 3 of the regular season matches are supposed to take place in Unterhaching (plus a Cup game eventually). Let's see how this will work out.

    That's exactly true, YavorD.


    The cup 1st round against Herrsching (local Munich derby) will be played in the Unterhaching Arena.
    Next rounds depend on the qualification and the opponent.


    In the league rounds only the Herrsching derby and the matches against Solingen and United Volleys are being played in Unterhaching.
    The rest will be hosted in the Innsbruck Olympic arena or the University Sports Center.


    Though there are some criticisms, in my opinion it's a good thing. Another strong team is joining the German Bundesliga.
    According to their own plans, Tirol wants to play for the German title within the next 3-5 years.
    Let's see ... :whistle:


    And contrary to other rumors there is no other than sportive rivalry between Tirol/Haching and Herrsching (distance about 50km).
    Statements of both clubs say, that a local derby is good for audience and press/TV, which also is my opinion.


    Greets.

    Quote from Bayer

    Berlin Recycling Volleys (CL)
    VfB Friedrichshafen (CLQ)
    United Volleys RheinMain (CEV)
    SWD powervolleys Düren

    Düren will play CEV cup too..... 8)


    Worth to mention is, that there will be quarterfinals (they were in question) this year and that the pre-playoffs (7-10) got cancelled.


    Another interesting thing is, that according to the VBL, the clubs will work on a way to establish a "foreigner limitation". This might already come for next season.




    Quote from Bayer

    Though there are some criticisms, in my opinion it's a good thing. Another strong team is joining the German Bundesliga.
    According to their own plans, Tirol wants to play for the German title within the next 3-5 years.
    Let's see ... :whistle:

    Generally, i do agree. Another good team only benefits the league.


    I just wonder what is exactly haching's role in this partnership and whether this can be sustainable mid- and longterm. I assume, some money went over the table for the 2nd division team and the youth department. We will see whether an ambitious guy like Paduretu will be fine with playing the second fiddle in this construct. In the end, it is Haching, who is holding the license, eventhough the money clearly comes from Austria. So there surely is potential for conflicts.......



    There are some good news from Lüneburg. The construction of a new gym (3500 places) has finally been approved by the politic and they want to startbuilding as soon as possible :thumbup:. The bad news is, that for months, Lüneburg hasn't released any official news in general and on roster in particular. Imho that is not very professional behaviour.......

    Logic move by Hypo's board as Austrian league is really weak and simply they don't have space for improvement. Even Posojilnica/Aich Dob isn't serious contender, not to mention other teams like Waldviertel, Amstetten or Graz. Bndesling will profit from them, as well as the Austrians but this means Austrian league is going to "disappear". So far Hypo can't match with Berlin or Vfb but IMO they can challenge Rhein/Main, Duren or Buhl.. I doubt they'll be weaker than last season :teach:

    Quote from TimHH

    We will see whether an ambitious guy like Paduretu will be fine with playing the second fiddle in this construct. In the end, it is Haching, who is holding the license, eventhough the money clearly comes from Austria. So there surely is potential for conflicts.......


    That's EXACTLY what some inside people around Munich are thinking. :whistle:

    Trainer: Luke Reynolds (AUS)
    Setters: van Haarlem (NED, Kladno/CZE), Kühner
    Opposites: Carroll (AUS), K. Russell (USA, Bedzin/POL)
    Middles: Vigrass (CAN), Okolic (SRB), Klein (Friedrichshafen)
    Outsides: Kromm, White (AUS, Tours/FRA), Marshall (CAN), Bogachev
    Liberos: Perry (AUS)


    Berlin announced, that their roster is complete.

    Trainer: Vital Heynen
    Setters: Tischer, T. Kocian
    Opposites: Boladz (POL, Bedzin), D. Malescha
    Middles: Collin (Tours/FRA), Kevorken (USA, Lüneburg), J. Günthör
    Outsides: Atanasov (BUL, Plevne/TUR), Sossenheimer, Takvam (NOR), Protopsaltis (GRE)
    Liberos: M. Steuerwald (Paris/FRA), Späth


    The <gap> on one of the outside positions was filled with Andres Takvam, last year's best middle. Let's see, if that works ... :what:

    Trainer: Michael Warm
    Setters: P. Steuerwald (Herrsching), Hopt
    Opposites: Williams (AUS, Talinn/EST), P. Wolf
    Middles: Bauer, Krick, Escher
    Outsides: Schwarz (Jastrzebie/POL), Aciobanitei (ROM), M. Karlitzek (Rottenburg), Tulley (AUS), L. Karlitzek (Hammelburg)
    Liberos: Zenger (Friedrichshafen)


    Slowly this roster looks like becoming really competitive :whistle:

    Hypo Tirol AlpenVolleys Haching


    Trainer: Stefan Chrtiansky (SVK)


    Setters: Gelinski (BRA, Taubate/BRA), Topalov (BUL, Unterhaching/GER)


    Opposites: Mlynarcyk (SVK, Aich-Dob/AUT), Verhoeff (Düren/GER), Mosquera (COL, Juiz de Fora/BRA)


    Middles: Frances (BRA, Hypo Tirol/AUT), Duarte (BRA, Hypo Tirol/AUT), Beer (CZE, Hypo Tirol/AUT)


    Outsides: Grobelny (POL, Cuprum Lubin/POL), Pietruczuk (POL, Gdansk/POL), Chrtiansky jr (SVK, Hypo Tirol, AUT), Kronthaler (AUT, Hypo Tirol/AUT), Sagstetter (GER, Unterhaching/GER)


    Liberos: Lukinha (BRA, Hypo Tirol/AUT)


    New website http://www.alpenvolleys.com

    Trainer: Falter (GER)
    Setters: D’Hulst (BEL, Roeselare/BEL), Braas (LUX, Waferdingen/LUX)
    Opposites: Buidvits (LAT, Pärnu/EST), Prolingheuer
    Middles: Andrei, Broshog, Zachrich
    Outsides: Westphal (Tabriz/IRI), Sauss (LAT), Allik (EST), Firkal (SVK, Trencin/SVK)
    Liberos: Bann (CAN)


    For me this still is not a team to attack Frankfurt. :box:

    Trainer: Stefan Hübner
    Setters: van Solkema (NED, Arnhem/NED), A. Kocian
    Opposites: Sclater (CAN, Trinity Western/CAN), Pörner
    Middles: Baxpöhler (Bühl), Schlien, Kruse, Krage
    Outsides: Pompe, Kessel (USA), Szeto (CAN, St. Nazaire/FRA), Ching (NZL, BU Bobcats/CAN), Radzuweit
    Liberos: Koslowsky (CAN, Team Canada/CAN), Brüggemann


    I still expect news in the middle.

    Trainer: Max Hauser
    Setters: Sladecek (SVK, Szczechin/POL), Krüger (Warner/USA)
    Opposites: C. Marks (Solingen), Kessler (2nd team)
    Middles: Brown (CAN, Lakkapää/FIN), W. Nilsson (SWE, Linkoping/SWE), Grabmüller (AUT), Wehl
    Outsides: Strohbach, Zemlik (POL, Gdansk/POL), Peter (VI Frankfurt), F. Malescha
    Liberos: F. Tille


    After P. Steuerwald left, the skies in Herrsching were really dark.
    But now I am really positively surprised with this roster. :super:

    Quote from TheDiplomat

    Lots of important players from last years teams missing. Where are: Mote,Mustedanovic, Kessel, Brinkley, and Ondrovic playing now?

    Mote got injured before last season and as far as i remember, his contract with Berlin was resolved. Since then, i haven't heard any news about him. Don't know either where Mustedanovic and Ondrovic will play next season.


    Regarding Cody Kessel, i expect him back in Lüneburg. They already announced during last season that they extended the contract for another season. Michael Brinkley will not come back. He did not fully convince in Lüneburg and i suppose he might have problems finding a good new club. The market for Liberos is always difficult....


    Another player i am missing is United Volleys' Jan Klobucar. I can't remember reading about him.


    Fitterer will not play for Lüneburg again. The new canadian guy, Sclater, is supposed to play opposite.


    Generally i have to say, that i don't like Lüneburg's information policy this year. Social media doesn't seem to exist for them and a lot of the abovementioned names are not officially confirmed yet. If even they don't care, why should anyone else do? Lets remember that, in the near future, they want to fill a 3500 places arena......

    Quote from TimHH

    Mote got injured before last season and as far as i remember, his contract with Berlin was resolved. Since then, i haven't heard any news about him. Don't know either where Mustedanovic and Ondrovic will play next season.


    Mote played for Australia in the WC qualifiers and it looked as if he is nearly fully recovered.
    Ondrovic signed in Czech Republic.


    Quote from TimHH

    Another player i am missing is United Volleys' Jan Klobucar. I can't remember reading about him.


    Some weeks ago it was not clear yet, if he will stay. If he does not, it will be a great loss for Frankfurt, especially in reception.


    Quote from TimHH

    Fitterer will not play for Lüneburg again. The new canadian guy, Sclater, is supposed to play opposite.
    [...]
    Regarding Cody Kessel, i expect him back in Lüneburg. They already announced during last season that they extended the contract for another season. Michael Brinkley will not come back.


    Good info. I will edit the roster.


    Quote from TimHH

    Generally i have to say, that i don't like Lüneburg's information policy this year. Social media doesn't seem to exist for them and a lot of the abovementioned names are not officially confirmed yet. If even they don't care, why should anyone else do? Lets remember that, in the near future, they want to fill a 3500 places arena......


    Perfectly expressed ...



    Greets.

    Trainer: Ruben Wolochin (ARG)
    Setters: Dmytriiev (UKR, Kazhrom/KAZ), Schmidgall (VYS Friedrichshafen)
    Opposites: Kruzhkov (RUS, Ekaterinburg/RUS), Quafarena (ALB, Shkodra/ALB)
    Middles: Mayaula (COD), Pettersson (SWE, Leuven/BEL), Goralik (VCO Berlin), Zuidberg (LUX, Tours/FRA)
    Outsides: Yanagida (JPN, Suntory/JPN), Balster (VCO Berlin), Orthmann, Stöhr
    Liberos: Ruiz (ITA, Moron/ARG)


    Another foreigner peppered roster. Last year this policy went terribly wrong ...