Posts by barnabas

Hi, guys! Fabio Menta, an Italian coach based in my country, has just announced that Irina Kirillova has agreed to play for Novara-B. She's coming out of retirement. Can anyone confirm this? I can't find any news about it. I'm curious to see her an action once again.

Is the new head coach permanent? Also, are those Shen Qiong and Ren Qi in the coaching staff?

Did Renan ever play as middle blocker?

saishuu wrote:

They just took two guys from Minas' bench, it wasn't much. If anything, the deal was made with Vibo Valentina given both teams switched opposites. Big teams are always scouting the guys from Minas after a while as their youth categories are always strong. It's only a matter of time until players like Felipe Roque, Maique and Honorato leave too.

I disagree that Taubaté's opposite side doesn't look good -- the Al Hachdadi - Vissotto combo might actually be the best in the league. Vissotto's injury wasn't too serious, by the way. I believe he shall be ready for the beginning of the league. Not so sure about the Paulista finals tonight.

I'm sorry. I just realized that I had only watched the first set of a finals game from last week. Not enough to gauge Al Hachdadi as a whole. Aren't there three from Minas? Petrus, Rogerinho and Carisio?

Where is Japa? I can't find his name. LOL. What's his real name, incidentally?

The new Taubaté is like half and half of last season's Taubaté and Minas. Any news on Vissotto?

Is Valeskinha on active playing duty?

Well, the coach is stuck in a time warp. Any changes from him I'll consider a miracle.

Rains wrote:

Tuaniga's awareness is pretty good for a setter but he have to lose some weight to play much better when playing other than his role. His blocking is average in my opinion.

I agree. I think it's also interesting how he likes to mix his plays up by setting both wings more inside almost like they were combination plays.

I read somewhere that Madayag is a better fit to MB2 (like Baron) because she's a better defender and because of her calm disposition. Maraño is the only available player that can balance the court as the attacking/sliding MB, though she's lost touch. Maybe if she grew more meat she'd be more competitive. I hope to see Maika Ortiz and Bea de Leon healthy and called up to the NT (along with Kat Tolentino as opposite hitter).

Indonesia is going modern now. They have this tall opposite who hits like she doesn't care who her blockers are, though she is sometimes tentative. A step in the direction. Good on them!

sitenoise wrote:

My experience of PHI VB is limited to their national team .

She sometimes reminds me of Jessica Henwick.

sitenoise wrote:

I need as much Mary Joy as I can get

Edit: Should I start calling her Majoy? or is that too intimate for this early stage of our relationship?

Edit 2: Saddle up the horses and get out of town

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I wonder if you've heard of her opposite hitter teammate, Kim Kiana Dy. She's a bit pretty too.

blue1234 wrote:

The Philippines will miss the service of Kalei Mau and Alohi Robins-Hardy for the 2nd leg of the SEA grand prix being hosted by the Philippines. Mau was thought to have some skin allergy, but turns out she is also nursing an ACL injury. Not sure how serious that injury is, but sounds like she will be out for a while and miss the whole tournament. Then Robins-Hardy doesn't have the passport to participate, but how was she able to participate in the first leg if she didn't already have it then???

but some good news, is that they will have additional players in Jasmine Nabor(S), Gretcel Soltones(OH), and Alyssa Valdez(OH) along with the other regulars from the last leg.

If you're wondering about how she managed to traveled, she may well have used her US passport.

treVBault-pad wrote:

Saeta playing Opp

OT

i wanna see Siki play again. He was part of the FIVB U19 Boys' Youth World Champion

Played with Uros, AA and Jovovic

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Kupono Fei still playing as OH.

I'd love to see Wanna play again.

werka wrote:

Jaja played well as OH during the Asian Games and personally, Dindin is better at OPP. Maybe Pons/Valdez can sub in for Jaja to receive at the backrow. Valdez has a decent pipe they can use for that.

OH: Santiago, Mau
OPP: Manabat
S: Robins-Hardy
MB: Madayag, Baron

L: Arado (R), Macandili (D)

SS/DS: Valdez

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Jaja hit well, but her reception was consistently abused. We could have done more if she had been taken out of the reception line. Besides, she doesn't even receive when she plays back home, so why should she do it elsewhere? On zone 2, she could've easily checked the likes of Manganang hitting from zone 4.

If she were to play as a non-receiving OH, that might work too. But then the direction that the world is taking puts the tallest and most dominant hitter on the opposite spot.

If she gets her groove on, Dindin can still run one of the meanest slides in the country. She'd be the most useful as MB1.

It's really odd, because our men's NT started practicing waaaaay before the women's NT did, and they were complete most of the time. They were both assembled at around the same time.

werka wrote:

Madayag and Baron running the middle so well. When Jaja returns, maybe she should stick to OH for NT.

Shouldn't Jaja take the opposite spot? She shouldn't be made to receive. I think the OH spot should be given to someone who is more balanced like Galang, Valdez and Pablo.

sitenoise wrote:

And the secret advantage of a tall setter is ... ?

They both look kind of husky and slow to me. Not sure that's going to help.

This is a weird story

Anytime you get a tall setter is generally a good thing (especially if the next available setter is just 5'5). The question really is how well are they going to be able to adapt to the system.

werka wrote:

Prediction:

1st - Thailand
2nd - Vietnam
3rd - Indonesia

Experience - Philippines lol

PHI NT Management and Staff is very delulu and incompetent right now. Skipping AVC tournaments so that the team won't be scouted for a tournament that does not even have bearing for FIVB standings. Also missing the services of Jaja Santiago and Dindin Manabat.

The Philippine fed is saying that they want to avoid being scouted, but the reality is (or so a good source said) is that the head failed to get sponsors on time. This makes sense because towards the end of 2018, they announced with full confidence that they'd be participating in at least three AVC competitions. Come early 2019, all of a sudden they "miss the deadline" set by AVC.

I don't think Kalei Mau and Alohi Robins-Hardy are secret players. Nobody said anything about this. Besides, videos of them can be easily found on YouTube. Jaja's case, though, can't be just blamed solely on the fed. Ageo Medics simply refused to give her enough time to play. As for her sister, I actually thought she would play (LOL). She hasn't issued any statement that she isn't playing (or has she?). It is clear, though, that she's going back to Japan to play.