MOSCOW, March 15 (RIA Novosti) - On Monday the session of the all-Russian Volleyball Federation has appointed a new head coach of the Russia's women volleyball team. Giovanni Caprara, the 42-year-old Italian specialist, coach of the Foppapedretti Bergamo, replaced legendary Nikolai Karpol, who coached the team during the whole post-Soviet period, Vremya Novostei reports.
"I don't feel inconvenient that such great coach as Karpol coached the team before me. I believe that it's a great honor to coach the Russian team, which is one of the strongest in the world," Mr. Caprara said.
Mr. Caprara has already named his assisting coaches. One of them is his wife, 1988-Seoul Olympic Champion well-known passer Irina Kirillova. Another assistant is Yury Panchenko, the 1980-Moscow Olympic Champion, 1982-World Champion and 1981-World Cup Champion. He also intends to invite his assisting coach from Foppapedretti Marc Breviglieri.
Giovanni Caprara, who is not well-known even in Italy, became the second foreign coach to work with Russian Olympic team. The foreigners coach the Russian men and women's volleyball teams. However, if Zoran Gajic's appointment was justified, after he led his Serbian team to the 2000-Olympic gold and he had an outstanding reputation in the world of volleyball, than the decision to appoint the Italian coach without the reputation still has to be justified, experts say. On top of all, volleyball has been one of the successful sports for Russia.
Mr. Caprara practically doesn't speak Russian and it's not yet clear how he intends to communicate with his players.
about us
