Thanks for the whole team and coach, the girls played their heart out on court. 3 tie-break and all accomplished, just wow
I didn't expect this roster to take a win from China cause the A team is alway struggling against China and has to reply on Paola a lot to close the set.
Mmm the statement about Danesi, not sure. This season she has underperformed both in attack and blocking. I'm waiting to see how Fahr is gonna play in the NT post injury. If Fahr is playing better I could totally see a Fah-Lubian/Chirichella as starting 6 MBs.
Danesi is without a doubt the best MB of Italy. One of best blockers in the world right now. Fahr is decent in blocking but not at the same level of Danesi. Fahr is probably better at attacking than Danesi but it should also credit that to Asia. Danesi has saved Italy's ass in crucial moment for many times, blocking the best attackers in other tops teams. Again, playing well in Imoco is not necessarily means that player is better than others, Imoco has such good system and elite setter to bring out the best of players. We don't have that in NT.
Besides, Fahr just recovered from two consecutive ACL, I hope Mazzanti treat this carefully and not push her too far. With Bonifacio out of NT, these four MBs are locked for ECH and OQT for sure. I hope all of them stay healthy.
Degradi was like : bitch, I am back 
The fourth OH position of A team will be Omoruyi or Degardi. Right now it's hard to tell which one will be Mazzanti's pick. Degardi could offer more power in attack as a backup player. Omoruyi is way younger and has more room/potential to grow.
Overall, I am satisfied with Omoruyi's performance so far. Definitely not great but she shows her skill and potentials in such young age (comparing to other Italian OHs ofc).
Pity that Villani is not even here to compete. The girl deserves a chance to prove herself after a good season.
Nwakalor held her ground and did her part until the last match of the week. Hope her injury is not severe cuz this team needs her to score, considering Malual is being Malual.
Statistically, she is having a good VNL, better than the league. Bosio seems to have good connection with her despite such short time of playing together.
She is not bad at all but she really lacks of techniques the mentality to reach higher ceiling. She has a perfect opportunity, facing one-on-one block at the end of first set, but she completely screwed it by hitting out of bound. There was literally no high blocking in the net. 
Being decent is not enough for NT's second opp anymore cause Kate is way more stronger and even younger than Nwakalor.
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Display MoreDegradi was like : bitch, I am back
The fourth OH position of A team will be Omoruyi or Degardi. Right now it's hard to tell which one will be Mazzanti's pick. Degardi could offer more power in attack as a backup player. Omoruyi is way younger and has more room/potential to grow.
Overall, I am satisfied with Omoruyi's performance so far. Definitely not great but she shows her skill and potentials in such young age (comparing to other Italian OHs ofc).
Pity that Villani is not even here to compete. The girl deserves a chance to prove herself after a good season.
Why all you are so sure about Pietrini ? She was bad not only with the club but also in the previous NT season. If she is still bad she needs to face the consequances. the club and the NT gave her many chances and she is becoming worst day after day. If Degradi and Omoruyi deserve it more it would be better to go with them. Also about Villani is too bad that she can not even has the chance to try. She could win a place in the main roster.
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Why all you are so sure about Pietrini ? She was bad not only with the club but also in the previous NT season. If she is still bad she needs to face the consequances. the club and the NT gave her many chances and she is becoming worst day after day. If Degradi and Omoruyi deserve it more it would be better to go with them. Also about Villani is too bad that she can not even has the chance to try. She could win a place in the main roster.
now that you question that, I can't find any good reason to defend her. 
You are right, maybe it's time to stop giving her the free pass until she proved herself otherwise. I remember other said that she is not fully committed to her volleyball career and doesn't take her job seriously, also a high maintenance person to work with. Even Scandicci can't tolerate her anymore.
While I agree that Pietrini hasn't played good this season, I don't see Mazzanti cutting her.
Nicoletti said she was expecting a call from Mazzanti after her good season. 
I mean Mazzanti could have given her a chance.but picking Nwakalor and Malual over Nicoletti. how......
On an Italian blog (Pasini's), an idiot wrote that Parrocchiale plays in the starting six because she is engaged to Francesco Recine (OH of Piacenza and Italian NT) whose father Francesco (ex GM of Lube and Perugia) is now the manager of the women's national team...
Disgusting insinuations, absolutely unfounded and without any confirmation...
If human stupidity can have a limit, here it is definitely exceeded...
Fersino is not mysteriously relegated to the bench, she is gradually recovering from an injury...
Well you can't blame people for looking for an explanation why the hell such an incapable libero is in NT while there are many others who are WAY better than her. By the way it is not like nepotism is never seen during NT selection...
Well you can't blame people for looking for an explanation why the hell such an incapable libero is in NT while there are many others who are WAY better than her. By the way it is not like nepotism is never seen during NT selection...
The so called "Nepo babies" are running the world and also the volleyball world. In fact, more or less all players in NT are children of other NT players or at least pro players. These former NT players of course have valuable contacts in upper management of clubs/national teams and hence naturally receive favourable treatment, which they exploit for the benefit/privilege of their kids. I mean, Arina Fedorovtseva, Kadochkina, Antropova, Voronkova, Fetisova, Ksenia Illchenko-Parubets, Pankova, Scherban and many more are only some Russian-born volleyball players with famous volleyball players/coaches as parent/parents. But of course this is just a coincidence! Anyway, my point is simply that any real meritocracy doesn't exist and that the game is essentially rigged from the beginning. Sorry for OT, this is a debate for another thread.
But of course this is just a coincidence!
It's not a coincidence though in case of these volleyball families: children of pro players have 1) better genes, so it's more likely they'll be above-average tall, what's a necessity in most cases for a pro career; 2) access to competitive volleyball and best clubs from the early age. I don't think there would be Alessandro Michieletto we know today if his father wasn't a decent pro player working as a manager in Trentino (one of the best academies in Italy, where AM has played his whole life).
Obviously, it's a cause-effect relation, not nepotism, but still, for example male Italy team on the first week of VNL had Porro (his father is a coach, his two brothers are uber-talented), Cortesia (he's younger brother is like 2nd-best OH from '08 generation in the country), Rinaldi (his father played as a libero on A1 level), Gardini (his father one of the best MBs of alltime), Recine (his father a former NT player and manager then), and maybe there are connections to other players as well that I'm not familiar with - so volleyball is sometimes really a family business.
I don't think Parrocchiale is there due to nepotism, but while Mazzanti can be quite flexible in terms of starting lineup (he switched from Malinov to Orro after the Olympics for example), his affection to some players from this group of ~14-20-something players is laughable at this point.
It's not a coincidence though in case of these volleyball families: children of pro players have 1) better genes, so it's more likely they'll be above-average tall, what's a necessity in most cases for a pro career; 2) access to competitive volleyball and best clubs from the early age. I don't think there would be Alessandro Michieletto we know today if his father wasn't a decent pro player working as a manager in Trentino (one of the best academies in Italy, where AM has played his whole life).
Obviously, it's a cause-effect relation, not nepotism, but still, for example male Italy team on the first week of VNL had Porro (his father is a coach, his two brothers are uber-talented), Cortesia (he's younger brother is like 2nd-best OH from '08 generation in the country), Rinaldi (his father played as a libero on A1 level), Gardini (his father one of the best MBs of alltime), Recine (his father a former NT player and manager then), and maybe there are connections to other players as well that I'm not familiar with - so volleyball is sometimes really a family business.
I don't think Parrocchiale is there due to nepotism, but while Mazzanti can be quite flexible in terms of starting lineup (he switched from Malinov to Orro after the Olympics for example), his affection to some players from this group of ~14-20-something players is laughable at this point.
The genetical factor is one aspect, for sure. But a lot of them are also starting much earlier than normal people. Tennis-players such as Zverev and Tsitsipas started to play as 1-year olds. Djokovic, Agassi and Nadal were 2-3 years old I think. Luka Doncic started to play basketball on a mini court when he was six months old. They are groomed towards a professional path very early in life and when the deadly ones, who are not the offspring of legends/wealthy stars, start to play as 6-year olds they are already many years behind in terms of development.
I do not know how to properly label this phenomenon. Its somehow leaning towards nepotism, albeit in a more indirect sense, as the children take advantage of superior training facilities as well as superior private coaching from a very young age, which kids from modest backgrounds (who ought to resort to public coaching/training) generally do not have access to, but as they usually also genuinely become superior vs the rest by force of an exceptionally effective combo of genes and upbringing, its not nepotism per se.
14 players summoned for U21
Nausica Acciarri e Anna Eniola Adelusi (Azzurra Volley Firenze); Valentina Bartolucci e Giulia Marconato (U. Volley Montecchio); Sara Bellia e Omonigho Princess Atamah (Volleyrò CDP Roma); Veronica Costantini (Volley Talmassons); Katja Eckl (Libertas Martignacco); Alessia Fini (fino al 30 giugno) e Stella Nervini (Fenera Chieri); Dominika Giuliani e Viola Passaro (Imoco Volley); Nicole Piomboni (Alsenese Pallavolo); Manuela Ribechi e Giulia Viscioni (Pallavolo Scandicci).
no special talents among these girls (especially OHs) I am afraid.
18 players summoned for U19
Merit Adigwe, Anna Bardaro, Angela Coba e Dalila Marchesini (Imoco Volley); Safa Allaoui, Ilaria Batte, Aurora Del Freo, Erika Esposito, Lisa Esposito e Laura Franceschini (Volleyrò CDP Roma); Giorgia Amoruso e Gaia Moroni (Volley Team Busnago); Despaigne Noemi (Chieri ’76); Arianna Gambini, Linda Manfredini e Irene Mescoli (Scuola Di Pallavolo Anderlini); Aurora Micheletti (Pallav. Gorle); Maia Carlotta Monaco (Alsenese Pallavolo).
Much more talented generation compared to U21. Vighetto Amelie (190cm opp) got cut.
,Will Egonu play in VNL finals or not ?
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,Will Egonu play in VNL finals or not ?
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not likely. She said she will be back for ECH.
,Will Egonu play in VNL finals or not ?
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Not in the slightest the team traveled from Hong Kong to Bangkok so you'll see the same team in week 3 as in week 2 
14 players summoned for U21
Nausica Acciarri e Anna Eniola Adelusi (Azzurra Volley Firenze); Valentina Bartolucci e Giulia Marconato (U. Volley Montecchio); Sara Bellia e Omonigho Princess Atamah (Volleyrò CDP Roma); Veronica Costantini (Volley Talmassons); Katja Eckl (Libertas Martignacco); Alessia Fini (fino al 30 giugno) e Stella Nervini (Fenera Chieri); Dominika Giuliani e Viola Passaro (Imoco Volley); Nicole Piomboni (Alsenese Pallavolo); Manuela Ribechi e Giulia Viscioni (Pallavolo Scandicci).
no special talents among these girls (especially OHs) I am afraid.
Depends on how you define special talents.
I'm surprised that Virginia Adriano isn't on the list; she was the main OPP of Club Italia. Tho, Adelusi is better imo so we'll see how she performs.
18 players summoned for U19
Merit Adigwe, Anna Bardaro, Angela Coba e Dalila Marchesini (Imoco Volley); Safa Allaoui, Ilaria Batte, Aurora Del Freo, Erika Esposito, Lisa Esposito e Laura Franceschini (Volleyrò CDP Roma); Giorgia Amoruso e Gaia Moroni (Volley Team Busnago); Despaigne Noemi (Chieri ’76); Arianna Gambini, Linda Manfredini e Irene Mescoli (Scuola Di Pallavolo Anderlini); Aurora Micheletti (Pallav. Gorle); Maia Carlotta Monaco (Alsenese Pallavolo).
Much more talented generation compared to U21. Vighetto Amelie (190cm opp) got cut.
I personally would've included Despaigne and L. Esposito in the U21 but I guess they're aiming high at the U19 and their experiences could be helpful.
Depends on how you define special talents.
I'm surprised that Virginia Adriano isn't on the list; she was the main OPP of Club Italia. Tho, Adelusi is better imo so we'll see how she performs.
By that I mean NT materials.
These girl are around 19 or 20 y/o. Generally speaking, if a player is really talented and full of potential, she would show that already and would be picked by big club too, like Ituma and Kate. Nervini, Giuliani, Viscioni, pity that this generation can't produce good OHs.
Princess Atamah is a solid slider prospect tho, I could see her position in A1 and NT in few years. Not sure about where she will play next season.