Greece will be hoping to make a good impression in Mexico
Lausanne, Switzerland, June 11, 2015 – Greece’s return to the FIVB
Volleyball World League after a 10 year absence will not be easy, but
coach Sotirios Drikos's men are looking at their participation as an experience to
remember.
The Greek team travelled to Mexico for the first round of Pool G without two key players: Team captain Dimitris (Mitar) Djuric had to stay back in Thessaloniki due to a waist problem, while libero Giorgos Stefanou, the only “survivor” of the 2005 team that had last played in the World League, was ruled out due to a neck injury.
Head coach Sotiris Drikos didn’t underestimate the importance of the absentees but stressed that Greece’s comeback to the prestigious competition brings motivation to every member of the expedition to Mexico: “We have two issues to deal with, which are the absence of injured Stefanou and Djuric. Each player has his own importance, but the main thing is to protect their health above all. Djuric is our captain and one of the best opposites in the world. However we have faith that Armenakis and Palentzas will exceed themselves in order to fill the gap. Anyway, the return of Greece to the World League makes this a very good day for Greek volleyball. This experience will be useful for this generation of players, who can take the Greek team higher in the future.”
Greece’s coach commented on the forthcoming matches in the city of Tepic, where Greece will play their opener against the hosts: “Playing the opening match of the tournament against the host team after an exhausting trip is something that could hold many unpredictable situations. Maybe the Mexicans think that the young Greek team could be a more accessible rival than China or Slovakia. From our side, each one of the three games in Mexico will be equally important as the next one. Pool G will be a six-match marathon for us.”
Setter Dima Filipov also spoke before the Greek team’s departure and remained in a positive mood despite the injury setbacks: “The moment we have waited for so long has finally come. It is time for us to show that Greek volleyball deserves a place in the World League. I think we are ready. Last week we had some important friendly matches in Turkey and we showed some good skills. Of course, the absence of Stefanou and Djuric is a serious blow for us. They are our most experience players and our captain and leader, respectively. However, we must try to find ways to cover for them.”
Regarding his team’s chances of getting some positive results in Tepic, and also the fans’ support he expects to see next week in Thessaloniki, Filipov replied: “We don’t see ourselves as outsiders. Each side will fight for the victory, in every game. We will try to get some good results, in order to reach the second tournament in the best conditions possible. Next week in Thessaloniki, the fans can make the difference for us. We hope that the public will fill every seat in the stadium and enjoy world-class volleyball.”