Behrouz Atai: We must get volleyball out of this situation/I am to blame – Mehr news agency Iran and world’s news
According to Mehr reporter, Behrouz Atai, the head coach of Iran’s volleyball team, defended the performance of the national team and explained the events at the press conference of the federations sending to the Hangzhou Asian Games, which was held on Tuesday at the place of the National Olympic Committee.
We are going to the Asian Games with all our strength
First, he said about sending the team with the main composition to the Hangzhou Asian Games: Asian Games competitions are very important for Iranian sports, so it was natural that the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee asked us to send them to these competitions with all our strength. Considering the intensity of the volleyball matches, it was natural that our inner desire was not to show up with all our strength and we wanted to go to the field with the second team or a combination of main players and youth players, but we also follow the rules and that’s why with the team We will be sent to the main competitions.
Why did you cross out Milad Ebadipour?
Atai said about why Milad Ebadipour was drawn: Fortunately, there is no difference between the players. Milad Abadipour suffered a serious injury in Italy, in the League of Nations, it coincided with the birth of his child. This injury continued until the Asian Championship so that he and we expected more and we all wanted to see the former Milad Ebadipour. He has not yet reached full preparation and that is why he is not present in these competitions. We will not mark any player. Milad is one of the great volleyball players and is with the team. My relationship with him is like father and son. His name is on our list for the Olympic selection, but I don’t think he will be added to the team. However, he is by our side and we do the work of dispatching.
The weakness of the national team in the League of Nations was revealed
In response to the question that in the League of Nations, they said that if Milad Ebadipour was there, the receiving problem would have been solved, why he was used in the finals in the Asian Championship despite not being ready, he said: Volleyball is a team sport and the absence of any player can affect the process. The team has an impact. In the League of Nations, the team was weak in receiving and we were not good at all, the absence of Milad and Mohammad Mousavi definitely has its negative effect. The quality of the game is raised by great players, our performance was not good in the Asian Championship, however, my preference is that great players like Milad and Mohammad Mousavi serve the national team in the best condition.
Strengthening the national team and not listening to anyone’s words
Atai said about strengthening the technical staff and that he does not accept anyone’s words because of his charismatic personality: Tutulu was the only foreign coach of the team, I wanted to use him as an assistant, but his view was different. Our discussion was not technical but our way of working was not compatible with each other. We had no personal differences. Regarding the strengthening of the technical staff, I am basically guarded by the coach’s literature because we need the help of the coach. Unfortunately, at this time, all the coaches are busy and no one was separated in the middle of the road. Only Pavel left us from the middle of Kazer, his contract was until the end of the League of Nations, after which he helped the national team in a friendly way, but his club team put him under pressure. I don’t have a problem with anyone helping us, but I am wary of the word “coach” and the assistant must be by our side.
Worried about losing to the second Japanese team
In response to the Mehr reporter that there are concerns about losing to the second Japanese team in the Asian Games, Atai said: We respect all competitors and the second Japanese team will also be strong and our opponent in the Asian Games. Asian countries are China, Qatar and Japan, and we know about them. We are trying to defend our championship position.
We will remove volleyball from this situation
The head coach of the national volleyball team said about the weakness of the results of the national team: We have a coordinated and coherent team that has not been playing well for a while, all our efforts are to get Iranian volleyball out of this situation. It is definitely my fault and we have to take the team to a direction where the players get used to winning. Players are worried about losing from the beginning of the game. In the Asian Games, strong teams do not play in front of us, and this can help us to prepare the children mentally and psychologically for the Olympic qualifying competition.