FIVB World Cup 2019 - Sept. 14 to 29, Japan

  • Liu Yan-han speaks better English than Zhu... she just got a short appearance in the set 3.


    Weird, how the match of DOM vs CHN was done in such low intensity. Throughout the match there was absent any vibe from both sides unlike those Chinese matches against KOR and RUS, or the Dominican ones against JPN, KOR, CMR, this match just rolled out too casual...:whistle:


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

  • As far as I know the points from 2019 World Cup won't be counted. It is probably the last edition of WC because Japan doesn't want to host it.

    Where did you get this info?

    This would mean that World Ranking will be unchanged until OG 2020 and it's hard to believe for me.


    Also it's not the last edition of World Cup because there is possibility that it will be qualification tournament for OG 2024. The truth is that Japan didn't want to host 2019 but deals was done much before there was announcement of their OG hosting. So I won't be surprised if somehow they even will find willingness to host WC 2023.

  • This is cool getting to know Cameroon players more. MB #11 Bashorun is a gas. Quite like their coach, too. Giving Japan a run for their money in set 3.

  • Match like this that really gives the host team the full satisfaction, excellence in all regards against the CMR squad.


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

  • i watched a bit of JPN x CMR. surprised at how bad fotso & nana played. fotso got benched, nana often couldn’t swing hard because sets were low, but she also played bad defense and passing. the problem with CMR (& KEN) is all the basics: passing, setting, defense, coordination etc. they have good hitters and athleticism for sure (fotso had 9 blocks against RUS in rio, i think, which shows what their potential is). at one point, passing was so bad, they went to a 4-woman system. they did a lot of stupid mistakes, often letting ball go just to see it land on the line. but they need better setters & liberos. moma did pick up the slack, she was probably the top scorer. bashorun had some good blocks too.


    i think several of their players play in the FRA league but i’m not sure.


    JPN also played with a bunch of benchers (osanai, akutagawa), it seemed.


    how i wish i could watch CMR x DOM, that seemed like it was an interesting match. i think CMR is still better than KEN, but who knows how that’ll turn out.

  • Where did you get this info?

    This would mean that World Ranking will be unchanged until OG 2020 and it's hard to believe for me.


    Also it's not the last edition of World Cup because there is possibility that it will be qualification tournament for OG 2024. The truth is that Japan didn't want to host 2019 but deals was done much before there was announcement of their OG hosting. So I won't be surprised if somehow they even will find willingness to host WC 2023.

    Some folks even said that Terzic is smiling big sending his B team here to have good training courses against some strong teams with A line-ups to pick few young bright players to make up the SRB team for the 2020 OG. But the side effect is for each defeat the B team suffers in the World Cup, the SRB team will lose further its WR points and farther away from its current top WR position. Well, IMO the World Cup is not the annual VNL suitable for the team's training ground to confirm the new talents. Though some may strongly argue that taking up the ECH trophy is the big prize worth this WC throwing-up by the team (just a mutual-exclusive choice due to the schedules), and it is impossible for the same core team to engage in WC after the exhaustive ECH for being so close the two events, and that eyeing for the next big trophy in Tokyo 2020 all justify this decision. Well, that is a strong argument indeed. But trying to belittle the World Cup as an irrelevant event due to no OG tickets being handed out in this edition is not the right thing to do!


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

  • Some folks even said that Terzic is smiling big sending his B team here to have good training courses against some strong teams with A line-ups to pick few young bright players to make up the SRB team for the 2020 OG. But the side effect is for each defeat the B team suffers in the World Cup, the SRB team will lose further its WR points and farther away from its current top WR position. Well, IMO the World Cup is not the annual VNL suitable for the team's training ground to confirm the new talents. Though some may strongly argue that taking up the ECH trophy is the big prize worth this WC throwing-up by the team (just a mutual-exclusive choice due to the schedules), and it is impossible for the same core team to engage in WC after the exhaustive ECH for being so close the two events, and that eyeing for the next big trophy in Tokyo 2020 all justify this decision. Well, that is a strong argument indeed. But trying to belittle the World Cup as an irrelevant event due to no OG tickets being handed out in this edition is not the right thing to do!

    Truly, WC can't be compared to VNL, not just because one gives ranking points and the other not, but the level is much higher at WC because this time teams actually had time to prepare (except the Europeans, which gives them the right to shade the tournament :lol: ), and players are not playing every third match jat-legged. But it also can't be compared with winning OI and WCh. Serbia was forced to send the B team as all the main players, two days after WC would go back to their clubs and be expected to play as one of the main players which is too injury risky. Chinese/Russian league can give rest to their players. Also maybe Serbia would send a better team if ranking points were more currently important to them, expect calling yourself number one they won't lose much, in terms of benefits from higher ranking, next time when Fivb will be looking at the ranking list it will be for making pools for Wch qualifications, but Serbia already qualified as ex-Wch champion. It will be important to stay in the first six so they will get easier group in WCh. Next time when Oi qualifications happen this WC's ranking points will be removed and they would probably take tournament much more seriously.


    There is rumor that Brazil and Poland are interested in taking over hosting of WC

  • Truly, WC can't be compared to VNL, not just because one gives ranking points and the other not, but the level is much higher at WC because this time teams actually had time to prepare (except the Europeans, which gives them the right to shade the tournament :lol: ), and players are not playing every third match jat-legged. But it also can't be compared with winning OI and WCh. Serbia was forced to send the B team as all the main players, two days after WC would go back to their clubs and be expected to play as one of the main players which is too injury risky. Chinese/Russian league can give rest to their players. Also maybe Serbia would send a better team if ranking points were more currently important to them, expect calling yourself number one they won't lose much, in terms of benefits from higher ranking, next time when Fivb will be looking at the ranking list it will be for making pools for Wch qualifications, but Serbia already qualified as ex-Wch champion. It will be important to stay in the first six so they will get easier group in WCh. Next time when Oi qualifications happen this WC's ranking points will be removed and they would probably take tournament much more seriously.


    There is rumor that Brazil and Poland are interested in taking over hosting of WC

    Let's wait for the day when FIVB makes it clear that the World Cup will no longer hand out the WR points and/or serve as the OG qualification tournament giving out two tickets, supplanted by some newly introduced dedicated OG qualifying event. Until then, we all shall take the World Cup as is and all other news are just rumours! But when FIVB takes out all the honey from the World Cup, basically it kills off that quadrennial tournament, at least gradually :-) so it's up to every one what to believe. But remember, after the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games, it will take many decades for Japan to ever host that Earth's largest sport event again :whistle:


    Japan secured the several decade-long deal with the FIVB to host the World Cup sometime in the late 1970's, and the deal was obtained by the Japanese side at cheap due to the cash-strapped situation faced by the FIVB back then. It may be possible that such deal shall come into its end after so long... though I have no idea when is its expiration.


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

    Edited once, last by samsara ().

  • World Cup is probably the stronger tournament, but ECh just has more prestige for European teams. I think non-europeans don't realize that in Europe ECh is often considered to be as important as WCh, and not just in volleyball but in other sports too.


    In my opinion, OQT and ECh were the main tournaments this season for the Netherlands and Russia as well. However, unlike Serbia, they need those FIVB ranking points, so they can't afford to send their B teams.

  • In my opinion, OQT and ECh were the main tournaments this season for the Netherlands and Russia as well. However, unlike Serbia, they need those FIVB ranking points, so they can't afford to send their B teams.

    Also, they're looking to redeem themselves. The Russians are in desperate need of a big result, which they haven't had since 2015, which for their standards is an unprecedented drought and their federation, media and fans are becoming agitated. And after failing at two important tournaments of the season already, the Dutch are looking to end their year on a positive note and lift their spirits coming into the all-deciding European OQT in a few months.

    It should also be noted that they had a few more days to rest and regroup, compared to Serbia.

  • Matches on THURSDAY, September 19 in Hamamatsu and Yokohama:

    • Netherlands v Serbia at 11.00
    • Dominican Republic v Russia at 12.30
    • Argentina v Kenya at 14.00
    • South Korea v Cameroon at 15.00
    • Brazil v USA at 18.00
    • Japan v China at 19.20


    All time is local, UTC +9


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

  • World Cup could be the toughest tournament had FIVB decided to only give 1 spot per confederation, plus host, and the rest are determined by world ranking. But we know how sad FIVB really is as an organization.

  • if SRB didn't want to send A team, why didn't they give up their spot and let ITA or TUR be there?


    btw, speaking of brother-sister duos, there's a plak in the NED men's NT, is that her brother?

    no team is going to willingly just give up their spot and get 0 points. They sent their b team because they still want some points and it helps the team become stronger. Plus this team is still proving to be able to compete at a good level, it’s not like they sent a completely incompetent team that all the other teams can play their bench against

  • I was just going to write the Mirkovic->Popovic thing was working well. They have great timing, super fast. Then they blundered two in row really badly :aww:

  • I’m glad she is at least trying to run the middles, the connection will improve eventually :)

    From really good to awkward. It seems like it's on Mirkovic. She's slowed down her delivery and Popovic has to adjust herself. Seems Popovic likes them faster