Spanish master, 'lowest ranked' KB Insurance predicts a sensation

 KB Insurance, which was ranked last in the professional volleyball men's division, ambitiously appointed its first foreign head coach. Attention is focused on whether former Spanish national team coach Miguel Rivera (39) will lead the rebound.

Coach Miguel served as a power analyst for the Spanish women's national team in 2009 and as head coach of the Spanish men's national team from 2014 to 2021, and will take command of the Spanish men's national team starting in 2022. The Spanish men's national team has achieved rapid growth since coach Miguel took office, raising the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) ranking from 49th to 33rd.

His professional team experience is also impressive. While coach Miguel was the head coach of the Spanish men's national team, he led the Spanish men's professional team Club Voleibol Teruel and won numerous trophies.

Coach Miguel, who had extensive experience in Spain, came to Korea to take on a new challenge. During the 2023-2024 season, he will take the helm of KB Insurance, which finished in last place for the first time since its founding, and aim for a rebound.

Coach Miguel, who met at KB Insurance's Injaenium in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 28th, said, "This is my first time coming to Korea. I am so grateful that the club offered me the position of coach." He added, "It is an honor to be able to join the V League, and I will work hard to help KB Insurance grow."

Former women's volleyball team coach Cesar Hernández had a great influence on Coach Miguel's decision to go to Korea. He explained, “It wasn’t easy to decide to take on a big challenge, but I heard a lot about Korean volleyball from coach Cesar, who I am close with,” and “I decided to do it after hearing a lot about the structure of Korean volleyball.”

As soon as he took office, Coach Miguel began to take stock of the players. With final training in progress after the end of the season, he emphasized, "First of all, I am spending a lot of time meeting with the players," and added, "I think it takes time to get to know people more than players." He went on to say, "I plan to officially run the squad after the break."

Regarding the players' first impressions, he said, "The first meeting was the most important and it was a good experience," and he was satisfied, "As difficult as it was due to poor performance, there was a willingness to change. It was very positive." He added, “There were some concerns among the players because it was their first time with a foreign coach, but they actively participated in the interviews.”

Although I have gained a lot of experience in Spain, this is my first time performing overseas. Coach Miguel expressed his ambition, saying, "This is my first overseas stage, so I have high expectations. I have been playing consistently on the international stage and have collected a lot of information. I want to convey my volleyball philosophy to the team and help it grow."

Villana, a Spanish foreign player like coach Miguel, is helping him adjust to life in Korea. Coach Miguel said, "I have a lot of communication with Villena. Even before I received an offer from the club, I was in constant contact with him." He added, "I tried to support Villena, the captain of the Spanish national team, whenever she was having a hard time mentally. We continued to contact her even during the season. "he said. He added, "I asked a lot about life in Korea. Coach Viena and Cesar's words helped me a lot in deciding to go to Korea."

Regarding life in Korea, he said, "I haven't experienced much yet, but I think it's good so far. I think highly of Korean people's courtesy and respect for foreigners. In particular, I would like to give the club staff an 11 out of 10." praised. He then said, “I think I will need more time to eat spicy food. I will also practice my chopsticks more,” causing laughter.

As they are at the bottom this season, there is pressure to lead a rebound. Coach Miguel expressed confidence, saying, "I have always tried to achieve the best results while in charge of the team. I have always felt that pressure. Rather, I think I took the baton in a good atmosphere. The players have a strong will to grow."

After identifying the team, it is necessary to check positions that need reinforcement, such as Asian quota players and foreign players. However, Coach Miguel emphasized, "It is an ongoing stage and nothing has been decided yet. It is urgent to strengthen performance, not just strengthen one position. Right now, we need to focus on the team."

Regarding the fact that positions such as middle blocker and libero are considered weaknesses of KB Insurance, he said, "I don't want to blame a specific position. I think it's everyone's responsibility." He added, "If you look at the main indicators of our team, most of them only ranked 6th or 7th. We will continue to develop in the future. “What needs to be done is the overall performance of the team, not just one or two positions,” he said.

Coach Miguel presented realistic goals for the team at this point. He said, “Athletes have to reach the limit of their skills. And in the new season, they will pour all their energy into the new season to the point where they can no longer run. If they gave everything, it is okay to finish second. If there are any regrets left, “I didn’t pour everything out,” he said. He continued, "I can't promise you the results, but I promise I will do my best."

With the appointment of coach Miguel as the head coach of KB Insurance, the number of foreign coaches in the V-League men's division has increased to four. He opened the era of foreign directors along with Korean Air coach Tommy Tillikainen, OK Financial Group coach Ogino Massage, and Hyundai Capital coach Philippe Blanc.

In response, Coach Miguel said, "I am very honored that a competitive structure has been created. I look forward to competing with experienced coaches," but added, "Coaches do not play volleyball. The main character is on the court, so I think we can focus on the players' performance." He said.

Before signing a contract with KB Insurance, Coach Miguel watched the last home game against Korea Electric Power Corporation on the 17th. He said, "It was a great experience to see the fans in person. We want to quickly show our fans our passion." He continued, “Our performance is our responsibility, but we can become stronger if we have fans,” and expressed his determination, “We will make sure that our performance attracts a lot of attention from fans.”

for more info check this :  온라인카지노