On the official website ofThe French Volleyball Federation, the head coach of the French men's national team, Andrea Giani, revealed details regarding the team's preparation for the upcoming season. In an extensive interview, he commented on the players' performance during the past club campaign, outlined plans for participation in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), and most importantly, highlighted the big goal for "Les Bleus" – winning the World Championship, the only significant accolade missing from the showcase of French volleyball.
Here are the main highlights from the interview:
Preparation and Goals of the French Men's National Volleyball Team before VNL and the World Championship
The French national volleyball team will begin its preparation in May in Tours with two main goals: defending their title in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), of which they are current holders, and most importantly, the World Championship – the only major competition that "Les Bleus" have not yet won. Coach Andrea Giani shares his vision for the upcoming season.
Assessment of the performance of French players in their club teams:Giani expresses satisfaction with the performance of French volleyball players during the past club season. Despite the short rest period after the Olympic Games in Paris, most of the players had good seasons. The positive aspect is that there are few injured players – only Jenia Grebennikov (ankle) and Quentin Jouffroy (finger), who has been absent for several months.
Preparation for the season and plan for the Nations League:Preparation begins on May 19 in Tours. For the Nations League, the staff has decided to use three different groups of players. The goal is to give international experience to young players, with the first phase involving more young talents, some of whom will also be involved with the youth national teams for the World Championships (U19 and U21).
First week (in Canada):Emphasis on young players. Young setters (Amir Tizi Oualou, Anatole Chaboissant), opposites (Henri Léon or Nathan Ferral, in addition to Théo Faure), outside hitters (probably Mathis Henno, Antoine Pothron, Noa Dufour Rosse, in addition to Trevor Clévenot and Timothée Carle), middle blockers (in addition to Joris Seddik and Quentin Jouffroy, two more will be selected) and liberos (Benjamin Diez, Luca Ramon) are expected to participate.
Second week:More experienced players such as Antoine Brizard, Yacine Louati, Barthélémy Chinenyeze, Jean Patry, and Earvin Ngapeth will gradually join the team. The squad will depend on each player's physical condition.
Third week (in Poland):After two weeks of preparation, Jenia Grebennikov, Benjamin Toniutti, and Nicolas Le Goff will also join the team.
Goals in the Nations League:Despite the experimental squad at the beginning, the goals remain high – qualifying for the Final Eight. This is important both for the team's prestige and for collecting points for the world ranking, especially after losing many points during VNL 2023. The approach is different from 2024, when VNL was direct preparation for the Olympics; now the goal is to win the maximum number of matches.
Program after the Nations League:Plans include 10 days of rest after the VNL, regardless of qualification for the Final Eight. This will be followed by three weeks of preparation in Cannes and two weeks in Okinawa, before the team arrives in Manila on September 8 for the World Championship. France's first match at the World Cup is on September 14 against South Korea.
Motivation for the World Championship:Gianni is convinced that players do not need additional motivation; the goal of winning a medal, especially the gold one, which is missing from France's display cabinet, is enough. The main thing is quality preparation. The coach notes that despite initial hesitations after the Olympics, the players have expressed a strong desire to participate with the aim of success at the World Championship.
Development of young players:Gianni emphasizes the importance of giving young players a chance to gain international experience this season. This is key for the team's future and qualifications for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2026 and 2027. Participation in the VNL will allow young players to realize the difference in level at the highest international level, which, according to Gianni, cannot be learned only in training. For this reason, he wants to see as many young players as possible in the first phase of preparation in Tours.
photo:afp.com/lexpress.fr/
