I’ve already talked about what I think the future looks like for Danish volleyball as far as foreign players goes. Since I came in 2002, the number has risen exponentially, with more coming each year. And if that trend doesn’t continue, I’ll be surprised. So, what are some of the necessary rules to make the league attractive for foreigners but still manageable for the clubs and players from inside the country?
I think the first thing that needs to be addressed is if there should be limits on the amount of foreigners per team. In almost every other league in Europe there is some variation on how many foreign players a team is allowed. Generally, this is a good rule, allow too many foreigners and you end up with no development for younger Danish players, teams with more money can buy more players and the teams become detached from the community in which they are based. Everyone wants to root for their home team and the local element is important in a smaller sport like volleyball.
I think a nice number here is two. Possibly three but definitely no more. In Japan, the teams are only allowed one foreign player but there is also a larger pool of Japanese players to choose from. I think two is good, not only for the team but for the players as well. Living in a new country can be difficult, having someone else who is experiencing it with you can make a huge difference.
But generally, drawing a limit on the amount of foreigners is an important step that will need to be taken at some point.
Most importantly though, and this is why I wanted to write this today, is that there needs to be some kind of deadline setup, after which, clubs will not be able to bring in new players. I’m not sure what the rule is for players changing clubs, I think they have to sit out for three months before they are allowed to play for their new club, but the ability for clubs to bring in new players at any point in the season needs to be addressed.
As the system is now, a club can do just enough to make it into the slutspil (not as difficult a task as it should be) and then they can go out looking for new talent to bring to their team. It is also possible that a team could make the playoffs and then decide they need to strengthen a certain position by bringing in a new player. We saw this last year when Axel Jacobsen came to SK Aarhus after not playing for most of the year, Soren Hansen got hurt and Axel finished the season for them, playing in the semi-finals and finals. What is to stop an ambitious club from offering a foreign player a nice chunk of money to come and play in Denmark for one month for the playoffs? And there are plenty of volleyball players out there to find, believe me.
Without any kind of deadline there is no actual reason to play a full season. The teams with the best connections and the best economic situations will always end up being the most competitive at the end of the year. Teams that play together over a whole season will essentially be punished for working so hard to get the most out of their players. If teams are allowed to supplement their rosters at any point in the season there will never be any incentive for some teams to work hard at becoming the best they can be.
As I named before, it happened last year with Axel. It happened the year before when Lucas Snider came to play libero and it happened the year before that when Nathan Bennett came into the league. It also happened twice with Søren Hansen in the last few years. Not surprisingly all of these players ended up playing in the finals for their respective teams. They all represented strong additions to the teams that they joined, in each case they were probably the difference between those teams losing in the semi-finals and winning a gold or silver medal.
I’m not advocating a system where teams do not have the ability to make changes to their rosters if it is necessary, but I do think there needs to be a deadline, and it needs to be somewhere in the first months of the season. I would say sometime around the first of November would be a good date. It’s enough time to be able to find out what your team needs but not long enough that you can just hire a player for a short period.
Actually, as I write this, I’ve started thinking about how many times it has happened over the last few seasons and how much impact it has had on the league. I’m surprised that more people haven’t been talking publicly about it because it has obviously affected the end of the year results. I understand that foreigners haven’t been here for a long time and there aren’t a lot of rules in place to govern them; but, it is important that those rules come into place soon. Otherwise, it is going to continue to be too easy for certain teams to spend a little money and get big returns at the end of the year.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Friday, November 25, 2005
Tips 25/11/05
Last night I had the great pleasure of dining at town hall here in Odense and I'm not really sure if it will ever be necessary to eat again. I did however manage to drag myself home in time to see those Denver Broncos nudge past the Cowboys on Zulu. I may be far, far from home but Thanksgiving was still in the air...
With that said, let's take a crack at the games scheduled for this weekend:
Lyngby - PVC Lyngby (H1.50): Both teams are looking at a trip to elite-qualification but that doesn't mean that this one will not be hotly contested. As far as I can tell, Lyngby is better than their record indicates, they've got depth and they've got a good mix of experience and youth. It is also worth mentioning that Lyngby has traditionally been a strong blocking team. As everyone knows, PVC gets a lot of production from their two outside hitters. The question is whether the good blocking will be able to slow the good attacking. I think in the end it is a wash and the better overall TEAM will take this one home. Throw in the fact that they aren't playing in Polythallen and I like Lyngby (that is, not PVC) in 4 sets.
HIK Aalborg (H1.50) - Gentofte: Both teams have had injuries in this season, esecially Gentofte. From what I heard, Thomas Bach didn't play in Aalborg's last match but I don't know why. What we do know is that Gentofte has had lots of problems with injuries lately and haven't been playing their best volleyball. Losing a set to DHG in their last match was not a good sign for them. As far as I know, Geo Santos is also still out. I'm picking the home team in this one and there are a few reasons why. One, HIK has just been out playing European Cup, that can only have helped them as far as developing is concerned. Two, I like the homecourt advantage and I like the handicap in their favor. Especially considering how many five set matches have been played by the top teams this year. Third, Gentofte has a lot that they may be looking forward to, the semi-final of the pokal against us, for example. Fourth, I think HIK is due for a nice win, they should be motivated and ready.
Light weekend for the rest of us, I hope you all enjoy your time off in the snow...
With that said, let's take a crack at the games scheduled for this weekend:
Lyngby - PVC Lyngby (H1.50): Both teams are looking at a trip to elite-qualification but that doesn't mean that this one will not be hotly contested. As far as I can tell, Lyngby is better than their record indicates, they've got depth and they've got a good mix of experience and youth. It is also worth mentioning that Lyngby has traditionally been a strong blocking team. As everyone knows, PVC gets a lot of production from their two outside hitters. The question is whether the good blocking will be able to slow the good attacking. I think in the end it is a wash and the better overall TEAM will take this one home. Throw in the fact that they aren't playing in Polythallen and I like Lyngby (that is, not PVC) in 4 sets.
HIK Aalborg (H1.50) - Gentofte: Both teams have had injuries in this season, esecially Gentofte. From what I heard, Thomas Bach didn't play in Aalborg's last match but I don't know why. What we do know is that Gentofte has had lots of problems with injuries lately and haven't been playing their best volleyball. Losing a set to DHG in their last match was not a good sign for them. As far as I know, Geo Santos is also still out. I'm picking the home team in this one and there are a few reasons why. One, HIK has just been out playing European Cup, that can only have helped them as far as developing is concerned. Two, I like the homecourt advantage and I like the handicap in their favor. Especially considering how many five set matches have been played by the top teams this year. Third, Gentofte has a lot that they may be looking forward to, the semi-final of the pokal against us, for example. Fourth, I think HIK is due for a nice win, they should be motivated and ready.
Light weekend for the rest of us, I hope you all enjoy your time off in the snow...
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Thanksgiving
Give Thanks.
You wouldn’t know it living in Denmark, but today is actually Thanksgiving. Besides eating turkey and falling asleep on the couch watching football, we have a tradition of giving thanks on this day. So, I thought I would take a second to name some of the things that I am grateful for in Danish volley.
The proliferation of volleyball blogs this year can only be seen as a good thing. Besides fostering good debate and giving everyone an outlet for their thoughts, it gives me something to read (almost) every day. It’s the original intent of the Internet – information for the people, and I dig it.
While it may be true that the top and bottom of the elite are farther away from each other than ever before, the top is closer than it has been in a long time. Five set matches have become the norm, and I don’t think anyone is ready to predict right now who is going to win the championship. The competition is exciting and it’s only going to get better. Two matches against Gentofte in the next month, looking forward to it fellas.
Shoulder is getting back to 100% soon…
Congratulations to Chad and Skibe, good friends of mine who have had a lot of success so far as first year men’s elite coaches.
Thanks to the refs for always keeping things interesting. And seriously, thanks to any of the refs that are reading the blogs and thinking about their own performance. The players aren’t the only ones who can improve their game!
Thanks to tv3 for showing the Simpsons at least five times a day. Wonderful development. Oh, and thanks to Zulu for showing real football…
Thanks to Middelfart for putting an end to our winning streak. It was about time to start a new one.
Thanks to the Austrians for Hagebau. (I hope that is at least close to how you spell it).
Great to see more Danish success in Germany and in Australia. Good luck this weekend Bo and Anders…
I guess that’s enough, now I can fill myself up on Turkey and pass out on the couch.
You wouldn’t know it living in Denmark, but today is actually Thanksgiving. Besides eating turkey and falling asleep on the couch watching football, we have a tradition of giving thanks on this day. So, I thought I would take a second to name some of the things that I am grateful for in Danish volley.
The proliferation of volleyball blogs this year can only be seen as a good thing. Besides fostering good debate and giving everyone an outlet for their thoughts, it gives me something to read (almost) every day. It’s the original intent of the Internet – information for the people, and I dig it.
While it may be true that the top and bottom of the elite are farther away from each other than ever before, the top is closer than it has been in a long time. Five set matches have become the norm, and I don’t think anyone is ready to predict right now who is going to win the championship. The competition is exciting and it’s only going to get better. Two matches against Gentofte in the next month, looking forward to it fellas.
Shoulder is getting back to 100% soon…
Congratulations to Chad and Skibe, good friends of mine who have had a lot of success so far as first year men’s elite coaches.
Thanks to the refs for always keeping things interesting. And seriously, thanks to any of the refs that are reading the blogs and thinking about their own performance. The players aren’t the only ones who can improve their game!
Thanks to tv3 for showing the Simpsons at least five times a day. Wonderful development. Oh, and thanks to Zulu for showing real football…
Thanks to Middelfart for putting an end to our winning streak. It was about time to start a new one.
Thanks to the Austrians for Hagebau. (I hope that is at least close to how you spell it).
Great to see more Danish success in Germany and in Australia. Good luck this weekend Bo and Anders…
I guess that’s enough, now I can fill myself up on Turkey and pass out on the couch.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
SK and Tournament Structure
There isn’t so much to report from our match against SK. Generally, their setter had to run too much and couldn’t really run an effective offense. We knew they would use their middles as much as possible and just tried to get as many touches as possible in the block. In the end, our passing and serving was sharper and that was the difference in the match – nothing new or particularly revolutionary.
For me, it is always an interesting experience to come back to Aarhus and play. But this time, being injured and not playing very much, it didn’t feel very much different than any other match. More information in the match report on the Marienlyst website.
I also wanted to add my thoughts on what has been a hot debate topic in the last couple of weeks – league structure.
In my mind, the most important thing to address is the number of teams. Ten is too many for two reasons. One, as has been said elsewhere, there are not enough good teams to have ten in the elite. Two, in my mind, it is vital that there is a strong and thriving first division. I can’t stress enough how much I think a strong first division is important for a strong elite.
A strong first division gives a good proving ground for elite level teams. It also ensures that when those teams come into the elite they will be ready to play at a decent level. It also makes it impossible for lower level elite teams to sit back and be happy with being in the elite. As it stands now in Denmark, there are very few teams in the first division that can realistically say they have a chance to come up into the elite. The first division is simply too weak. After Christmas when the top first division teams have to meet the bottom four elite level teams they are just not prepared for the tempo of play. And the tempo isn’t even that high. If these teams were playing against each other all season, they would be a lot stronger once it came time to play elite qualification. That would also mean that the elite teams who had to re-qualify for the elite would not be able to automatically expect that they would be back in the elite. Strong first division = stronger elite.
I think that the right amount for an elite division in Denmark is eight. Six is too few, there still has to be a certain amount of variety and flexibility in the schedule. Six, and you risk playing too many games against the same teams. Even a match between two top teams can get stale and boring if you play it too many times. Ten, as has been said is too many. I also wonder though, does the number have to be even? What about seven? Just a thought.
As far as the system goes, I would like to see a larger playoff. I think eight teams in the playoffs would be better than just four. Therefore I would advocate a system where eight teams in the elite play each other home and away. The top six move on and the bottom two play elite re-qualification. The top six play each other again home and away and are seeded one through six for the playoffs. The top two from elite-qualification fill in the last two seeds. Those eight play in the playoffs, home and away first round (like CEV cup) and then a best of three semifinals and another best of three finals. That’s around 30-32 (Possibly 35-37 if you add the Pokal) matches in the year which I think is a pretty decent amount.
From what everyone has suggested this seems like the most legitimate. But, in any case, the most important things are to cut down the number of teams in the elite, encourage more competition in the first division and to add more quality matches to the schedule.
Some other random thoughts:
I personally could care less who it is who has access to the first and elite divisions. I think that the teams that win the most matches should have the right to come up to the elite. If that means a second team from Holte with all the old stars then that is fine with me. I don’t really care how much they train or what kind of ambitions they have. If they win, let them in. I guess there is a reason why second teams aren’t allowed to move up but I don’t really know why.
I also used to like that the finals were played in pre-decided arenas with both the men and the women playing together. To me, it gave more of a feeling of an event instead of just a match. Of course it is nice to be able to play at home, but it is also fun to be a part of a bigger volleyball showcase. I also think that more could be done with a setup like that but I will perhaps write about that another day. I think the setup from two years ago was optimal, two pre-decided places: KB hallen and Viby Risskov hallen and if it was necessary to go to a third and deciding match then the team with the best record played at home.
For me, it is always an interesting experience to come back to Aarhus and play. But this time, being injured and not playing very much, it didn’t feel very much different than any other match. More information in the match report on the Marienlyst website.
I also wanted to add my thoughts on what has been a hot debate topic in the last couple of weeks – league structure.
In my mind, the most important thing to address is the number of teams. Ten is too many for two reasons. One, as has been said elsewhere, there are not enough good teams to have ten in the elite. Two, in my mind, it is vital that there is a strong and thriving first division. I can’t stress enough how much I think a strong first division is important for a strong elite.
A strong first division gives a good proving ground for elite level teams. It also ensures that when those teams come into the elite they will be ready to play at a decent level. It also makes it impossible for lower level elite teams to sit back and be happy with being in the elite. As it stands now in Denmark, there are very few teams in the first division that can realistically say they have a chance to come up into the elite. The first division is simply too weak. After Christmas when the top first division teams have to meet the bottom four elite level teams they are just not prepared for the tempo of play. And the tempo isn’t even that high. If these teams were playing against each other all season, they would be a lot stronger once it came time to play elite qualification. That would also mean that the elite teams who had to re-qualify for the elite would not be able to automatically expect that they would be back in the elite. Strong first division = stronger elite.
I think that the right amount for an elite division in Denmark is eight. Six is too few, there still has to be a certain amount of variety and flexibility in the schedule. Six, and you risk playing too many games against the same teams. Even a match between two top teams can get stale and boring if you play it too many times. Ten, as has been said is too many. I also wonder though, does the number have to be even? What about seven? Just a thought.
As far as the system goes, I would like to see a larger playoff. I think eight teams in the playoffs would be better than just four. Therefore I would advocate a system where eight teams in the elite play each other home and away. The top six move on and the bottom two play elite re-qualification. The top six play each other again home and away and are seeded one through six for the playoffs. The top two from elite-qualification fill in the last two seeds. Those eight play in the playoffs, home and away first round (like CEV cup) and then a best of three semifinals and another best of three finals. That’s around 30-32 (Possibly 35-37 if you add the Pokal) matches in the year which I think is a pretty decent amount.
From what everyone has suggested this seems like the most legitimate. But, in any case, the most important things are to cut down the number of teams in the elite, encourage more competition in the first division and to add more quality matches to the schedule.
Some other random thoughts:
I personally could care less who it is who has access to the first and elite divisions. I think that the teams that win the most matches should have the right to come up to the elite. If that means a second team from Holte with all the old stars then that is fine with me. I don’t really care how much they train or what kind of ambitions they have. If they win, let them in. I guess there is a reason why second teams aren’t allowed to move up but I don’t really know why.
I also used to like that the finals were played in pre-decided arenas with both the men and the women playing together. To me, it gave more of a feeling of an event instead of just a match. Of course it is nice to be able to play at home, but it is also fun to be a part of a bigger volleyball showcase. I also think that more could be done with a setup like that but I will perhaps write about that another day. I think the setup from two years ago was optimal, two pre-decided places: KB hallen and Viby Risskov hallen and if it was necessary to go to a third and deciding match then the team with the best record played at home.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Tips 19/20-11-05
(Note: I have been trying to get blogger to post this for quite some time now, I don't know what the deal is but hopefully it will show up soon.)
Okay, I don’t know what’s going on with NordicBet these days but I’m going to attempt this without any odds or handicaps.
Hvidovre – HIK: This one looks like a pretty easy win for HIK. They’ve been out playing European Cup and they should be in a fairly high gear as far as playing goes. Hvidovre has little left to fight for here in the fall season. They are going to miss the slutspil so the only thing left is to work towards being ready for the after Christmas season. All of this adds up to what should be solid 3-0 to HIK.
Gentofte – DHG: These teams just played each other and even though there might be one less Gentofte player ready to play this time it shouldn’t make a difference. DHG has rarely been close in any of the matches they have played this year, they just don’t have enough depth to be able to keep other teams guessing. This one should also be 3-0 but I would imagine the handicap and odds will make it almost unplayable.
Middelfart – Holte: Holte has impressively shown that they are slutspil-ready. As I have said before, they play volleyball the way it should be played, quick tempo and with solid ball control. Their problem is that they don’t have anyone they can count on to kill the ball in emergency situations. As long as they are able to pass well and stay in system they will be able to sideout, but as soon as things break down they are in trouble. Against a team like Middelfart that has proven they can sideout consistently it will be the way that the two teams deal with emergency situations that decides the match. Middelfart will pressure Holte out of their comfort zone while holding a high sideout percentage and this will be too much for Holte. 3-0 to Middelfart.
SK Aarhus – Marienlyst: I’m still not ready to play but our team is ready and I have confidence that we will take this game. I have no idea what the odds are but this could be a bet-worthy match…
Okay, I don’t know what’s going on with NordicBet these days but I’m going to attempt this without any odds or handicaps.
Hvidovre – HIK: This one looks like a pretty easy win for HIK. They’ve been out playing European Cup and they should be in a fairly high gear as far as playing goes. Hvidovre has little left to fight for here in the fall season. They are going to miss the slutspil so the only thing left is to work towards being ready for the after Christmas season. All of this adds up to what should be solid 3-0 to HIK.
Gentofte – DHG: These teams just played each other and even though there might be one less Gentofte player ready to play this time it shouldn’t make a difference. DHG has rarely been close in any of the matches they have played this year, they just don’t have enough depth to be able to keep other teams guessing. This one should also be 3-0 but I would imagine the handicap and odds will make it almost unplayable.
Middelfart – Holte: Holte has impressively shown that they are slutspil-ready. As I have said before, they play volleyball the way it should be played, quick tempo and with solid ball control. Their problem is that they don’t have anyone they can count on to kill the ball in emergency situations. As long as they are able to pass well and stay in system they will be able to sideout, but as soon as things break down they are in trouble. Against a team like Middelfart that has proven they can sideout consistently it will be the way that the two teams deal with emergency situations that decides the match. Middelfart will pressure Holte out of their comfort zone while holding a high sideout percentage and this will be too much for Holte. 3-0 to Middelfart.
SK Aarhus – Marienlyst: I’m still not ready to play but our team is ready and I have confidence that we will take this game. I have no idea what the odds are but this could be a bet-worthy match…
Monday, November 14, 2005
Middelfart from the sidelines...
It's a weird feeling to sit outside the court, knowing that you cannot play, and watch your teammates fight their way through a match. You feel connected to them, and you try to help in any way possible, but in the end you are just another spectator hoping that the final result will be a good one.
I'm not going to go too much into the match except to say that it was a good one. With the exception of the third set, the match was almost always close. There were some really exciting rallies, and most of the credit for those has to go to Middelfart and some incredible defense, but most of all there was good energy in the gym. I think the fans could be glad for what they saw on saturday, even if it was a loss for the home team.
We can only hope that next time we play them we can match their intensity and aggressiveness. They were more hungry than we were on Saturday and it showed in the last set. But if that match was any indication, it looks like there is a whole bunch of exciting volleyball on the way after Christmas. And that's good for everybody.
What I did want to mention, and frankly I don't really care if it gets me in trouble or causes problems, was that I could not stand the head referee (I don't need to name any names) during the match. I'm not complaining that he decided the match for either team, there was no real advantage to either Middelfart or us. It was the general arrogance and obvious lack of self confidence that he displayed throughout the match that made me angry. I cannot handle it when a referee is so heavy handed and so blantantly tries to control a match.
Some examples: The match was put on pause for around 45 seconds while the referee insisted that a spectator remove themselves from behind Middelfart's bench. Sounds reasonable? Well, let's consider these few things, the spectator is an old Middelfart player who had just gotten something out of one of the coaches cars, he was RETURNING HIS KEYS! I don't think this requires a stoppage of play. Especially considering that this person after giving the keys back to the coach on the middelfart bench, took a step back against the wall and was waiting respectfully for play to resume before he made his way back to his seat. Instead of allowing this natural flow of events to occur, the referee chose to continue the stoppage in play and force this person to walk in front of the scorer's table, close to the court and then back behind our bench and over to the spectator area after that, all the while with this person looking like a mouse lost in a maze. As a player, I certainly felt good that the referee could take some time out of our match to deal with this important matter.
As was named on the Marienlyst website, Peter got a yellow card for saying "Kom nu". This was after a particularly bad call by the ref, but the "kom nu" was not directed at the referee. Peter was talking to the players, and he didn't even really say it our loud. As was also said on the site, if this is the new line for yellow cards then I think the elite division is in trouble...
My personal favorite though came a little bit later as Peter was walking along in front of our bench. I tried to make a diagram for you guys, but Blogger messed it up. So you just have to think of a regular volleyball court. I was sitting on our bench and Peter was standing just in front of it, with his head turned towards us on the bench, when he said something. Notice, I say, he said "something" because I'm not exactly sure what it was he said. He didn't say it loud enough for me to hear it and I was one meter away. There was also the fact that there was a volleyball match going on and crowd making noise, etc... which made it even harder to hear what it was he was saying. This was where the referee blew his whistle and pointed to Peter, indicating with his hands that Peter should calm down. Does this even make sense?! First of all, I can guarantee that the referee couldn't hear what Peter said. I can also guarantee that whatever it was that was said could not have been directed at the referee because Peter was looking at me, Kai and Per (who was out at the moment) on the bench when he said it. Third, I am positive that a coach is allowed to tell his players things when they are on the bench. I've thought about this about a million times since it happened and I just cannot wrap my head around it. It makes no sense. I also realize that it may seem like a small thing to someone who reads this, but I tend to think it is a big problem. If referees and players have such a huge discrepancy in the way that they see things during a match there is bound to be huge conflicts at some point. If a coach is not allowed to talk to his bench because of referee is feeling insecure then how are we going to get anything done? And insecurity is the only thing I can possibly think of for the above mentioned warning.
Here is a tip from me to the ref, don't let coaches and players scream and yell right to your face, they shouldn''t be allowed to call you names or be excessive. But, if a coach or a player wants to make fun of you in a low voice on the bench to someone right next to him, just let it happen! There is nothing you can do about it! Concentrate on whether the ball was in or out, think about if it is possible for a ball that is set without an rotation whatsoever to be called for double contact (really, try to do this at home, you can't set a ball with no spin if you double contact it, you just can't...) and just realize that the more a referee tries to wave people away with the infamous one handed backhand instead of listening to what they have to say, the more problems there are going to be. Take a backseat, let the match happen organically, let the players have some emotion and let people have fun.
Anyways, I can happily admit that most of this probably doesn't sound like much and that maybe I am being overly dramatic/sensitive. But I would argue that and say that all of these things count. I've said before that I can live with referees making mistakes, but referees who make mistakes and then act arrogantly as if no one has any right to challenge what they are saying just aren't acceptable. It takes the focus off the game where it should be.
I'm not going to go too much into the match except to say that it was a good one. With the exception of the third set, the match was almost always close. There were some really exciting rallies, and most of the credit for those has to go to Middelfart and some incredible defense, but most of all there was good energy in the gym. I think the fans could be glad for what they saw on saturday, even if it was a loss for the home team.
We can only hope that next time we play them we can match their intensity and aggressiveness. They were more hungry than we were on Saturday and it showed in the last set. But if that match was any indication, it looks like there is a whole bunch of exciting volleyball on the way after Christmas. And that's good for everybody.
What I did want to mention, and frankly I don't really care if it gets me in trouble or causes problems, was that I could not stand the head referee (I don't need to name any names) during the match. I'm not complaining that he decided the match for either team, there was no real advantage to either Middelfart or us. It was the general arrogance and obvious lack of self confidence that he displayed throughout the match that made me angry. I cannot handle it when a referee is so heavy handed and so blantantly tries to control a match.
Some examples: The match was put on pause for around 45 seconds while the referee insisted that a spectator remove themselves from behind Middelfart's bench. Sounds reasonable? Well, let's consider these few things, the spectator is an old Middelfart player who had just gotten something out of one of the coaches cars, he was RETURNING HIS KEYS! I don't think this requires a stoppage of play. Especially considering that this person after giving the keys back to the coach on the middelfart bench, took a step back against the wall and was waiting respectfully for play to resume before he made his way back to his seat. Instead of allowing this natural flow of events to occur, the referee chose to continue the stoppage in play and force this person to walk in front of the scorer's table, close to the court and then back behind our bench and over to the spectator area after that, all the while with this person looking like a mouse lost in a maze. As a player, I certainly felt good that the referee could take some time out of our match to deal with this important matter.
As was named on the Marienlyst website, Peter got a yellow card for saying "Kom nu". This was after a particularly bad call by the ref, but the "kom nu" was not directed at the referee. Peter was talking to the players, and he didn't even really say it our loud. As was also said on the site, if this is the new line for yellow cards then I think the elite division is in trouble...
My personal favorite though came a little bit later as Peter was walking along in front of our bench. I tried to make a diagram for you guys, but Blogger messed it up. So you just have to think of a regular volleyball court. I was sitting on our bench and Peter was standing just in front of it, with his head turned towards us on the bench, when he said something. Notice, I say, he said "something" because I'm not exactly sure what it was he said. He didn't say it loud enough for me to hear it and I was one meter away. There was also the fact that there was a volleyball match going on and crowd making noise, etc... which made it even harder to hear what it was he was saying. This was where the referee blew his whistle and pointed to Peter, indicating with his hands that Peter should calm down. Does this even make sense?! First of all, I can guarantee that the referee couldn't hear what Peter said. I can also guarantee that whatever it was that was said could not have been directed at the referee because Peter was looking at me, Kai and Per (who was out at the moment) on the bench when he said it. Third, I am positive that a coach is allowed to tell his players things when they are on the bench. I've thought about this about a million times since it happened and I just cannot wrap my head around it. It makes no sense. I also realize that it may seem like a small thing to someone who reads this, but I tend to think it is a big problem. If referees and players have such a huge discrepancy in the way that they see things during a match there is bound to be huge conflicts at some point. If a coach is not allowed to talk to his bench because of referee is feeling insecure then how are we going to get anything done? And insecurity is the only thing I can possibly think of for the above mentioned warning.
Here is a tip from me to the ref, don't let coaches and players scream and yell right to your face, they shouldn''t be allowed to call you names or be excessive. But, if a coach or a player wants to make fun of you in a low voice on the bench to someone right next to him, just let it happen! There is nothing you can do about it! Concentrate on whether the ball was in or out, think about if it is possible for a ball that is set without an rotation whatsoever to be called for double contact (really, try to do this at home, you can't set a ball with no spin if you double contact it, you just can't...) and just realize that the more a referee tries to wave people away with the infamous one handed backhand instead of listening to what they have to say, the more problems there are going to be. Take a backseat, let the match happen organically, let the players have some emotion and let people have fun.
Anyways, I can happily admit that most of this probably doesn't sound like much and that maybe I am being overly dramatic/sensitive. But I would argue that and say that all of these things count. I've said before that I can live with referees making mistakes, but referees who make mistakes and then act arrogantly as if no one has any right to challenge what they are saying just aren't acceptable. It takes the focus off the game where it should be.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Injured
A lot of times in the US when someone gets hurt playing sports, the coach will ask the player if they are hurt or if they are injured.
Hurt means that you've got maybe a bruise or a cut, something pretty temporary. Injured means that you are going to be out of action for a certain period of time.
Apparently, and even though I feel fairly good, I am injured. And that means that I won't be playing against Middelfart and possibly won't be playing next weekend against SK Aarhus.
It sucks, and I'm not particularly happy about the situation, but I guess I will have to live with it.
Hurt means that you've got maybe a bruise or a cut, something pretty temporary. Injured means that you are going to be out of action for a certain period of time.
Apparently, and even though I feel fairly good, I am injured. And that means that I won't be playing against Middelfart and possibly won't be playing next weekend against SK Aarhus.
It sucks, and I'm not particularly happy about the situation, but I guess I will have to live with it.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Wuppertal Trip
Over the weekend I had the great pleasure of taking a quick trip down to Wuppertal to visit Jens Larsen (you might know who that is), Mads and Peter. I got to see Wuppertal play a match against a local rival from Essen and to see the team train a bit as well. I wrote a little something about the match that is posted but for now I just wanted to say a few things that really struck me while I was there.
First of all, I want to say that Wuppertal is training at a very high level. Yes, they have had a nice early season schedule. They’ve avoided what figures to be the other top three teams in the Bundesliga so far and that is part of the reason that they are undefeated. The matches they have won however have been absolutely earned. Nine practices a week, weight training, physical therapy, etc… It all adds up to success. And I know for a fact that Wuppertal doesn’t have the most talent in the entire league. They are developing their players and getting quite a bit out of them. This was most obvious for me with Peter and Mads who have clearly developed quite a bit from even last year. In the match I saw, they were two of the best players on the court. They looked comfortable and they looked strong. And it was exciting to see former teammates having so much success. Jens also deserves a lot of credit for the driving the team they way he does.
Seeing a match was also an eye-opening experience for me. It wasn’t just the number of fans that they had it was their enthusiasm for the game. People were making noise, cheering and generally having a good time. I wish there was bigger fan culture in Danish volleyball because it was clear that the more noise/intensity/energy that came from the stands the more fun that everyone had. Energy from the crowd not only creates more energy in the crowd but it also creates more energy on the court. And in the end it makes everything more of an experience for everyone involved. Anyways, it was a great experience and if anyone else has a chance to see a match down there I highly recommend it.
Wuppertal is also a very interesting club in the way things are organized and set up. Bayer has been giving them money for quite a long time. The club then decides how to distribute that money. They have something like 20 different sports that this money should support so Bayer is giving a significant amount each year. After they receive the money, the board gets together and divides it up. Nice, eh?
The thing that is interesting is that Bayer also has the goal of making the sport club independent. That means that they give money and finance projects in order to make the club able to run on their own, make their own money and finance themselves.
Bayer has financed, for example, a large center next to the main gym that contains an exercise room, small gym, kids pool area, cafeteria, and weight room. They were then able to refinance that center and pay for it with the revenue that comes from memberships to the center. That means that soon, when the building is paid off, there will be a steady stream of income that the club will have coming in every year. They have recently built another center just next to these other two where they will do the same thing with certain social health programs. Kids doing sports, people with certain diseases like asthma, osteoporosis, cancer, etc… will be able to use the facility and the German social program will pay Wuppertal for each person enrolled. They’ll refinance that center with that money and eventually there will be more money steadily coming in. If they continue to expand and keep things functioning efficiently they will have a significant amount of their income coming from these programs.
The idea is absolutely genius. Of course it requires a company with the capital of a Bayer to get things started but it is this kind of forward thinking that makes so much sense for a sports franchise and Danish volleyball could certainly learn a few things from it.
Anyways, I just wanted to offer a few things from the trip. The kids down there are for real, Mads and Peter look like they have a great future and I’m excited for them. Jens is talking about Champions League sometime in the near future, let’s all hope that it happens as soon as possible…
First of all, I want to say that Wuppertal is training at a very high level. Yes, they have had a nice early season schedule. They’ve avoided what figures to be the other top three teams in the Bundesliga so far and that is part of the reason that they are undefeated. The matches they have won however have been absolutely earned. Nine practices a week, weight training, physical therapy, etc… It all adds up to success. And I know for a fact that Wuppertal doesn’t have the most talent in the entire league. They are developing their players and getting quite a bit out of them. This was most obvious for me with Peter and Mads who have clearly developed quite a bit from even last year. In the match I saw, they were two of the best players on the court. They looked comfortable and they looked strong. And it was exciting to see former teammates having so much success. Jens also deserves a lot of credit for the driving the team they way he does.
Seeing a match was also an eye-opening experience for me. It wasn’t just the number of fans that they had it was their enthusiasm for the game. People were making noise, cheering and generally having a good time. I wish there was bigger fan culture in Danish volleyball because it was clear that the more noise/intensity/energy that came from the stands the more fun that everyone had. Energy from the crowd not only creates more energy in the crowd but it also creates more energy on the court. And in the end it makes everything more of an experience for everyone involved. Anyways, it was a great experience and if anyone else has a chance to see a match down there I highly recommend it.
Wuppertal is also a very interesting club in the way things are organized and set up. Bayer has been giving them money for quite a long time. The club then decides how to distribute that money. They have something like 20 different sports that this money should support so Bayer is giving a significant amount each year. After they receive the money, the board gets together and divides it up. Nice, eh?
The thing that is interesting is that Bayer also has the goal of making the sport club independent. That means that they give money and finance projects in order to make the club able to run on their own, make their own money and finance themselves.
Bayer has financed, for example, a large center next to the main gym that contains an exercise room, small gym, kids pool area, cafeteria, and weight room. They were then able to refinance that center and pay for it with the revenue that comes from memberships to the center. That means that soon, when the building is paid off, there will be a steady stream of income that the club will have coming in every year. They have recently built another center just next to these other two where they will do the same thing with certain social health programs. Kids doing sports, people with certain diseases like asthma, osteoporosis, cancer, etc… will be able to use the facility and the German social program will pay Wuppertal for each person enrolled. They’ll refinance that center with that money and eventually there will be more money steadily coming in. If they continue to expand and keep things functioning efficiently they will have a significant amount of their income coming from these programs.
The idea is absolutely genius. Of course it requires a company with the capital of a Bayer to get things started but it is this kind of forward thinking that makes so much sense for a sports franchise and Danish volleyball could certainly learn a few things from it.
Anyways, I just wanted to offer a few things from the trip. The kids down there are for real, Mads and Peter look like they have a great future and I’m excited for them. Jens is talking about Champions League sometime in the near future, let’s all hope that it happens as soon as possible…
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Wuppertal Vs. Essen
Stepping out of the sponsor supplied Ford station wagon I am immediately aware of all the activity surrounding the small square gymnasium that squatted down before us. After everyone arrives and parks, a long line of players, coaches, team doctors and extra people like me make our way towards the gym, morphing into single file in order to make it through the one open door. Sidestepping a man carrying a large speaker I nod at the people setting up tables around the entrance and step inside the gym.
We are about an hour and a half early for the 19:30 match start, but there are several people already sitting in the stands. Essen, the opposing team, is spread out over the court, one player repeatedly throwing the ball up, tight to the net, and hitting it as hard as he can. Set to self, hit, run after ball, repeat. Most are stretching and laughing at each other’s jokes while others sit quietly in the chairs lined up for their team bench. The players who I have arrived with disappeared into one of the white tiled tunnels that run between the bleacher seats, leaving me to find my place in the stands.
They are expecting a full arena that night with talk of 1500 spectators. Looking around the small interior of the gym it occurs to me that there is no way 1500 people can fit in the tiny space. There is only one large tribune that faces the court, with additional chairs and benches that run all the way around the court. I guess there are enough places for about 500, but as more and more people show up and the game is still an hour away I start to realize that the club is unconcerned about the limited seating. People will find places to sit.
This is a real local rivalry. The two teams are only separated by 40 minutes of highway. While Wuppertal has been in the Bundesliga for years, Essen has just been promoted and it is fairly clear that they would like nothing more than to give Wuppertal their first loss of the season.
About 45 minutes until match start, seats are filling up, teams are starting to run in circles and stretch and the Wuppertal fan club has just arrived. A large man with dark facial hair and a half-open button down shirt walks in carrying a drum. His family is with him and as he sets down the drum his two children disappear from view, eclipsed by its massive size. Little do I know it at the time, but this will be the last twenty minutes I spend without the deep bass of the instrument echoing in my ears and chest.
The players are hitting warm-ups now and the gym is really starting to come alive. I look around and see that there are no seats left in the bleachers. There is a row of spectators standing in the back just above the last row of seats, likewise the other three walls are filling up fast. People are bringing in extra seats, standing behind the benches, kids are sitting two to a seat. I notice that the gym is full of all kinds of different people. Kids are running around in excitement, older gray haired gentlemen sit quietly with crossed arms, and stylish teens sit with their friends. Everyone can feel the pounding of the drummers, Wuppertal’s who have taken a spot in one of the corners, and Essen’s who sit just behind the referee stand. There is music coming from the speakers but it is almost impossible to hear.
The match begins and it is clear to see the players have a little bit of nervous energy to work out of their systems. The play is frantic at first. Each point brings chants of, “Bayer” (Wuppertal) or “Humann” (Essen). But eventually things settle down and there is some good volleyball. The crowd seems satisfied. Many people clap no matter who wins a point, as long as the point is well played.
Essen wins the first set and the house goes crazy. There is extra energy in the crowd now and as the teams switch sides it seems like the drumming gets even louder. People in the crowd are congratulating each other on a well played first set. The gray haired gentlemen have uncrossed their arms and are shaking hands with their friends on either side of them.
Wuppertal makes a substitution to start the second set and it is just what I want to see: Peter Lyck in to play opposite. He joins Mads Ditlevsen who started in and now there are two Danes on the court, my old teammates, and they are both playing high level volleyball. Peter immediately contributes offensively and to my surprise defensively as well. It turns out to have an effect on the match as Wuppertal wins the next three sets and the match 3-1. They are still undefeated and it turns out that one day later they would be the only team left in the Bundesliga that has not lost a match.
The crowd seems satisfied. After the match is over, the kids take over the court and chaos ensues. Purple and yellow volleyballs are sent flying in all directions while the players mill about semi-aimlessly. A man with a microphone attempts to interview Jens Larsen but no one can hear anything that is said; too many balls bouncing and too many people talking excitedly to each other. The 850 spectators slowly file out, generally with smiles on their faces and for the first time in the last couple of hours the gym is not filled with drumming, chanting, clapping or screaming. It is hard to leave the game without feeling that it was an experience. I want to go again.
The Danes are doing really well down there. Just talking to them after the match it is obvious in their eyes and their expressions that they are enjoying themselves immensely. “It’s insane.” One of them says matter-of-factly and after the match, I’m inclined to agree.
We are about an hour and a half early for the 19:30 match start, but there are several people already sitting in the stands. Essen, the opposing team, is spread out over the court, one player repeatedly throwing the ball up, tight to the net, and hitting it as hard as he can. Set to self, hit, run after ball, repeat. Most are stretching and laughing at each other’s jokes while others sit quietly in the chairs lined up for their team bench. The players who I have arrived with disappeared into one of the white tiled tunnels that run between the bleacher seats, leaving me to find my place in the stands.
They are expecting a full arena that night with talk of 1500 spectators. Looking around the small interior of the gym it occurs to me that there is no way 1500 people can fit in the tiny space. There is only one large tribune that faces the court, with additional chairs and benches that run all the way around the court. I guess there are enough places for about 500, but as more and more people show up and the game is still an hour away I start to realize that the club is unconcerned about the limited seating. People will find places to sit.
This is a real local rivalry. The two teams are only separated by 40 minutes of highway. While Wuppertal has been in the Bundesliga for years, Essen has just been promoted and it is fairly clear that they would like nothing more than to give Wuppertal their first loss of the season.
About 45 minutes until match start, seats are filling up, teams are starting to run in circles and stretch and the Wuppertal fan club has just arrived. A large man with dark facial hair and a half-open button down shirt walks in carrying a drum. His family is with him and as he sets down the drum his two children disappear from view, eclipsed by its massive size. Little do I know it at the time, but this will be the last twenty minutes I spend without the deep bass of the instrument echoing in my ears and chest.
The players are hitting warm-ups now and the gym is really starting to come alive. I look around and see that there are no seats left in the bleachers. There is a row of spectators standing in the back just above the last row of seats, likewise the other three walls are filling up fast. People are bringing in extra seats, standing behind the benches, kids are sitting two to a seat. I notice that the gym is full of all kinds of different people. Kids are running around in excitement, older gray haired gentlemen sit quietly with crossed arms, and stylish teens sit with their friends. Everyone can feel the pounding of the drummers, Wuppertal’s who have taken a spot in one of the corners, and Essen’s who sit just behind the referee stand. There is music coming from the speakers but it is almost impossible to hear.
The match begins and it is clear to see the players have a little bit of nervous energy to work out of their systems. The play is frantic at first. Each point brings chants of, “Bayer” (Wuppertal) or “Humann” (Essen). But eventually things settle down and there is some good volleyball. The crowd seems satisfied. Many people clap no matter who wins a point, as long as the point is well played.
Essen wins the first set and the house goes crazy. There is extra energy in the crowd now and as the teams switch sides it seems like the drumming gets even louder. People in the crowd are congratulating each other on a well played first set. The gray haired gentlemen have uncrossed their arms and are shaking hands with their friends on either side of them.
Wuppertal makes a substitution to start the second set and it is just what I want to see: Peter Lyck in to play opposite. He joins Mads Ditlevsen who started in and now there are two Danes on the court, my old teammates, and they are both playing high level volleyball. Peter immediately contributes offensively and to my surprise defensively as well. It turns out to have an effect on the match as Wuppertal wins the next three sets and the match 3-1. They are still undefeated and it turns out that one day later they would be the only team left in the Bundesliga that has not lost a match.
The crowd seems satisfied. After the match is over, the kids take over the court and chaos ensues. Purple and yellow volleyballs are sent flying in all directions while the players mill about semi-aimlessly. A man with a microphone attempts to interview Jens Larsen but no one can hear anything that is said; too many balls bouncing and too many people talking excitedly to each other. The 850 spectators slowly file out, generally with smiles on their faces and for the first time in the last couple of hours the gym is not filled with drumming, chanting, clapping or screaming. It is hard to leave the game without feeling that it was an experience. I want to go again.
The Danes are doing really well down there. Just talking to them after the match it is obvious in their eyes and their expressions that they are enjoying themselves immensely. “It’s insane.” One of them says matter-of-factly and after the match, I’m inclined to agree.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Trainer Change
Simon
Here are my thoughts on Simon and the trainer change.
First of all, I was fairly surprised when I was told about what had happened. I don’t think I have ever experienced something like it in all the years I have played volleyball. I’ve got a lot of conflicting emotions on the subject, as has been said, undefeated coaches don’t get replaced very often. However, I do feel that there were some problems that could easily have become major problems by the end of the year. Generally, I just think that we weren’t on the same page as Simon as a team and it led to too many conflicts.
Development has been a key word in Marienlyst for several years. There is a main goal that the club is working towards and nothing should come in the way of that. In many ways I think that this was the main reason why the club decided on the change. Simon was fairly inexperienced as a trainer on the elite level. That means that he needed to develop as a coach as well. In this sense he wasn’t a good fit for a team that has high ambition. In order to develop players and develop a team that could eventually compete on a European level, a trainer has to be experienced and sure of themselves. Simon was experiencing all of this stuff for the first time and that means that he was being asked to be something that he was not.
In all fairness, our team is not an easy one to come into. Especially if you haven’t got very much experience. We have a lot of players that have strong personalities. We also have a lot of players who have been around for quite awhile. As a result, many of us have a good picture of how we want practice and games to be. When that expectation isn’t met it can make things hard. I don’t know if he would agree with this or not, but Simon is not a traditional coach. He likes to do things a little differently than some other coaches I’ve had. This is not to say that he is wrong. I do feel though, that for Marienlyst at this point it was wrong.
In my mind, Simon needs a few more years experience. Being thrown into this situation was not ideal for him as a developing coach. Technically, he knows what he is talking about, he has the ability to be a really good coach, he just needs time to get better. And maybe a situation that doesn’t put so many demands on him right from the beginning.
In the end it just wasn’t the right fit and I think that everyone involved knew it. Instead of waiting for things to possibly get worse the club decided to make the change now. I don’t think there is any kind of scandal here. The real pressure is now on the team to respond and start to play at a higher level. In the end it is always up to the players to make the coach look good.
Quick side note: I dislocated my shoulder before the match against Lyngby and am still hoping that it isn’t too bad. At the moment no one really knows how bad it is but I plan on trying to touch a volleyball a little bit tomorrow in practice. I’m generally optimistic though.
Here are my thoughts on Simon and the trainer change.
First of all, I was fairly surprised when I was told about what had happened. I don’t think I have ever experienced something like it in all the years I have played volleyball. I’ve got a lot of conflicting emotions on the subject, as has been said, undefeated coaches don’t get replaced very often. However, I do feel that there were some problems that could easily have become major problems by the end of the year. Generally, I just think that we weren’t on the same page as Simon as a team and it led to too many conflicts.
Development has been a key word in Marienlyst for several years. There is a main goal that the club is working towards and nothing should come in the way of that. In many ways I think that this was the main reason why the club decided on the change. Simon was fairly inexperienced as a trainer on the elite level. That means that he needed to develop as a coach as well. In this sense he wasn’t a good fit for a team that has high ambition. In order to develop players and develop a team that could eventually compete on a European level, a trainer has to be experienced and sure of themselves. Simon was experiencing all of this stuff for the first time and that means that he was being asked to be something that he was not.
In all fairness, our team is not an easy one to come into. Especially if you haven’t got very much experience. We have a lot of players that have strong personalities. We also have a lot of players who have been around for quite awhile. As a result, many of us have a good picture of how we want practice and games to be. When that expectation isn’t met it can make things hard. I don’t know if he would agree with this or not, but Simon is not a traditional coach. He likes to do things a little differently than some other coaches I’ve had. This is not to say that he is wrong. I do feel though, that for Marienlyst at this point it was wrong.
In my mind, Simon needs a few more years experience. Being thrown into this situation was not ideal for him as a developing coach. Technically, he knows what he is talking about, he has the ability to be a really good coach, he just needs time to get better. And maybe a situation that doesn’t put so many demands on him right from the beginning.
In the end it just wasn’t the right fit and I think that everyone involved knew it. Instead of waiting for things to possibly get worse the club decided to make the change now. I don’t think there is any kind of scandal here. The real pressure is now on the team to respond and start to play at a higher level. In the end it is always up to the players to make the coach look good.
Quick side note: I dislocated my shoulder before the match against Lyngby and am still hoping that it isn’t too bad. At the moment no one really knows how bad it is but I plan on trying to touch a volleyball a little bit tomorrow in practice. I’m generally optimistic though.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Been Gone
I've actually been out of the country the last couple of days, but apparently, things happen when I'm not around... There are quite a few things that I'd like to write about in the next couple of days and one of those is definitely Simon and what happened. Just wanted to drop this quick note to make it clear that I haven't been ignoring the situation. More coming tomorrow...
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