The draw for cup semi finals: favorite Dresden with bad luck, got the worst outcome for them possible, has to play in Potsdam, the latter will go for their chance. So the other semi sees much weaker teams, the NRW derby of Muenster (home advantage) against Aachen.
It's going to be the lowest level final in years 
It's going to be the lowest level final in years
The decision about the cup win will be essentially made in Potsdam in the semi against Dresden, yes. The surviving NRW team will be glad to be in Mannheim at all. It's the general way, cup competitions work: they don't guarantee a strong final pairing.
After all the draws in the several rounds of the cup competition we see, that all the stronger teams were in the one half of the now effectively existing tree: Stuttgart, Schwerin, Dresden and Potsdam (and also the always dangerous Suhl, cup winner 2008). So the weak other semi is no surprise, this is the least worst of the remaining.
https://www.stuttgarter-nachri…9d-b408-568916aa9488.html
Is someone able to read it? Is Stuttgart honestly looking for a new player??
https://www.stuttgarter-nachri…9d-b408-568916aa9488.html
Is someone able to read it? Is Stuttgart honestly looking for a new player??
Renkema: Worst game in years. Bitter agreed to this statement. Bitter called the setting of both setters a "catastrophe" according to the article ("Die Leistung seiner Zuspielerinnen ... bezeichnete Bitter als „Katastrophe“").
Stuttgart is mainly thinking about a new setter but Renkema says: "The market is difficult and very expensive." and adds that there are other problems beside the setting as well. She says both the new and the returning players need to improve. "The team is able to do so much better" she says.
Wow...it's quiet unusual to denounce players so publicly.... Shouldn't they encourage young players especially in such tough situations?!
Renkema: Worst game in years. Bitter agreed to this statement. Bitter called the setting of both setters a "catastrophe" according to the article ("Die Leistung seiner Zuspielerinnen ... bezeichnete Bitter als „Katastrophe“").
Stuttgart is mainly thinking about a new setter but Renkema says: "The market is difficult and very expensive." and adds that there are other problems beside the setting as well. She says both the new and the returning players need to improve. "The team is able to do so much better" she says.
Great leaders both…
Suhl's scout received a 5-game ban for attacking Schwerin's assistant coach after the Cup quarterfinal. According to Suhl's president it wasn't an attack and in any other sports there wouldn't have been any consequences for that 
In German League you never get bored.
I expected Knollema to play greater role in Stuttgart after good finish last season and VNL. Hopefully she warms up soon. But if the setters are as bad as described it will be tough.
I expected Knollema to play greater role in Stuttgart after good finish last season and VNL. Hopefully she warms up soon. But if the setters are as bad as described it will be tough.
Knollema missed the Cup QF due to a concussion. Other than that she has been solid enough so far IMO, maybe not outstanding but okayish. It's more like an overall team problem (or club problem 
) IMO.
Wow...it's quiet unusual to denounce players so publicly.... Shouldn't they encourage young players especially in such tough situations?!
I think all players of Stuttgart know themselves about their poor performance. Only Veltman lived up to the expectations in Potsdam.
Knollema is a little worn-out after Olympics by the way, but if she would have been able to play, she surely would have done so instead of Robinson, who had also a bad day.
Another interview with the heads of Stuttgarts team: they can hire another setter financially, if there is one suitable available (a big if), thanks to money from carrying out the Supercup in Stuttgart. They are no more among the best 8 teams in Europe now and nobody should expect them to proceed to the quarters as in the most years at last when taking part in CL. They hope anyway, that Stuttgart plays better, because otherwise they will lose in Bukarest today too.
Suhl vs Münster with 21 (!) blocks in 4 sets. Wow. 
Suhl vs Münster with 21 (!) blocks in 4 sets. Wow.
Win of Suhl was no surprise, first match between both Suhl had lots of issues, now largely sorted out, and Münster really not among the best teams of the league. Suhl is now Sixth behind Wiesbaden.
Standing in first and second league (pro) now, the latter I have corrected due to unacceptable high differences in matches played (ranging from 8 to 12, 50% difference!) due to points per match, therefore Straubing is not even near to be on top in reality (all point corrections by VBL included):
1. league: Dresden (24), Schwerin (23), Stuttgart (21), Potsdam (13, the penalty of -3 included), Wiesbaden (11), Suhl (10), Aachen (8), Münster (7), Erfurt (0, only two sets won so far).
2. league pro (three 3x25-0 match penalties included, VCO Dresden with special license omitted, as mentioned points per match and also difference to nonsensical formal classification in position in braces):
Borken (2,44, +1), Leverkusen (2,33, +1), Rote Raben Vilsbiburg (2,22, +2), NawaRo Straubing (2,08, -3), Flacht (2,00, -1), bigger gap: 6. and 7. are Köln/Cologne (1,70, +-0) and Oythe (Vechta, 1,67, +-0), again gap to Grimma (1,30, +-0) before lower end with BBSC (Berlin-Köpenick, 1,13, +-0), Hamburg (1,00, +1) and the three last Dingolfing (0,88), Essen (0,82) und Freisen (0,25) (unchanged these last three).
There is no need to be among the best three to advance into first league for them, it's all about money, organization and hall situation as willingness (only Hamburg signalized yes without hesitation so far) you know. How many will go down into the split second amateur leagues is also not clear, because if many advance and not many want to join from below they may avert that (again? like Freisen last season). The last time not a single team from second south wanted to advance into second pro for example.
After watching a few Bundesliga 2 Pro matches, I'd like to make a few small assessments of this league:
I am surprised that the level of the league is consistently at a height that is clearly above the previous 2nd Bundesliga. The differences between the teams are not as extreme as some people expected before the start of the season. Basically, every team is capable of keeping up with the top teams and taking points off them. Straubing, Borken, Vilsbiburg and Oythe are at the top of the table with their team composition and at least 5 foreign players each. Freisen has a similar structure, but not quite the same high quality as the other teams due to the acquisition of foreign players. In my opinion, the large number of players with non-German passports allowed to play in this league is not helpful in the long term to strengthen the development of young talent in Germany. In my opinion, the VBL should make changes here for the coming seasons.
Otherwise, the teams all seem to be quite professional to a certain extent in terms of team composition and coaching staff. For most teams, this will still not be enough for potential qualification for the 1st division, as the number of spectators watching the home games is far too low (200-300 and sometimes less) to survive economically in the 1st division in the long term. Ultimately, what counts for the 1st division is the sustainable economic stability of the clubs while at the same time raising the sporting standard - certainly a difficult balancing act to achieve.
After watching a few Bundesliga 2 Pro matches, I'd like to make a few small assessments of this league:
I am surprised that the level of the league is consistently at a height that is clearly above the previous 2nd Bundesliga. The differences between the teams are not as extreme as some people expected before the start of the season. Basically, every team is capable of keeping up with the top teams and taking points off them. Straubing, Borken, Vilsbiburg and Oythe are at the top of the table with their team composition and at least 5 foreign players each. Freisen has a similar structure, but not quite the same high quality as the other teams due to the acquisition of foreign players. In my opinion, the large number of players with non-German passports allowed to play in this league is not helpful in the long term to strengthen the development of young talent in Germany. In my opinion, the VBL should make changes here for the coming seasons.
Otherwise, the teams all seem to be quite professional to a certain extent in terms of team composition and coaching staff. For most teams, this will still not be enough for potential qualification for the 1st division, as the number of spectators watching the home games is far too low (200-300 and sometimes less) to survive economically in the 1st division in the long term. Ultimately, what counts for the 1st division is the sustainable economic stability of the clubs while at the same time raising the sporting standard - certainly a difficult balancing act to achieve.
Bayer Leverkusen has a large hall by the way, absolutely at the bigger ones in current first league. But for many this will be a bottleneck indeed.
Bayer Leverkusen has a large hall by the way, absolutely at the bigger ones in current first league. But for many this will be a bottleneck indeed.
Despite the large hall: with an average attendance of less than 300 spectators for years, it will be difficult to create the economic conditions for the first division.