Coach Tillikainen “For the development of Korean volleyball, we must participate in various international competitions”
“For the development of Korean volleyball, we must participate in various international competitions.”
Coach Tommy Tilikayinen, who finished 7th at the 2023 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, shared his feelings after the tournament.
Korean Air beat Bayanghongor of Mongolia with a set score of 3-0 (25-21 25-23 25-18) in the 7th and 8th place match held at Issa Sports City Stadium in Manama, Bahrain on the 21st (local time). .
With this, Korean Air finished the tournament in 7th place. They recorded 4 wins and 3 losses in 7 matches played in this tournament.
Korean Air could not participate in this competition with full power. Han Seon-seo, the best current setter who is the captain and leads the team’s attack, and Kim Gyu-min, a built-in middle blocker, did not play in the game due to injury and rehabilitation. In addition, Lincoln Williams, a foreign main gun, could not join the squad due to the non-issuance of an International Transfer Agreement (ITC).
In response, head coach Tillikainen said, “We want this tournament to be a place to give players who will become the team’s future powerhouse experience and opportunities to participate in international competitions.”
Korean Air performed well, defeating Australia’s Canberra Heat and home team Bahrain’s Al Ahli 3-0 in the first match of the group stage. However, in the forced march of 7 games in 8 days, the power that was not 100% r was quickly exposed.
In the last game of the group stage, Indonesia’s Jakarta Bayankar caught the tail. In the first match of the quarterfinals, they were defeated 0-3 by Suntory Sunbirds, led by Dmitry Mushalski (Russia), who is considered the best middle blocker in the world. After the game, Muchhalski downgraded Korean Air, saying, “The strength of the 9th to 11th teams in the Japanese league.” Even before advancing to the 5th and 6th places, it failed to stop Iranian national striker Saber Kazemi (Kuwait Sporting Club) and collapsed.
The grades were disappointing, but there were results. In the V-League, setter Jeong Jin-hyuk, outside hitter Lee Joon, and middle blocker Jin Ji-wi, who seldom got a chance, were given a lot of playing time and tested their potential. Lim Dong-hyuk, who took on the role of the main gun instead of Lincoln, also showed off his offensive instincts. Libero Kang Seung-il, the youngest member of his 2005-born team, made his professional debut in this tournament.
Coach Tillikainen said, “I made the goal clear before the start of this tournament, but I felt mixed feelings during the tournament.” After returning from his vacation, he clearly knew what to improve on.”
Head coach Tillikainen cited Lim Dong-hyuk and Lee Joon as the biggest gains of this tournament. He said, “Im Dong-hyeok showed his attack power well, no matter who the opponent was, and his attitude and behavior on the court were also very good. I think Lee Joon also showed his skills and potential.”
The annual Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship is being discussed to be held in Japan next year. Coach Tillikainen emphasized, “I think we need to participate in these various international competitions for the development of Korean volleyball.”안전놀이터
He said, “This tournament is by no means an easy tournament to watch. Other teams are sincerely engaged in this competition to the extent that they have even joined players on short-term contracts just for this competition,” he said.
Korean Air plans to grant vacation to the squad until June 26 after entering Korea. Coach Tillikainen said of his future plans, “After returning from vacation, I will train by reflecting what I felt at this tournament.”