So, after Cuba's implosion, Bulgarias constant fight with themselves, Russia's management problems this year, it is obviously Italy's turn now.
From a german perspective, I wouldn't mind benefitting from this overall bad management but for the sake of Volleyball i do hope that all these great Volleyball nations return to perform to their potential asap.....
That's pretty good analysis 
I am sure you are excellent with math
Bartek, if we didn't kick your ass brutally for several crucual games you wouldn't be champion right now. We prepare champions, just like 2008 with USA or 2011 with Russia 
PS. Please, other Polish users do not feel offended by this choice of words, it is custom tailored for Bartek's needs
Mhm, I completely agree with triglav_kran that you will probably never look at the Bulgarian side objectively. Even if they are in top shape, there are sometimes just better teams and you have to acknowledge that. Also, the French team back in 2012 was a different one (game style, confidence, half of the players, coach), so the comparison doesn't really hold. Even when they swept the floor with us today you still claim they are not better. Sure, Bulgaria played poorly, no question about that, but I am amazed at the lack of appreciation for the quality on the French side. A team that can change tactics during the game, always with glamorous reception and defence, and what I am mostly impressed by - the variety of serve types. The only problem might, in fact, be the short bench indeed and maybe this is the reason they won't get a title in a longer tournament. But who cares, they play fantastically!
I am also leaving the discussion about Bulgaria, let's give them time until the ECH and see what changes they are about to take. Let me just remind you how angry Lazarov was when Bulgaria lost to Germany in the first Olympic qualifier in 2012, almost immediately after that the head coach was fired due to undelivered results, but I guess it won't happen to Konstantinov for reasons we all know why. And to win the finals in Varna was his main goal this summer before the ECH. Which means Plamen has been miserably failing so far.
French team back then and now is much more the same as players in comparison with Bulgaria. Still Rousier, still Ngapeth, Tonuti from second first setter. We were without Sokolov, Kaziyski, Stoychev, Todorov. In 2012 we received much better their serve, we had 20 blocks, we used more surprise in attack /thanks to the reception/. Now we played poorly because the team didn't train and was not prepared. France is better, but our actual, OBJECTIVE level based on results since 2012 shows somewhere between 4th and 10th place depending on how the tournament is organized. 10 errros per set is not the real level for any professional player and is entirely fault of the training system, also that level of reception is the lowest we ever had. With Aleksiev and Kaziyski we received much better 2011-2012 and we didn't let almost any aces / most of these 9 aces were errors in reception/. With normal preparation for the match this easily could have been a tiebreak, and not that humiliation which we made to ourselves..
When we beat them 4 times out of 5 in the previous 3 years and Ngapeth cried in Sofia, were they with far better players? They do not have better players /except Ngapeth in the abscence of Sokolov/. They have balance on all elements, but are not stronger than us, Poland, Russia and so on. We played at very low level and that made the difference in this match. Very poor reception /WHICH IS TRAINABLE AND WE HAD MUCH BETTER RECEPTION WITH STOYCHEV WITH THE SAME PLAYERS/ and a lot of errors in attack and serve, that made it. Blaming the players is just not knowing how a system works, who builds it and how it achieves stability. All managers who know nothing about managing blame the workers the same way and 94% of the errors come from the management or the system designed by them.
Plamen Konstantinov should go, and some sadist should become the new coach and make them train 8 hours a day with a ball /they will have fitness too/. It is not acceptable for a team with top players to display consistently amateur level of play in important matches. It is 2 years now, of the same thing.
Bulgarian serving also made huge influence on that, it is not entirely Belgium's fault. Just like France and Argentina, Argentina didn't show their best game and France showed their best.
Bulgaria -Belgium match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUJzouASF7g
Kurek as opposite will rival Sokolov and Atansjevic, so Resovia can show up to another Champions League final.
Can I have your link for the match, please?
Edit: I watched some of it, very one sided game.
I think Bulgaria, France and Argentina deserve their place in division one, I hope they will change the scheme for next year.
bulgaria has done it . their perfomance was really dominant .in serve & block they were a perfect team and probably we will see a interesting finall between bulgaria-france . if bulgaria would reduce they errors they will be a powerful team and can hurt any team .
Bulgaria is consistently among the top 8 teams on all major competitions since beginning of volleyball with very few exceptions. We had 4 consecutive fourth places in 2012-2013 and had one very bad year in 2014. We ARE a very powerful team and we did hurt a lot of champions /for example we beat Poland in 2012 OG, 2013 WL and ECH and they got the gold in 2014, 2011 only we beat Russia in the World League, etc./
Belgium was bad because we were strong. We didn't let them breathe from serves.
There is no need for someone to state explicitely he/she/it is not a fan of something, everyone by default is not fan of anything unless declared otherwise. Btw, what if he used "not_a_fan_of_erfan"? 
Penchev will play, somebody has to receive in this team.
We have other profitable federations which do not change rules during compeitions and every year and they are no angels /FIFA/ FIVB have mental disorder. As you said we need consistency for a ful olympic cycle.
I hope France could win the Division 2. Their OH, OH, MB setter and libero are very high level.
Yes, and Argentina and Bulgaria have very low level /Sole, Todorov, Aleksiev, Conte, De Cecco, Agontsev, Salparov, etc/
I suggest to take the average of my opinion and that of Rugby since I overestimate Bulgaria and he underestimates it
XDD, the only definition of FIVB what is "fair" is derived from what is "profitable"
I don't think it is that easy to predict that France will surely get the win. First, Argentina can beat them, second, Bulgaria has repeatedly beat them on important occasions and plays at home so nothing is certain. France play the best volleyball, but that is not equivalent to being the strongest team. Some more unbalanced teams are stronger.
Congratulations to Argentina! They got what they deserved. Shameful display on our side. This attitude will cost is dearly.
If Aleksiev hits the face of Uriarte one more time, we may actually reach a tiebreak.
It was hard to see thanks to the lack of equipment in our hall, unfortunately
