The Italian Giulio Bregoli can book the first few months as a coach of the German volleyball women as a success. Now his team wants to confirm the upward trend at the World Cup in Thailand and annoy the big ones of the volleyball world even more.
“I think we have a really beautiful present and a very interesting future,” said the 50-year-old of the “dpa”.
On Saturday, the German team starts the tournament in the popular holiday destination Phuket against Kenya (12:00 p.m. German time/online stream from ZDF).
But the selection has been with minor interruptions since the beginning of May. In addition to 13 games in the Nations League (VNL) on three continents, there were several test games and the European Championship qualification.
After two years with many disappointments and unrest in the coaching position, the Germans go to the World Cup with a lot of self -confidence. Bregoli could move a lot quickly.
“The team understood our ideas pretty quickly and also implemented them pretty quickly on the field,” said Bregoli, who became the new coach of the selection of the German Volleyball Association (DVV) at the end of last year. The Italian also explicitly praised his players’ zeal for work.
Volleyball World Cup: Bregoli between emotions and analysis
In the VNL, they moved into the quarter -finals for the second time. Against the top teams in the world, the Germans often showed appealing achievements – even if it remained more often with narrow defeats.
“What we could really take with us from the summer is that we can play the level of the top teams, even over long distances from a game. What we actually lack is,” said the new captain Camilla Weitzel.
Bregoli already knows her from her time at the Italian club Chieri. “He is a very emotional trainer on the sidelines,” said the middle blocker. “It’s something that is good for us, that we are a bit free in our emotions in the field.”
In addition, the training work clearly gained quality. “What distinguishes him is this unconditional will that every single athlete goes out of summer and says:” Hey, I really learned something here, “said Weitzel.
Many talents give hope
Bregoli was a co-coach of the Italian volleyball players at the international level from 2017 to 2022 and became European champion in 2021. Then he trained the Swedish national team with some success, with whom he won the title in the Golden League.
The Italian praises the mix in the team. “There is a very positive mood among the players who come back, and those who are added because they are young and gain experience,” he said.
The latter includes Leana Grozer (18), daughter of exceptional player Georg. At the World Cup, Grozer, who recently had to pause injured, will not be there yet.
“She needs the time that every young player with great talent as she needs to improve, learn to make mistakes,” says the coach. “But she certainly has an incredible talent.”
He also names Hannah Kohn and Maria Tabacuks as hope for the future, which is to lead to the 2028 Olympics. The talent pool is as big as it has not been for a long time. But after a lot of rotation, Bregoli relies on the more experienced returnees such as Lena Stigrot and Hanna Orthmann for the World Cup.
Against Poland Showdown for the group win?
Weitzel also sees great progress in the current squad. “We have many girls who played abroad for a first year, in Italy, for example, one of the strongest leagues in Europe,” said the 25-year-old, who has been playing in southern Europe since 2021.
“You just see that a lot of personal development has taken place. Volleyball -based, but also mentally, and that the girls can contribute this here.” In addition, the strong team spirit remains a trump card from the German team.
A very big throw would still be a surprise, especially since most teams will compete in the best line -up in the VNL. In Group G, victories against the rather blank leaves Kenya and Vietnam are almost mandatory. Then it would be about the group victory against Poland.
There have been many duels against the German neighbors in recent years and little victories for the DVV selection.
“Of course there is an invoice open,” says Weitzel. If the group victory does not succeed, there is already a meeting with Olympic champion Italy in the round of 16. At the latest then the consistency of a whole game should be necessary.