Riccardo Sbertoli’s life as captain in Trento, the expectations of the square in Modena as told by Rinaldi, the determination of Grottazzolina, the redemption of Milan but also the new faces of the SuperLega Credem Banca, as well as Francesco Recine’s new adventure in Japan. These were some of the main themes of the second episode of After Hours – La Superlega di notte, the talk broadcast live on Sunday evening on the Lega Pallavolo Serie A Facebook page and YouTube channel, with Andrea Zorzi, Andrea Brogioni and the protagonists of Serie A Credem Bank.
Guests of episode number 2 were Francesco Recine (Toray Arrows, Japan), Riccardo Sbertoli (Itas Trentino), Tommaso Rinaldi (Valsa Group Modena), Andrea Marchisio (Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina), Davide Gardini (Allianz Milano), Lorenzo Cortesia (Rana Verona) and Nicola Salsi (Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza), of which a clip was aired regarding “Living the dream – special After Hours”, his YouTube series on volleyball, both on and off the pitch.
Francesco Recine (Toray Arrows)
NEW ADVENTURE – It started well, I was a little tense and nervous because it is my first experience as a foreigner in a country completely different from ours. But the team is very prepared to have foreigners, they know how to manage new arrivals. Here they make you feel at home, they make you have everything you ask for, they take care of you as if you were golden. They gave me time to come in calmly, we played friendlies with Korean teams, little by little we raised the level of training and playing.
LESS PHYSICALITY, MORE TECHNIQUE – It was complicated to get into the dynamics of the team, everything is completely different. The ball goes ten times faster, the physicality is not as high as in the Super League, everything is compensated by the technique. Reception and defense are at the highest level, if in our championship some receptions are exclamatory, here the ball never leaves three metres.
SOLITUDE AND PHONE CALLS – I had ten days of fever, but I’m recovering. My mother accompanied me to the airport in Milan at five in the morning. It was exciting. I have never been alone even a day in my life in Italy, because between family, friends, the dog, my girlfriend I always had someone close to me, my days were always full. On the trip I spent 22 hours alone, trying to imagine what it would be like upon landing. But the days pass quickly, we are in the gym all day, from early in the morning until six. I get home tired, I cook, then I rest on the sofa. Then every now and then I call my family, my girlfriend, my friends.
Riccardo Sbertoli (Itas Trentino)
TORAY AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP – The difference is physicality. In Italy I consider myself the shortest, the one who throws less hard, who has to manage the serve. Here, however, I’m the one who has to serve, has to score points in attack… The physicality is different, but the technique is two-three steps ahead of the Italian championship, you train it for hours and hours: they do a lot of work. Today we trained for two and three quarter hours, doing only technique for an hour and three quarters between receiving, blocking, serving and defense. Then the ball travels very fast and often the block is one, one and a half.
JAPAN AND FOREIGNERS – Since more spots have opened up for foreigners, previously they were looking for more foreigners, now the Italians have become the mainstay of the championship and after having won the European and World Championships. Here in Japan, opening up to foreigners will raise the bar.
SUPERLEGA – I managed to watch the Del Monte® Supercoppa and then Civitanova-Padova. I consider the SuperLega my championship, I will definitely return. This is an experience that I wanted for myself, I consider it very important for my growth on a personal and technical level.
SUMMER – It was a long, intense, difficult summer. I was in the group until the 13-man squad for the Olympics came out. I gave it my all, I have no regrets about what I did. I proved that I could be on that team. But I don’t choose and that’s how it went. I put the dream in the drawer, I don’t abandon it but it remains there so I can pursue it again later. I don’t lose sight of my goals.
EXCESS RATIONALITY – I realized by working on myself that sometimes thinking a lot is a good thing, but sometimes it takes away your energy. Some coaches told me ‘Trust your talent’, in the role of setter you have to think a lot. When I get home I can disconnect, generally you take home how the training went, that is, whether it went well or badly, but disconnecting is a must.
“PASTE” AS CAPTAIN – I can say that when I started playing volleyball and had the goal of reaching the Super League, looking at Trento, I never expected to become the captain. It’s a great personal satisfaction and a great responsibility. They say that in Trento everything works well and it’s true, I just have to worry about managing the ball on the pitch.
REGULATIONS AND TEAM mates – Every single member of the team helps me, also because we are lucky enough to have known each other for a long time. If you need to say more words as captain for your teammates or want to be closer to them, knowing their reactions helps you a lot to understand the mood of others during the match.
RYCHLICKI AND GARCIA – Kamil is recovering well, he has resumed training, he is not yet ready to enter the field but we hope to recover him as soon as possible. Luckily there is Gabi who is giving us a great hand. He arrived fully loaded, also to have a year as a super protagonist. He’s playing well, he’s very available and that’s the most important thing.
THE OLYMPICS – It left quite a bad taste in his mouth. Getting to the end of the Olympics is something important, but when you’re there you have the feeling of what you could do, what you can’t develop, what you could have done better. We are aware that in the last two games and at times in the match against Japan, we were not able to express our best level. With France we had the opportunity to make the game go round, in the second set we were on top of ourselves. They played at a level they hadn’t reached in the last two years, but we could have picked it up. While with the United States we were unable to break the deadlock. They played a good match, we lost all the sets with advantages.
THE MATCH WITH MODENA – In the second set we did well to restart after a rather disastrous first set. We had the chance to try to close it, we were up by two points, then Modena closed the gap by serving. Then, when you play these matches point to point, the champions are capable of making the decisive break.
THE APPEAL OF GROTTAZZOLINA – There is a new environment for this company. Grottazzolina is a town of three thousand inhabitants, going to compete with teams like Modena, Perugia is a giant step. In preparation we held a few events in the area to make ourselves known, at the first we had 2,200 spectators. We hope to be able to replicate this on Saturday against Verona, perhaps by winning the match.
‘GROTTA’ EXPECTATIONS – Every Sunday must be a final for us, we must try to get points every Sunday. Last time we succeeded, not with Modena but thanks to their great merits. Our strong point? We are a team that can make the difference in batting, having players who can have their say in this fundamental matter. To this we must add a good level of ball substitution.
ALLIANZ’S REDEMPTION – As we said during the week, teams like Taranto, Padova and Cisterna always have a big boost when they make their debut. In Taranto it was a complicated match, nothing went into it. During the week there was a calm analysis, we realized that we played a bad match and that we wouldn’t want to repeat it. With Lube it went much better.
THE DIFFERENCE WITH LUBE – Serving and reception made the difference. We beat very well, they had some difficulties.
SCHNITZER’S “FLIGHT” – It’s his first year in Italy, he’s settling in a bit. He has had professional experience in other leagues, he is noticing that in Italy the level is different in terms of rhythms and connections, even within the locker room. Volleyball-wise he’s not very high but when he’s on a day he flies, he has a lot of potential. When we manage to find more rhythm in the serve, he becomes an interesting central defender in all fundamentals.
MILAN, PADUA AND THE BIKE – I’m always out and about by bike, I live five minutes from the stadium and it doesn’t make sense to move the car. Milan is a very different reality from Padua, where I spent two extraordinary years, a smaller university city, with everything within easy reach. I’m getting to know Milan, every time I go out I don’t understand which part of the city I am in. The city offers a lot.
THE NATIONAL TEAM – In the last two Olympics, which are the ones I have followed the most, I can say that they are a competition apart, where every team can do something good and strong teams can struggle a lot. Italy was on course to win a very good medal, but once again they lost against a team that showed great volleyball.
HARD VICTORY – It was a complicated match, as often happens at the beginning of the season. Especially for us central players: Baranowicz makes it travel a lot. We are happy to have brought her home. They are an excellent team, who play very fast.
ABAEV AND COMMUNICATION – A very intelligent boy. He speaks Italian from day one, he is very helpful and eager to learn. He’s a nice physical setter, I like him. And for a setter, knowing how to communicate is fundamental, he made himself available to the team in this aspect too.
STOYTCHEV AND THE MOTIVATIONS – He has this desire to bring out the best in us, he does it in this decisive way of his. It’s the fourth year I’ve been with him, I know him very well.
THE FROG’S FLAW – I don’t know if we are the most physical, but we have also been physical in recent years. We need to improve a little in terms of cunning, in managing the ‘balls’. We are a team devoted to attack, we must become a team that doesn’t make too many mistakes.
LUCA SPIRITO AND THE BENCH – Golden boy, very helpful, it’s certainly strange for him to start from the bench, but I saw that he reacted very well. He is almost at home in Verona, I wouldn’t see him anywhere else.
SUMMER – The Olympics? I’m very sorry for the boys, I was with them at the last training camp. It’s a very strong group, which works well, made up of very good guys. They deserved a medal. Unfortunately the Olympics are not forgiving, but it is a young group that will be able to redeem themselves.
