In a club season that is expected to squeeze European players’ physical stamina due to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the approaching continental qualifying rounds for national teams, especially limited and vital for the “old” continent’s representatives, the German Bundesliga was getting ready for a new campaign and is already on track with four rounds behind us now.
A two-horse race
I failed miserably last season when I predicted that Berlin Recycling Volleys were certainly heading to a what-would-have-been their fourth consecutive title since their new project had been launched. I might have had solid reasons for doing so back then as their main rivals VfB Friedrichshafen had just lost a cohort of experienced fighters over the summer and it seemed like the reinforcement would not be able to handle with the dominating champions from the capital. Not when Stelian Moculescu had to change his roster almost completely and Berlin were still able to keep their main force. It was an easy task to bet on the two powerhouses meeting in the final playoffs but the Bodensee side was the one that put a spoke in Mark Lebedew’s wheel, leaving him with the silver medal in his farewell with the league.
VfB Friedrichshafen, the most decorated club in German volleyball history, are the first to be mentioned in our preview. The defending champions survived the squad’s patching last season and eventually broke Berlin’s supremacy. This year, however, they are facing the same situation and will have to deal with a greater amount of new players. The missing players are surely leaving huge holes on the field. Benjamin Toniutti, the short magician, and allegedly the world’s best libero Jenia Grebennikov, both winners of the 2015 World League and the 2015 CEV European Championship with France, are heading to ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle and Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova in Poland and Italy respectively. Max Günthör decided to spend more time with his family and quit his professional career. The same choice was made by the US middle blocker Nick Vogel. On top of that, Jan Zimmermann and Moritz Reichert have joined rival teams in the Bundesliga (read further). Simon Tischer stayed in Friedrichshafen but his health issues are known and increasing, this is why Moculescu was forced to recruit two setters. Tomas Kocian has a long list of Bundesliga games behind his back already, but the team needed a more experienced playmaker for the challenges at the DenizBank Champions League. The signing was announced just two weeks ago – the 30-year-old Turkish setter Arslan Eksi arrived from Fenerbahce Istanbul. The Romanian-born specialist added also the young Australian libero Luke Perry, the Trinidadian middle blocker Marc-Anthony Honore, who will reappear with a blue and white jersey, and the veteran and former national team member and VfB star Bjorn Andrae (who is yet to enter the court for the first time this season) to the team. The presence of the Romanian outside attacker Robert Adrian Aciobanitei, Luke Perry, and Michal Finger is an indicator that Moculescu is already preparing Friedrichshafen’s vision for the next several years ahead. Plus, Jakob Günthör, a 212-cm universal player from the local volleyball academy, has joined the first team.
These are all great prospects for the future development of volleyball near the Bodensee, but I am afraid the fresh blood that injected the 2007 European Champions League winners this season might not provide results immediately. Friedrichshafen started the new campaign a bit slowly, winning in five sets in Frankfurt, and then came the two painful straight-set defeats in Moscow for the 2016 Champions League against Dinamo and at home for the championship against Berlin Recycling Volleys. As much as I will refrain from underestimating Moculescu and his team’s potential this time, I think Friedrichshafen will struggle for a while before they find their true identity.
VfB Friedrichshafen
Setters: Simon Tischer, Arslan Eksi (Turkey), Tomas Kocian
Opposites: Michal Finger (Czech Republic), Adrian Radu Gontariu (Romania)
Outside attackers: Baptiste Geiler (France), Bjorn Andrae, Jakob Günthör, Robert Adrian Aciobanitei (Romania), Luis Fernando Venceslau (Brazil), Julian Zenger
Middle blockers: Maximilliano Gauna (Argentina), Marc-Anthony Honore (Trinidad and Tobago), Alexey Nalobin (Russia)
Liberos: Luke Perry (Australia), Thilo Späth
Head coach: Stelian Moculescu
For the first time since the massive volleyball project started in the German capital, the Berlin club has faced some major redecoration. Usually, it was Mark Lebedew’s strategy to build on a group of trusted players with few changes. Now even the head coach is gone as he has embarked on a new challenge at Jastrzebski Wegiel in Poland. His successor is a very experienced Italian coach with a Champions League trophy on his name – Roberto Serniotti, who had been Radostin Stoychev’s assistant coach at Diatec Trentino in Italy. Of course, it is not like the bronze medallists of the 2015 CEV DenizBank – the perfect way for coach Lebedew to say goodbye, lost their squad completely. Erik Shoji, Tomas Kmet, Sebastian Kühner, Robert Kromm, Felix Fischer, and Paul Carroll extended their contracts. The three most important newcomers are quite impressive and should be able to maintain Berlin’s expected level. Tsimafei Zhukouski is not a new name to the Bundesliga fans thanks to his stay at Generali Unterhaching, Nicolas Le Goff is a reigning European champion with France and one of the most solid blockers one can buy nowadays, whereas Paul Lotman has come to enjoy some more court time after his periodic appearances for both the US national team and for the Polish champions Asseco Resovia Rzeszow.
An interesting fact is that Kawika Shoji left Germany after several years of loyal service and will not play alongside his brother Erik during the new season. He even took part in his first Champions League match for his new club Arkas Spor Izmir… in Max-Schmeling-Halle namely against Berlin. The Turkish side prevailed in five sets and, having the likes of Belogorie Belgorod in the same preliminary group, showed that Berlin will have hard times advancing further, let alone repeating the bronze medal finish from April.
Berlin Recycling Volleys
Setters: Sebastian Kühner, Tsimafei Zhukouski (Croatia)
Opposites: Paul Carroll (Australia), Arpad Baroti (Hungary)
Outside attackers: Maximilian Auste, Egor Bogachev, Robert Kromm, Francesco De Marchi (Italy), Paul Lotman (USA), Ruben Schott
Middle blockers: Felix Fischer, Nicolas Le Goff (France), Tomas Kmet (Slovakia)
Libero: Erik Shoji (USA)
Head coach: Roberto Serniotti (Italy)
The contenders
Unlike last year when Friedrichshafen and Berlin Recycling Volleys merely had any competition in the league, this year cards may be reshuffled better. There are two teams which should be closing the gap between the usual suspects for a place in the final and the rest. Their results in the first 3-4 rounds also proved their value and some solid performances are expected to follow.
The first of those two is Düren. Champions League participant of former times, like about 10 years ago, this year’s Düren selection seems the strongest I’ve seen for years. Perhaps since the last time they appeared for a longer period in Europe. The team’s management are building on the squad they had last year, they have added a few new names and signed with an ambitious coach, who, however, has to show us whether he is indeed such an “infant prodigy”. Anton Brams is only 27, way younger than when coaches are normally supposed to start their careers and even younger than some of his players. Member of the coaching staff of university teams in the USA, as well as the senior men’s US team as of recently, Brams surely has the necessary enthusiasm to do the job but time will show us whether he is the right man and whether he can handle a serious team like Düren all alone.
The bronze medallists from the 2014-2015 campaign had to replace their two setters for the new season – Tomas Kocian and the Canadian Ciaran McGovern. They chose the American Matt West (Pepperdine) and the Chinese Shibo Yu (Liaoning). The Canadian nationa team’s libero Blair Bann remains for another year, so will Matthias Pompe, Marvin Prolingheuer, Jan-Philipp Marks, and Sebastian Gevert. Three new middle blockers were heralded as a major coup by volleyball experts. These are another Canadian and a member of the respective national selection, Rudy Verhoeff, and two Dutchmen – Michael Parkinson from Noliko Maaseik and Bas van Bemmelen.
Düren started their European campaign impressively by seizing a 3-0 home win versus ASUL Lyon for the CEV Cup. With a squad like theirs, time should work well for them and they should be threatening the big two in the Bundesliga.
SWD powervolleys Düren
Setters: Matthew West (USA), Shibo Yu (China)
Opposites: Marvin Prolingheuer, Sebastian Gevert (Chile)
Outside attackers: Matthias Pompe, Jan-Philipp Marks, Dennis Barthel, Brooke Sedore (Canada)
Middle blockers: Rudy Verhoeff (Canada), Oskar Klingner, Michael Parkinson (Netherlands), Bas van Bemmelen (Netherlands), Jaromir Zachrich
Libero: Blair Bann (Canada)
Head coach: Anton Brams
A newcomer to the elite German league, TG 1862 Rüsselsheim gained promotion for the new season. The new challenge came with a new project. The club from the small town between Mainz and Frankfurt am Main announced new long-term sponsors and a fresh pack of players during the summer and presented a project that is meant to not only maintain the team’s top-division flight but also to invest in the future. The first step was to change the name to United Volleys Rhein-Main. The second very crucial decision was to use the much bigger Fraport Arena in Frankfurt am Main for their home games, thus hoping to find new volleyball friends in Germany’s financial capital. Although the headquarters of the German Volleyball Federation are based in the same city, Frankfurt am Main is not a popular volleyball destination. The city does not have many independent volleyball clubs, let alone many participants in the top tiers, so Rüsselsheim’s management better be prepared for a huge amount of work, merchandising, and branding.
The new man in charge is the Austrian men’s national team German coach Michael Warm. He is known for his work at SCC Berlin, before the new management came, and at the Romanian club Remat Zalau with which he won the domestic league in 2009-2010. His signings this summer were very interesting. Both experienced players and very promising youth prospects have arrived in Frankfurt. These are the opposite Christian Dünnes from Berlin Recycling Volleys, the setter Jan Zimmermann and the outside attacker Moritz Reichert from VfB Friedrichshafen, the middle blocker Lukas Bauer from Saint-Nazaire in France, and the European Championship silver medallist Jan Klobucar from ACH Volley Ljubljana. Two talents from the academy of the Volleyball Internat in Frankfurt have also been recruited – the setter Stefan Thiel and the 210cm-tall middle blocker Tobias Krick (both members of the German youth national team).
UnitedVolleys’ campaign so far includes 4 games and 3 wins, with the season’s opener at the Fraport Arena having been lost in five sets versus the defending champions VfB Friedrichshafen (the hosts squandered a 2-0 advantage). A stunning 3-1 away win at Lüneburg, one of the most difficult places in German volleyball to play at, sent them on top of the standings with a match more than Berlin Recycling Volleys.
One tiny piece piece of criticism I would direct to the team and specifically to the setter Jan Zimmermann – he is overusing Christian Dünnes at the moment, he is the man trusted with the largest number of sets in each of Rhein-Main’s games so far. Should that be corrected, I am sure the talent at Michael Warm’s command could do wonders in the playoffs.
United Volleys Rhein-Main
Setters: Jannis Hopt, Stefan Thiel, Jan Zimmermann
Click Here: Bape Kid 1st Camo Ape Head rompersOpposites: Christian Dünnes, Peter Wolf
Outside attackers: Bryan Fraser (Canada), Jan Klobucar (Slovenia), Moritz Reichert
Middle blockers: Tobias Krick, Lukas Bauer, Georg Escher
Libero: Florian Ringseis (Austria)
Head coach: Michael Warm
The playoff spots
Several teams are in contention for the coveted remaining playoff positions. TV Ingersoll Bühl, bronze medallists from two years ago, are surely one of them. They have been fluctuating in their performances since their outburst in 2013-2014. The quality of Ruben Wolochin’s team has been decreasing slightly, so has been their level during the first few games so far as well. The Slovakian opposite Lubos Kostolani had a disappointing previous campaign and left the team. Gone are also the Spanish setter Angel Trinidad and the outside attackers Mark Plotyczer and Richard Mauler. The American Graham McIlvaine is the new team’s new playmaker. Two recent US students and college volleyballers have been added to the team and are yet to prove whether they belong to the Bundesliga – Peter Russell and Daniel Tublin.
SVG Lüneburg, last season’s surprise package, are here to score another series of great games and maybe even improve what they achieved in 2014-2015, which includes a German Cup final in Halle as well. The squad is pretty much the same which means a lot of points should be gathered in their small sports hall. However, as the size of the gym is not entirely fit for professional volleyball, this might be the last campaign at the Gellersenhalle. Lüneburg lost the energetic Dutchman Tijmen Laane and the setter Eugenio Dolfo, but found worthy replacements in Adam Kocian, a talented German setter from VSG Coburg/Grub, the Canadian outside attackers Nicholas del Bianco and Steven Marshall.
A great summer selection took place in Bayern too where the TSV Herrsching, on the outskirts of Munich, signed with some national team players. These are the setter Patrick Steuerwald, the libero Ferdinand Tille, and the Slovakian international Peter Ondrovic. The outside attacker Philipp Trenkler is another interesting newcomer. Roy Friedrich, Daniel Malescha, and Tobias Neumann extended their contracts and Herrsching, playing in typical Bavarian Oktoberfest outfit, should be aiming for the playoffs. However, even with some serious quality provided, the team is struggling at the beginning of the campaign, having won their opening match at home against Lünerburg (3-2), only to lose then three in a row against Bühl (1-3), Berlin (0-3), and at home against Düren (0-3).
VSG Coburg/Grub enjoyed a fruitful summer on the transfer market as they strengthened their squad. The Israeli opposite Itamar Stein remains at the club but now as a head coach and he recruited a fellow countryman – the setter Ariel Katzenelson. New are also Richard Mauler and Lubos Kostolani from TV Ingersoll Bühl and the US middle blocker Dylan Davis who has arrived from Avignon in the French league. This is perhaps the best squad the small club from middle Germany has had. A place in the playoffs should not be out of reach for them.
The last team with some serious ambitions for the playoffs is TV Rottenburg. Usually away from the spotlight, the club from the town near the French border has some good German players who should help Rottenburg in the battle for the top eight. The national team’s member Tom Strohbach, the universal attacker Moritz Karlitzek, the setter Philipp Jankowski, and the outside attacker Dirk Mehlberg should have their say during the regular season.
The format
The round-robin regular phase will continue from 23. October till 13. March 2016. The German league preserves its format and will have pre-playoffs for the teams in positions 7-10 after the regular phase, with the top sixth advancing to the quarterfinal playoffs, whereas the bottom-placed team will be relegated to the second Bundesliga. The quarterfinals will be played in a best-of-three modus, while the semifinal and final playoffs in a best-of-five format.
The winners of the two second divisions – Second Bundesliga North and Second Bundesliga South, will earn promotion for the 2016-2017 season.