Dhe last tests have been completed. This Saturday, the United Volleys in Schwerin will have their first competitive game of the new season. For the second time in a row, the Frankfurt Bundesliga volleyball players will meet the namesake from Berlin at the Supercup. Coach Christophe Acht, who took over Hessen in the summer, sees the opponent, who was superior a year ago, as the favorite in the duel between cup winners and champions. “But we want to use the 20 percent of opportunities we have,” emphasizes the Belgian.
The 43-year-old has only had his team completely together for a week. The Australian Max Staples was hired for outside attacker Karli Allik, who tore a cruciate ligament while on duty for the Estonian national team at the European Championship and is out for the entire season. “I know him a little from my time in Finland,” says the former Raision Loimu coach.
Assist the volleys
“Back then he was playing at a club nearby, and we met more often.” “He will definitely help us,” said eight. But Allik also wants to do his best to support the volleys. After an operation that went well in the capital, the 25-year-old wants to join his team in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and spend his rehab time in Frankfurt.
“We hope that he will return to the field next season,” said his coach. Jonas Reinhardt from Bad Kreuznach, who already helped out in Frankfurt last season, and the 17-year-old boarding school student Leo Bernsmann were also accepted as regulars. The squad thus consists of 15 players.
Good team cohesion
One of the strengths of the mix of seven new and eight proven forces including returnees and middle blocker Paul Henning is the serve. In addition, according to eight, there is a particularly good team spirit. “Some players have said they have never played in a team with such a great atmosphere,” says the Bundesliga specialist, who has been at home for two years. According to managing director Guido Heerstraß, there is no longer any question of the “funeral atmosphere” that the outside acceptance specialist Tim Grozer complained about. “The players all work for each other, and there is no star,” emphasizes Acht. Jochen Schöps, who could be described as such because of his career, is known for his modest demeanor.
Intense strength training
The player position is shared by the Canadian Byron Keturakis and Leon Dervisaj, who distributed balls on the Main last season. Since the newcomer, who was rated more strongly, was not fully resilient until late in the preparation, no clear number one has emerged yet. “It may be that one starts at the Supercup and the other starts at the first Bundesliga game,” says eighth, who will meet his previous club, the cup finalists Netzhoppers KW Bestensee, away from home next Wednesday.
The two conductors also took turns in the two final test matches in his hometown of Maaseik and even helped out with the Belgian record champions, who only had one player from the second team available. The encounters ended with a 3-1 win for Frankfurt and a 2-2 draw. After intensive strength training the evening before and a four-hour bus ride, his family were tired, says Acht.
When awarding the first title of the season, the volleys want to be wide awake from the start. Fans who are not among the up to 1000 permitted viewers who are allowed to watch the game on site can watch them like all league duels on the streaming platform Twitch. The men’s volleyball league wants to open up new target groups there from this season onwards.
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