UNDER THE ARCHES of the Palace of Sports "Friendship" there are shots on the ball. The volleyball team of Russia conducts morning training. There are 10 minutes left. On one side of the court, two players, climbing the tables, serve the balls over and over again on the other side, where the other two volleyball players practice. The process continues with the methodological apparatus for the production of popcorn. Shmyak shmyak! Shmyak shmyak!
Shmyak shmyak! Shmyak-shmyak!
One of the hosts suddenly exclaims:
- Everything, Andryukha, overloaded! Finish it!
The provider slows down the process, but then another, harsh exclamation is heard with a slight accent:
- Hey! Five more innings!
And again. Shmyak-shmyak! Shmyak-shmyak!
The head coach of the national team Zoran Gayich (the voice with an accent belonged to him) walks along the site and carefully watches the training. It is customary to fulfill his demands on the team unquestioningly, and therefore, despite the fact that classes have been going on for two hours, none of the volleyball players show any displeasure.
I am told that this group of players spent the first hour in the gym, where another is now located, which started with the game part. In addition, the last exercise will be a jumping program amid fatigue. And all this three days before the paired matches of the World League against Italians. Unless the famous penalty flips after getting into touch or a lost point could not be seen. Excellent physical fitness is one of the main requirements of Gayich to the players.
A Serbian specialist has been working in Russia for exactly one and a half years. During this time, he clearly followed his - as it seemed then, too ambitious - program. He got a ticket to the World Cup, won the silver of the European Championship, that is, he completed all the tasks assigned to him by the federation. And at the same time, the composition was sharply rejuvenated with an eye to the 2008 Olympics. There will be only one task in Beijing - Olympic gold, which the team has not won since 1980.
Digital volleyball
However, the mining of precious metals at international tournaments is just a milestone on the way. What is more important is what the coach does in between competitions. Firstly, at his insistence, a unique statistical base was created in Russia, an analogue of which is available only in Italy. After each round of the Super League, clubs upload technical reports of matches to it. The next day, in a specially equipped studio with a large screen in Moscow, Gayich can not only study the mathematical calculations for each player who came to the site, but also watch the necessary video clips.
“Such a system provides even more information than watching matches live,” explains Zoran Gayich. - Of course, I ride around Russia, watch matches in Moscow. But, for example, last winter was very creepy. I’m somehow not very prepared for frosts at minus 40 degrees - in Novy Urengoy, in Surgut.
Perhaps this is about creating a perfect team, in which every movement of the player, every possible trajectory of the ball and which cannot be defeated, is calculated. Like Italy in the 90s.
“I want people to understand,” Gayich reacts very eagerly to the question. - In modern volleyball there are no trifles. I don’t understand why so far no one has written or explained to the newspapers how volleyball has changed after the introduction of the new rules ?! It's like ... It's like the 1917 revolution for you. Previously, players had the right to make a mistake: relaxed - got 0:10, got together - won 15:10. Now every mistake leads to an opponent’s point. Two bad rallies, and the game can hardly be won back. Therefore, the price of each error has increased. The leading teams have understood this for a long time, it is time to realize this and Russia.
- So you can still create an analogue of the invincible “Azzurra Squadra”?
“I'll explain that to you.” There are the first four teams of the world ranking - Brazil, Italy, Serbia and Russia. Any of these teams can win a major tournament. And there are other teams, they cannot win the tournament, but unlike in previous years, they are able to win one match against the first four. Therefore, now every game needs concentration. I will say so. There is a certain maximum quality of the game, 20 teams can reach it in the world, and there is a certain minimum below which only a few teams will never drop. So they are the champions.
Senoro Buzato and Co.
The Serb managed to do something that not a single foreign coach in Russia has managed to do - to surround himself with a large international team of professionals. In training and during matches, he is assisted by a famous Soviet volleyball player, Yaroslav Antonov, in the past.
The physical training of the players is carried out by compatriot and long-time ally of Gayich Brano Jovanov, a whole team of scouts who collect and process all the necessary information for Zoran, is headed by Italian Sergio Buzato. There is also an experienced doctor Alexander Panin and consultants from the University of Physical Culture, with whom there is constant contact on the physical and psychological state of the players. It seems that the head coach carried out a thorough breeding work.
- There was no selection. I know all these people for a long time, a very long time, because I worked a lot in Europe. It is important for me that we all adhere to the same views on volleyball, we think the same and set ourselves the same goals. These are very experienced professionals. Antonov was once a top-class player, with Bruno we traveled half of Europe, and Sergio is a very big man in Italian volleyball. There he is! Hi! This is our señoro Buzato, don Sergio!
Buzato smiles restrainedly and hurries on.
It is necessary to prepare the calculations for the morning training, so that by the evening Gayich had time to study them and make adjustments to the evening classes.
Protection goes to the masses
Zoran introduced regular seminars with super league coaches in practice, which explains what elements of the game he should devote special attention to during training. In fact, the Serb has done something that has not yet been possible in Russia in any game sport, - led the clubs and the national team to a common denominator. World practice shows: the national team then achieves high results when players do not have to relearn when they come to the national team.
“I really like Russian volleyball,” Zoran explains what the seminars are about. - But in order to win first places, the Russians need to establish a game in defense. Of course, all teams in one way or another pay attention to defense, but we need to focus on each of the elements, strengthen it, and restore. Until the players understand that the actions in defense are no less important than the game in attack, no results can be achieved. And the results are already there - not only in the national team, but also in clubs.
Every match is war
But most importantly, Gayich began to build a new team. After the initial acquaintance with the general personnel situation in the country, he took a number of steps that from the outside seemed strange. The coach immediately refused a whole group of respected veterans, leaving the team only one player who spoke at the Olympics in Athens - the libero of Alexei Verbov, invited the debutants who were little-known to the audience. Then it seemed that after such experiments, the Serb would not last long in Russia.
However, with some difficulty, he won his debut matches against Estonia and Finland in the Euroleague, and then, before the last game of the tournament, he suddenly returned several famous names. And before the autumn European Championship, the return of the main star, Sergei Tetyukhin, took place. Metamorphoses with the composition have become commonplace for the Russian team. A player can steadily go out in the starting five in one tournament, and then be not called to the next gathering.
“I always repeat, my principle is this: all players are in the field of vision of the team,” Zoran explains his theory. - With the help of the statistical base and scouts, I have at my disposal data on the game form of each. In addition, I try to check everyone’s case, to determine the best combinations.
Nevertheless, Russia did not win the European Championship again, losing to the Italians in the final. But Gaiich calls the game against Spain, or rather, preparation for the game, the most difficult match in the tournament:
- The Spaniards are very cunning in tactics. This is a very inconvenient rival for us. I did not know how to play against them. We gathered team meetings three times, but could not make a decision. You see, I couldn’t just say to the players: “You are good players, go and win this match!” This is nonsense. Therefore, my assistants and I were terribly tormented, and only when during the match we saw that the game was on, fear changed into calculation.
- You speak the words of the commander.
- So every match is a war. There are friends, there are strangers. They fight for their own. Someone will leave the field alive, someone dead. Someone will win, someone will lose, no one is in volleyball.
Warriors, if they don’t love, at least respect their commander. Despite the fact that he sometimes for no apparent reason seemed to leave the player on the bench and is very demanding on the regime, not a single unhappy voice from the side of the volleyball players was heard. He also regularly praises his players, noting their zeal in training and undeniable progress in the game.
True, one day after all it was not without conflict. On the eve of the World League match against France, Yaroslav Antonov found in the hotel room one of the leaders of the national team Semyon Poltava with a bottle of beer. The next morning, Gayich asked the player to pack his things and leave the team’s location. Sergei Baranov, who had previously been in reserve, entered the game, and Poltavsky was forced to travel to Moscow on his own. His fate was to be decided by the executive committee.
However, Guyich proved to be a tough but fair coach. A delegation of veterans of the national team came to him and vouched for Poltava. After hearing the arguments of the defenders, Gayich allowed the offender to return to the team.
- He made a mistake. I fired him from the team. Then he thought ... - In my opinion, this is the first question that Zoran is reluctant to answer. “I don’t think it’s worth talking about it now.” I will say one thing: at the moment the issue is finally closed.
In the current World League draw, the Russian national team looks like a formidable opponent, although it could calmly run the game around, as the hostess of the tournament received a ticket to the finals automatically. By the way, the 2007 European Championship will also be held in Moscow and will be the last serious test before the Olympics.
Coach separately, bosses separately
But none of this would have happened if the state had not become interested in volleyball in due time. It is enough to recall that the president of the federation is the head of the FSB Nikolay Patrushev, and among the title sponsors are Rosneft, Vneshtorgbank, Vnesheconombank, LUKOIL, Rosoboronexport and other financial giants. Big money made it possible to create a powerful statistical base, fly charters to matches in China and conduct training camps where the preparation stage requires, and not where money is not taken for accommodation.
On the other hand, when you are so close to such influential figures of the political and financial world, sometimes you have to spend more time going to classrooms than to training. Or become a permanent wedding general at presentations, parties, and promotions.
- Absolutely, absolutely nothing of the kind happens. I am very well guarded, - the coach is either joking or using the wrong Russian word. - They do not know my face, I do not know them. I suspect someone is in control of this process. Probably they are informed that a foreign trainer is working with us. And that's enough.
Volleyball emperor
As the last point, we recall that Gayich actually discovered his own means of propaganda, having obtained the author’s column at the country's main sports newspaper, and I openly call everything created by Zoran an empire and ask him to agree with the statement that he is the emperor of today's Russian volleyball. The interlocutor ponders the correct answer, and then categorically disagrees:
“It's wrong to put me at the center of the structure.” I am just one of the components of the system. To win the Olympics, the World Cup today, the efforts of a huge number of people are required. If I could do this alone, I would believe you. But I do not believe.
- I didn’t mean an emperor like Nero ... - I generally spoke of a man who says: “You get up here, you go here, you do this ...” We must actively cooperate, we must give maximum effort. Moreover, everyone should have their freedom and their discipline. Only then can we talk about victory at the Olympics.
Immediately instead of the image of the emperor, an inverse association pops up in the imagination. The clearly set goal, and almost the only one - to win the Beijing Olympics - makes Gayich a hostage to the result. If instead of gold from China, volleyball players bring silver or, even worse, bronze, the Serbian specialist will be called the main culprit, and all his previous services according to the old Russian tradition will be forgotten.
“Oh, that doesn’t scare me at all,” Guyich crosses his arms over his chest, and at that moment he suddenly really becomes like an emperor. - I won Olympic gold with the national team of Yugoslavia, I won many other tournaments. So I'm not interested in what will happen next. I came here because I know that Russia has a chance. Italy, for example, also has a chance. But we must make sure that our chance is higher. Let them be afraid to lose.
- Isn't it scary to lose the dream that you have been going for so many years at one moment?
- Not. I know what to do next, after the Olympics. Work.
Indeed, Gayich is a figure in the world of volleyball completely self-sufficient. He can work in Russia, or he can pack his bags and go to take Argentina or France to the Olympic champions. How long has he been ready to work with this team?
- It all depends on the federation. I can sit here until retirement, but if they make it clear that I am not needed, tomorrow I will not be in Russia.
“But so far, are you satisfied?”
Gayich laughs:
- I did not ask.
Five matches in four days
In general, despite the confident appearance and peppy words, it is felt that somewhere inside he is not completely convinced that absolutely everyone in the leadership agrees with the methods of his work, that there are ill-wishers somewhere. Alas, due to lexical subtleties, they were not fully understood.
Just feel it.
- But do you yourself believe that Russia is capable of ever starting to win first places?
Maybe it’s natural for Russian players in nature to lose concentration at a crucial moment or relax before crucial matches?
- I do not think so. That the Serbs, that the Russians are all the same. The point is the seriousness of the attitude to the process. I define for myself the two most important goals in preparation. The first is to achieve stability in the game, the second is to constantly improve its quality. We tell the player in training how to correctly perform a certain technique, his class is growing, but it is still important that the number of errors during the competition when performing this technique does not fall below a certain level. So when we achieve high results in these two indicators, then I can take my team by the arms and lead her to win the Olympics.
The closest test for the Gayich team will be the final of the World League in Moscow.
Surely the fans, even despite the exceptionally strong composition of the participants, will demand victory from the team.
- Of course, we will strive to win the tournament. However, another task is more important for me. Look, it is believed that we will play five matches in five days, but in reality it will be five games in four days, because only 96 hours will pass between the first and last game. Do not believe? Count yourself.
So on such a short segment, the strength of the team is best checked. Because it is necessary not only to give out a couple of excellent moments, the main thing is not to fail when there is absolutely no power left. This tournament will have to use all 12 players, and therefore, a good test of the composition for stability.
After Gayich rejuvenated the national team, there are fears that the Moscow spectator, who will come to the matches of the World League finals, will see many players for the first time. The most recognizable these days, no doubt, will be Zoran Gayich himself, who has recently become the face of domestic volleyball. However, he does not have any personal advertising contracts, he does not participate in talk shows, and has not been noticed in political campaigns. I ask why. Zoran makes a conspiratorial appearance, slightly lowers his voice, winks and says:
“I will make you a good percentage if you get me an advertising contract.” Become my agent, we will work together. I tell you with witnesses.