Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2023/24

Quote from SatanClaus

I do like the second part, but coaches should have their passport knowledge ready when making substitutions. I would have preferred limiting the licences regarding players not eligible for German-NT, so the coaches don’t have to consider passports when working on the best lineup of the team.

At the moment, no coach of the 2. Bundesliga Pro needs to know the nationality of his player by heart. Because the Skurios Volleys Borken, which is the team with the most foreigners, have four foreigners. Therefore, no incorrect changes are currently to be expected.

As written in yesterday's post, a small test match tournament took place in Dresden today. In the first game, VC Olympia Dresden was able to win all four sets against SV Enegie Cottbus, although two sets were tight, according to the Cottbus team. In the second game, ESA Volleys Grimma won 3:1 against Cottbus. Here the team from Cottbus states that they narrowly lost the first three sets and were then able to secure the fourth set. In the final game of Dresden against Grimma, Grimma secured the victory with 3:1. As you can read from the teams' Instagram stories, it was good preparation for the season for everyone.

Quote from StefanS

Neuwied (which is no concern IMHO, because due to lack of competitiveness nobody would miss them)

A loss of Neuwied would be an immense loss for the Volleyball Bundesliga. You're right about the lack of competitiveness and also about the lack of spectator interest in games against Neuwied. From my point of view, the second is the fault of the hosting teams, because the VBL wants the volleyball games to be marketed as events and you can plan special guests for the games against Neuwied, which then increase the audience response again.

The great damage to the VBL and German volleyball comes from the fact that Neuwied is the team with the most German players and together with SSC Palmberg Schwerin are the only teams with a majority of German players. Without Neuwied, the proportion of German players in the Volleyball Bundesliga is only 36 percent. With Neuwied it is a little more acceptable at 41 percent, which I still see as a disgrace for the Volleyball Bundesliga.

In addition, you has to say about Neuwied that they follow a completely different course than all other Bundesliga clubs. For all Bundesliga clubs except Neuwied, it's about the playoffs. Neuwied, on the other hand, runs a U23 program that aims to keep young German volleyball players in the league. The fact that the Volleyball Bundesliga supports this concept can be seen from the fact that Neuwied is accommodated at the sports facility. Because if the license status is strictly adhered to, Neuwied should not play in their hall.

Quote from Matthias

Well I guess with Hölzig being out probably for the whole season I guess Emonts won't have to bother trying to find a new club mid season anymore

Oh..what happened to Hölzig??

Quote from Matthias

She tore her ACL in today's match vs Poland.

I read the ECH thread now...sounds like it looked horrific?

Quote from Matthias

Typical ACL situation, she landed on one leg and the knee collapsed under her. She was eventually taken off the court on a stretcher, it was a terrible situation for the whole team and almost everybody was in tears.

So so sad!! I really hoped she would become a starter for Schwerin this season!

Thanks for sharing!

Quote from Matthias

Another article about Wiesbaden's situation. They lack 200.000€ of the budget that they planned with According to their manager the chances to play the season are 50:50 right now

I also saw that there's an article about Potsdam's situation but it's behind a paywall. The headline says the league took first actions about their situation with potential tax crimes...

I could sidestep the paywall and it seems, that they created special contracts in Potsdam for players and staff, to reduce tax and insurance costs - which is of course completely illegal. So the reaction of the VBL comes as no surprise, which is very clear for integrity in every, especially also financial regard...

Quote from Matthias

But what is the reaction of the league? The facts about Potsdam's contracts were already explained in other articles before...

The VBL will do another licensing round with Potsdam, and it is well posslibe, that they will get no license for season 2023/2024, if this system is beyond anything the VBL can tolerate.

Quote from Matthias

My prediction of Suvi Kokkonen to Potsdam has actually turned out to happen She's on their roster on VBL site so it's official.

You turned out to be great at predictions.

So how many clubs will be left in Bundesliga if both Wiesbaden and Postdam would be out?

Quote from serdar

So how many clubs will be left in Bundesliga if both Wiesbaden and Postdam would be out?

Depends on how you count. Either three or four.

Friendly Match Report

Today were test games again. A public training session and a training match between VfB Suhl and the Ladies in Black Aachen took place in Suhl. The game ended 2-2 after four agreed sets. From the stories of VfB Suhl you can see that the first set went to Suhl with 25:23, the second with 25:27 to Aachen. The indication of the result of the third set is a bit confusing, since Suhl writes in the match point story that the set goes to Aachen with 17:25. But in the video you can see that the ball goes out and that the referee gives the point for Suhl. In a later story you can see the result on the display and the sentence with 25:17 for Suhl is displayed there. The fourth set then went to Aachen with 25:23.

In a story from VfB Suhl you can also see that Mareike Hindriksen was present at the game and looked after the Aachen team. So now I'm wondering if she's really involved in the preparations for Aachen the whole time between the European Championships and the Olympic qualifiers. If so, that's also an extreme workload, which she calls up, I think.

Teams from the 2nd Bundesliga Pro have also completed test matches. So today was the first duel between Schwarz-Weiß Erfurt and ESA Volleys Grimma, which was organized in Gera by the Geraer Volleyballclub and was even broadcast on YouTube. The team from Grimma won the game 3:1. After Erfurt won the first set 20:25, Grimma secured the second set 25:23, the third set 25:22 and the fourth set 30:28. This victory is quite a bit of a surprise, I would say, because firstly Erfurt should actually be a championship candidate in the 2nd Bundesliga Pro and secondly the Grimma team is very young. In Grimma's squad there are only two players who do not fall under the U23 rule. That should be the peak value if you leave out the VCO Dresden.

In addition, the Binder Blaubären TSV Flacht had a test match against VC Oldenburg from the regional league today. As expected, this game clearly goes to the team from Flacht, which wins 3:0. The first and third sets went quite clearly to Flacht with 25:18 and 25:18 respectively. The team from Offenburg was able to make the second set more open and only went to Flacht with 25:23.

Hölzig's diagnosis: ACL, complete meniscus tear and cartilage damage. She will be out for 7 to 9 months. I really hope she comes back after healing.