GAYICH
The chair of the head coach of the Russian volleyball team was left without an owner in December last year, when it was decided to rid him of Zoran Gayich. The unfortunate romance of the Serb with our national team began two years ago and it was assumed that it would end no earlier than the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. It was Guyich who was guided by it, immediately deciding to rejuvenate the national team, albeit to the detriment of current results. However, at first there was no particular damage - Russia mined the silver of the Italian European Championship 2005, only in the decisive game of the finals losing to the owners. But the year 2006 was unsuccessful for us. First, there was third place in Moscow at the Final Four of the World League, then a disastrous seventh at the World Cup in Japan. In assessing the deplorable result, the experts were unanimous - Gayich made a mistake with the composition, not catching the notorious balance of experience and youth, he was too smart with the physical preparation of the team and not smart with the psychological. As a result, the Serb contract, which looked like “2 + 2”, did not reach the second two. A competition was announced for the post of coach of the Russian national team.
BORSCH AND PANCHENKO
Such contests are not something unusual in volleyball. There have already been two such “castings” in the history of our volleyball - in 1990 and in 1997, when Gennady Shipulin won, who was replaced by Gayich seven years later. For a month and a half, four Russian coaches expressed their desire to participate in the competition: the same Shipulin, Pavel Borshch, Yuri Panchenko and Vladimir Alekno. For a long time, the VEF hinted that two venerable foreign specialists would join this company, who, however, did not disclose their incognito. It turned out like in an avant-garde detective - the book was over, and the villain remained unknown.
On February 16, the first round of the competition took place. The Presidium listened to candidates' programs, asked questions and ... halved the number of applicants. From the very beginning it was clear that for Borsch (coach of Novosibirsk Lokomotiv) and Panchenko (Dynamo Yantar, Kaliningrad), the main thing in this event was not victory, but participation. However, both brought obvious benefits - the position of Borsch was interesting in the light of his joint work with Gayich, and Panchenko’s look can be considered fresh - he only recently returned to Russia after many years of work in Italy.
SHIPULIN
As expected, Shipulin and Alekno, coaches of the country's two strongest clubs in recent times, entered the second round of elections. Gennady Yakovlevich - the most titled Russian volleyball specialist. He has won seven national championships, six Cups and two Champions League with Belogorye, World League 2002, Olympic silver and national team bronze. The main advantage of Shipulin is the colossal experience, ready to translate into operational actions to lead the team out of the crisis without buildup. The program of the coach of Belgorod suggested a number of decisive measures aimed at tightening the schedule of the country's championship games, at creating a second team for the national team, as well as at shifting the emphasis in personnel policy in favor of more experienced players.
Shipulin participated in the competition in tandem with long-time associate Vyacheslav Zaitsev, head coach of the youth team and the legendary passer. This couple was considered by many as the favorite of the contest. And, perhaps, she would have won if it had not been for such a successful competitor. Surely certain fears of the VVF were caused by Shipulin's health, due to problems with which he had to miss several Lokomotiv away matches this season.
ALEXNO
Trump cards of Vladimir Alekno were youth, energy and an impeccable track record. The first coaching success came to him in France - with “Tour” he won the championship and the Cup of the country. Having moved to Moscow, Alekno repeated these achievements with Dynamo. Last season, blue and white pulled out a victory in the playoffs just at Shipulin's “Belogorye”. Just the other day, Dynamo won the Cup of Russia in excellent style. The effect of this triumph surely affected the outcome of the vote.
Alekno's advantage was solid, but not overwhelming - 12: 6 with one abstention. In accordance with the presented program, the new head coach of the national team will finalize with Dynamo until the end of the club season, and from the end of spring will fully concentrate on working with the national team. Alekno has repeatedly stated that he considers his task not to teach people how to play volleyball, but to create a psychologically comfortable atmosphere inside the team, in which both youth and veterans would be able to fully reveal their capabilities. He already managed to do something similar at Dynamo, which will surely remain the national team's supporting club.
It is worth congratulating Vladimir Alekno - his career continues to gain height at a record pace. But it is too early to envy. Already this season, the Russian team will play in the World League, European Championship in Moscow and, hopefully, the World Cup. On the horizon is the Beijing Olympics. The coach has no right to make a mistake. Ask at least Zoran Gayich.