Kk15 TOP 500

I don't actually care about who will win it, my only concern is Italy being on top3 ?
And if can't be Italy, I hope there will be Russia, Poland and Serbia ?

I forgot to answer to the 4 points:

1) Well, I wasn't thinking that there will be a WL before the Olympics (right?), and it would be the better moment I guess, but I think that in the WC there are matches that he can be able to afford.
The more you'll play, the more experience you'll do, the more you'll learn. Since the Olympics will start in less than an year, we can't wait ?
(ofc it's possible that Sabbi won't be at the Olympics, but since our team is built in prospective, I think Sabbi should be there if he'll deserve it)

2) I don't know how can I explain that, I can see what you mean, e.g. Mastro and Milijkovic came back for the ECh and did an excellent job in general and for the team, so I don't care how old are they, they can help!
But there are cases and cases: for example I think Nikolov is one of the best opposite in the world, but now I would prefer to see Sokolov playing more in Bulgarian NT, if not even starting as titoular with Nikolov as experienced sub ready to fix a bad-started match. I think this point is up to personal taste... Another (extreme) example: Cisolla replaced Maruotti as titoular in Roma last matches: would you call Cisolla back in the NT? I would never do that.


3) You didn't get what I meant. I didn't say that with Grbic they wouldn't had won the ECh, I saw the problem in the opposite prospective: I was highlithing the fact that Serbia didn't need Grbic to win the ECh!!! Even if it's quite clear that Grbic is better than Petkovic.
That is to proove that we can trust in the fact that a team can win even without his beloved champion.

4) About that, I'm not so agree... IMO the NT should also aim to train new national players, not only to win this single tournament, and this other single torunament etc. A NT should think that when XXX will stop playing, or won't be such good as he was before, they'll have to have ready YYY to replace him.
About the first part, you say that a NT should have on his list all the best players that this nation has in that moment. That is teorically right, but... think how much Vermiglio+Fei+Mastro (they can be considered out best setter, opposite, MB) won in the last 5 years they played togheter in the NT....

And remember that a team of champions won't necessary be a great team, and viceversa! The spirit of the team is such important in volleyball ?
Look at Argentina, they have only 2 outclass players, De Cecco and Facu (may be it will be 3 with Sole in the future), and look at the spirit they have!! And with very very young players...

Harleym, I'll try to explain what I feel (I used the word feel instead of think on porpuse, because it's more like a sensation than a thought, may be...).

First of all, I wanna make clear that I'm not saying Fei won't be usefull. I'm not questioning how good he is, but I'm traing to understand what is changed from july-agoust to november to make Berruto change is mind about calling him back. Expecially considering that we won the silver medal.
Why we didn't need him in Austria, and why we need him in Japan? All the reasons you can add to say "he will be usefull for the team in Japan" wouldn't have been true also for the ECh?
The difference imo is the expectation that this team rised on itself: they won a medal in the ECh (we declared at the beginning that our aim was to reach the podium, but probably it woudln't be considered a failure not reaching it), and now... can they afford to let federation/fans down? What are going to be for Italy the conseguences of not being on WC podium? It will be considered a failure not taking the Olympics pass, or a 4th-5th-6th position will be an acceptable result?

I think that now there are expectations, and of course you can feel to be safer giving trust in Fei than in Sabbi.

actually I heard he trained a bit as MB because in the 'six vs six' we miss an MB and we have an opposite more, so Fei happend to be an MB.
But it's not the first time I read and heard that Fei'll may play as MB, so who knows...

@Kjeldhor: I can see what you mean, but it's also true that it was the same one year and half ago when Anastasi chosed the less experienced Zaytsev instad of Maruotti... (actually, Zaytsev hadn't played EVER in A1 as OH when he was chosed for the WCh!). I'm not judging the player, I'm just saying that it isn't the first time and it won't be the last that a not so much experienced player is chosen for the NT.

ps: I've the impression that Martino wouldn't be so apreciated by the others...

actually I heard he trained a bit as MB because in the 'six vs six' we miss an MB and we have an opposite more, so Fei happend to be an MB.
But it's not the first time I read and heard that Fei'll may play as MB, so who knows...

@Kjeldhor: I can see what you mean, but it's also true that it was the same one year and half ago when Anastasi chosed the less experienced Zaytsev instad of Maruotti... (actually, Zaytsev hadn't played EVER in A1 as OH when he was chosed for the WCh!). I'm not judging the player, I'm just saying that it isn't the first time and it won't be the last that a not so much experienced player is chosen for the NT.

ps: I've the impression that Martino wouldn't be so apreciated by the others...

I also don't think that he is so beloved by the others NT players...

BTW, "we could use Zaytsev as a false/fake opposite with Sava and Parodi as receivers. And that would be a pretty interesting solution!"
I don't agree, I think the most natural solution is Sava as opposite and Zaytsev as OH, because he receives way better than Sava, imo.

@Harleym, you're right, Mastro was my personal ECh MVP with Sava in our team, and I hope Fei'll do the same for us in the WC.
I wasn't questioning his abilities, but I think that a NT - for a Club is different because they can hire who they want - should always train a new generation that have to be ready to help the old one... So, I would like more opportunities for Sabbi. And I think that a player shouldn't stay in the NT forever... (e.g.: Petkovic isn't good as Grbic, but look at who is the ECh champion... Travica isn't good as Vermiglio - at least in setting - and look at who is the ECh vice-champion)

Well, the fact he played only 6 matches in serieA1 doean't mean anything. Zaytsev played the WCh with no matches in A1 as OH!
This is just to say, I almost never watched Rossi playing so I don't actually know his skills.

Paparoni is great, I agree. And considering that Bari (and also Giovi) aren't so young, also Paparoni could have been a good choice imo. I mean, if it can't be a young libero (I think we have several young liberos that can/should be trained for the NT!), then he has to be the best one we have.

"killed Trento"... I may have a different idea of killing xD
I don't know if Andrea did well in preferring Jarosz to Gruska, but I think that Bartman is better than both, honestly.

ahhah right FalaschixD

I honestly was suprised about Fei too. I was surprised also for Mastro, but I have to admit that imo Bira underperformed a bit with the NT, and Mastro was a very good choice after all, he was huge during the ECh. He did more than the expectative imo (for example in serve!! But he was also great in digging! So, not simply in blocking). Now, I hope Fei will come out to be as usefull as Mastro was in the ECh...

I think Berruto wants a second experienced player to be ready to replace Lasko if Michal will need it, but I really really hope that Mauro will let Sabbi play (even titoular if the situation will be suitable!) in the "easiest" matches, because he needs to do experience with the NT. And I think he deserves it.

It is like the chose to have Boninfante instead of Baranowicz (or Falasca)... But I would have preferred Baranowicz for the WC, Boninfante lately isn't so good honestly (while Baranowicz is doing well in Cuneo, it seems...)


But I have to say that when Berruto chosed to change the NT, I was really enthusiast for his courage. I didn't know how the team would have been until they played in the WL, and they did more than I expected before the beginning of this tournament (but less than I expected before the final8 after the great intercontniental round, tough xD).
So I'm a bit disappointed, because he prooved he was right to trust in these guys, because they(+himself) brought the NT back to the podium after 6 years... And now he decides that he can't trust in them enough, that he need to call back Fei!!! O.o
It's like "now that there are expectations, I'm afraid to fail, so I want someone experienced". I don't like that so much...
But beside that, I really like Berruto, exept when he got mad.

Well, if he wants to have Fei, Rocco is the price (we really can't afford not to train Sabbi imo, and he is also playing well. Not yesterday but in lately in general yes)...

Rossi was a big surprise to me, I expected I would have chosen one between Kovar and Maruotti, but I'm not a great fan of Kovar and didn't did anything special until yesterday, so I think it could be a good idea. We will see if it'll be good or not ?

Can't wait for the All star game of Friday!!!

Rome-Latina was a very strange match, with a lot of incredible stupid mistake (expecially by Rome), and a lot of lucky situation, like a block digged by chance with the head, and then ended on the elbow of another player, and then on the shoulder of another one, and point. This was almost by Latina, we had only Maruotti lucky ace (the net totally helped). And a team dominating for two set, the other one for the rest of the match (fortunally I cheers for the "other one"!!! )

For example, would you belive that Rome lost the first set 25-18 with 75%70% in reception and 54% in attack?! (Latina 46%31%; 58%). And with Sabbi at 20% in attack (he made several mistakes and I noticed that, but honestly I didn't realized he had such low stats in attacs, I would have thought 40% at least...)

BTW, excellent match by Maruotti that deserved the MVP, but also Ivan (exept in serve, 6 errors and not as usefull as he can be) did a great match, 66% in attack, 57%57% in reception (with 35 reception! He is receiving so well lately, but it's also true that Latina doesn't have such an amazing serve imo...). Paparoni played very good in reception, while in defense he wasn't playing so well in the first two set, then he improved a lot!

Lebl will drive me crazy with is useless float serve (only in the tie break happened that he served more than once in the same serve run, and the first 5-6 time he serve was perfect rec-MB or opposite direct point), but he is doing very well in block and attack, and also in how he is staying on court. Bjelica is so funny xD, always pissed off , but he is playing well too lately, also in serve he often makes break points, and not many mistake.



ps go Macerata!!! I read that Savani and Parodi (and also Travica) played very well, I was so pleased to heard that, the WC is so close!

Fortunally Rome is playing at home, so I won't lose the match!!

But I would never criticize Raisport in this perios, because now that Sky has the right for the World Cups I'm missing Raisport sooo badly ?
And Sky also provide to let impossible for who is in Italy to follow the matches on Laola. And they're going to do the same with others live streaming, I could follow the first two matches of the famale NT, but I'm really afraid that before the beginning of the male WC Sky will have extended their plan of doing-everything-in-their-power-in-order-not-to-let-people-watching-italian-NT. I'm really mad with Dallari too(he is Sky sport vice director).
And shame on FIPAV, they said they want to spread vb and now that they have a NT (I'm thinking to the male one, expecially) that people love to follow, and that finally brought Italy back on the podium for everyone pleasure, they let impossible follow the matches. Nice move, indeed >___<

I guess they'll trasmitt Modena-Macerata, BTW. I think that may be they're used to/they have to transmitt the same match only once during the reg.ses, and a similar match could be more interesting later than now... And there is the problem of the 'par condicio', they can't trasmitt 10 Macerata, Trento, Cuneo and 1 Padova e.g., even if probably more people would prefer to watch the best teams.

Said that, in effect they could have offered two matches also this weekend, one at 17.30 and one at 20.30 (instead of the one of the Sundey afternoon)

Oh my God!!! It's amazing!! So emotional!! And as I had the opportunities to say before, Nightwish rocks, many songs by NW are perfect for a volleyball movie, imo. Great, also the idea of making a trailer, just the end is a bit "fast", like cutted, but really, it's perfect! 5++++++++

Of course Facu will be titoular in Monza, with.. Nikic? Or with the one in the better shape ?

But is not really nice to leave a troubled team, I think. I wouldn't apreciate Facu so much if he'll do that. I consider him a champion (or at least a potential one), and I expect him to act like one.
He should be the one that takes the team on is shoulders, like Zaytsev did last year in Rome for example, after all the problematics Rome had (Cisolla injury, Poey leaving the team, many players not in shape good enough to train...). Not the one that leaves the team in trouble as soon he has the chance!
And let me admit that imo he is not shining as he does with Argentina...

But it's also true that if he isn't in good relation with the team, staying could damage the team itself (ex: Martino in Macerata during the play offs); and I can understand that he would like to play with De Cecco, if he had the chance.

Very interestin coming back!! I think that a very good team needs to have good subs, and this is the case?
I imagine Zagumny will be titoular, but what about Winiarski? He will be an experienced sub ready to play when it will be necessary, or he will be in the starting six (replacing Kubiak, I guess).

There's also voices (Pasini wrote it) that Monza would love to hire Facu...
(He aslo said that is seems facu doean't have a great feeling in the team...)

Rauwerdink operated to the hand (injured during San Giustino-M.Roma), 30-40 days of stop.

Poor San Giustino, really unlucky period...

http://dal15al25.gazzetta.it/post/25719466/rauwerdink-operato-si-ferma-per-40-giorni

Well, the real surprise is that with 3 CL and 3 WCCh won, this is the first Italian supercup for Trento!!! ?