• Aleksic is in hell good shape (from year to year even better), battle for 3rd MB spot for Olympic (if ever happen) between her and Popovic could be interesting, especially after not the best half season by Popovic in Savino Del Bene.
I wanna see Aleksic in one of the bigger leagues as well. She was signed for 3 years right? When does her contract expire?
I wanna see Aleksic in one of the bigger leagues as well. She was signed for 3 years right? When does her contract expire?
This year!!! she is already ready for better club, league.
This year!!! she is already ready for better club, league.
I would love to see her in Turkey. I'm sure she is in many club's radar. Can we get her to THY/GS and if Maglio leaves Nilüfer
I would love to see her in Turkey. I'm sure she is in many club's radar. Can we get her to THY/GS and if Maglio leaves Nilüfer
I also have in mind GS and THY, that would be great.
I hit into some interview of Jovana Brakocevic, which she gave to her hometown television, KTV (Zrenjanin) when she was in Serbia in late June, and it turned out to be very, very interesting one, above all, honest one and without too much restraint and false modesty and platitudes.
As the whole interview lasts like a feature film, 102 minutes, I will convey only the most interesting details to me, I recommend those who understand Serbian to watch the whole, if they find so much time.
Here is the link of the full interview:
HOST : I would like to ask you something, which I think is very important, we often hear that he/she is talented but did not get a chance to show it, or he/she got it but failed to use it, what do you think about that?
JOVANA : What does talent mean? What does talent mean in my case? I am talented because I am tall and that is where my talent ends. I'm not jumpy, I'm not physically strong, there are so many stronger players in the World, Europe, our country than me, that it's amazing. Where my talent is, I am tall, and that is the end, and with just the height in volleyball, there is nothing I can do. My coordination was constantly a problem, just because of that height, I had to work on it all the time, my stability was also problematic because of the height, I was constantly working on myself and building on myself, so that the conditionally speaking talent that I am tall came out. What is my talent IMO is patience and motivation to make of myself, to get as much as possible, I worked constantly to improve as much as possible technically and that is something that led me not to say the very top but somewhere among the best , because I was constantly working on something I know I can improve. There’s no way I can improve the jump which I obviuosly don’t have, I’ve been working on the jump my whole career and it’s still miserable compared to the mass of other players because just like that, my physical predispositions are nothing special except height. I worked on that technique, to bring it as close as possible to perfection, and also today I am working on it, to match stronger and stronger, physically dominant, players, a man must somehow match them.
HOST : You mentioned perfecting the technique, whether you perfected it yourself or with the help of a coach, how it goes.
JOVANA : Coaches are the ones who give instructions.............................(some general statements)..................And then when I went to Turkey, I worked with the Italian coach Guidetti, who is great, he taught me some technical finesse that no coach before him taught me, then I started to follow the men how they play, how they run, access to the ball, how they use the bag, and I started to apply some little things in my game, first in training and later in the games themselves, little by little, if a man wants to get the most out of himself.
After that, Jovana talked about leaving Serbia, her international career, first about Italy, then about China, the period in Evegrande, which she said that was wonderful, she said that she made a lot of progress there, the fact that she worked there with the legendary Lang Ping was one of the crucial ones in deciding whether to accept their offer or not, she also noted that it was inspiring to have Feng Kun for a teammate, she is impressed by her play and reasoning, and she also mentioned Logan Tom as a very important teammate and friend who, as the most experienced, made her time in China much easier and who taught her many volleyball things.
HOST : You mentioned the technique, do you think there is a player today who plays similar to you.
JOVANA : No, I don't think so, first of all, when I jump, I stretch, it's not a classic jump, it's literally a stretch, so then that spike is in decline, there is no such player, it's some completely wrong timing, which can only suit me, and I wouldn't want anyone to play like me, the pain is alive in my way of getting to the point, but here's some compensation for all those physical limits.
HOST : You have played in many countries, what country do you think is the best for the formation of young volleyball players, but also for volleyball players in general, where volleyball is most valued?
JOVANA : Italy definitely, it is a country that loves volleyball, loves sports in general. Every club, but literally everyone, is on the same level and finesse is what decides who will win and win the title. The competition is exceptional, the player must be up to the task throughout the season, because otherwise they loses. It inspires, motivates, moves, everything happens there, you lose from the last, you win first on the table, that's why it is the most interesting, the most beautiful and the most learned. But for me personally, it was the best in Turkey, I learned the most there, I had a great coach, great teammates, I entered the Guinness Book of Records with Vakif, it is logical that the best memories of me are the connection to that club and that country.
It's hard to play in Italy, because Italians think they know everything best, they all interfere in everything, clubs think that some other things off the field are more important, that's why you as a player can't be dedicated to volleyball and only volleyball to the end, there is xy things a player has to think about, are these some schools to go around, an infinite number of dinners with sponsors where you are forced to sit and listen to someone who has never stepped on a volleyball court, 2 and a half hours as you remember because he read statistics, of which he has no idea, and that is just a letter on paper, and the situation on the court is often something completely different.
few more interesting thing that she said in shorter variant:
• she said that the first year when she signed for Vakif, the original plan was that due to the limit of foreigners, she would be on the bench, and Saori-Glinka-Furst starters, but in the trainings in the pre-season she fought for a place in the first 6.
• she spoke about incredible Gozde, as someone who did her best to make the team united, and not to feel any differences, and it was imposed that in the locker room people speak in English, even between the Turks (true legend and captain).
• She describes the Olympic silver medal was very difficult and not at all sweet, if she had known what was waiting for her and how it felt to be separated from a child who is only a few months old, she would never have repeated it. She said that her son did not recognize her when she returned from the Olympics and that this was the moment because of which she decided to end up with NT.
• When asked if there was any other reason why she left NT, she answered confidently no, it is no secret that she had a disagreement with Terzic, but these were neither quarrels nor anything spectacular, her statement was misinterpreted and even the reasons for and disagreement, now after a certain period she thinks that Terzic was right, ie since it is about the fact that he did not allow her to stay alone after training to work alone, it was about the fact that he could not allow her to do that, and not to he did not want.
I repeat the interview is very long and there were other interesting things, but this is the most interesting volleyball related parts.
Members like you are worth their weight in gold for this forum. I'll just leave it at that.
Also, very astute self-evaluation by Jovana and her strength and flaws in that first paragraph.
"Italy definitely, it is a country that loves volleyball, loves sports in general. Every club, but literally everyone, is on the same level and finesse is what decides who will win and win the title. The competition is exceptional, the player must be up to the task throughout the season, because otherwise they loses. It inspires, motivates, moves, everything happens there, you lose from the last, you win first on the table, that's why it is the most interesting, the most beautiful and the most learned."
That is so interesting. Thanks for sharing. I wonder how many players feel that way about certain leagues. I wonder if certain leagues stress the importance of “off the court” events. I get it’s important for sponsors and such but I can see how maybe some players would rather just focus on their craft. Also thought it was hilarious how she mentioned the temperament of Italians. 
(No shade, I love Italy$
Joko is such a lovely person. Back then I used to date a Serie A1 player, that's how I got to know many players, including her...
I'm glad she had a taste of Serie A1 at its best (even if we talked about the last years of the golden age, she was with Spes Conegliano in 2007-10).
No She didn't make any separation of her first performance in Seria A or the last season. Only one who is making one is YOU.
I think that Guidetti its a coach who literally improve soo much some players. Brakocevic, Lonneke...
I think that Guidetti its a coach who literally improve soo much some players. Brakocevic, Lonneke...
They reached their highest potential that after leaving vakif. Their performance deteriorate. Specially lonneke. I hope she comes back stronger.
