We are speaking with Deyan Ninov – representative and head of the "Lyulin" volleyball club, which works primarily and successfully for the development of our youth volleyball. A club that shows results and has established itself as one of the leading in the men's division. A club that has expanded the geography of volleyball and created conditions for children and young people from the largest capital district to be in the gym and achieve success.

- Mr. Ninov, today marks the end of the preliminary phase of the European Men's U18 Volleyball Championship, which our country is hosting. How do you assess the performance of our team?

- First, I would like to wish success to your new media project, and, of course, to have more wonderful volleyball successes to cover, for our U18 girls, and others – God willing! What we all see right now with our U18 boys' team is a farce! A sports-technical and managerial farce! It's a sports-technical farce because the two coaches of the team, Desi Velichkova and Buratini, can't even correctly position the boys on the court, let alone other things. They started the first matches practically without an opposite hitter. Even in the first matches, it was clear that the team wasn't performing well. They arranged the team so that Kosyo Manolev was a close four-hitter to the setter, but that's not his position. The other four-hitter – Jasmin, should have been close to the setter because, at the very least, he has played opposite and would handle attacks from zone 2 better. Then, at some point, they remembered to play with an opposite, but it was already too late, because even in the control matches it was clear that they had planned to play without an opposite, which is simply unserious! It wasn't until the fourth match that they remembered to bring in Niki Mihovski, so we could be better on the block. Three matches they slumbered and left an impression of helplessness. And proof of their coaching oversight and lack of instinct is that in the next match they still didn't start with him, even though he performed very well in the previous game.

- We noticed the hesitant performance of the setters. What is the reason for this?

It is clear that our main setter is not precise. The most precise player in this position at this age right now is the CSKA setter – this was very clear at the finals a month and a half ago, and they didn't even call him up… considering that Desi Velichkova was a setter, and not to call him up... This, for me, is, to put it mildly, strange and unserious. As they say – if you've been a setter, at least you should understand setters.

- In this train of thought, others also didn't find a place in this squad...

- That's right, a player who was announced and awarded MVP of the finals at this age was not called up, but a player for this position who is a reserve in his club was called up and placed in the squad – that's why I use the definition 'farce', because for me this is ridiculous with an element of misunderstanding. The other thing that is visible is that the team is not sports-technically prepared, and from there already come the psychological hesitations and difficulties!

- Yesterday you alerted that Vladimir Nikolov was threatening the players in the locker room. Is this based on any evidence?

- Concerned parents called me, saying that in the locker room before the match with France, Vlado Nikolov behaved rudely towards the boys, which, in my opinion, visibly further depressed them psychologically, it's a shame… The children are not to blame that he, as a former board member, appointed unsuitable coaches. However, he is currently nobody in the Federation, he is neither on the staff of this team. In what capacity he allows himself these things, I don't know. Before, he was on the Board of Directors, he was a coordinator of the national teams, he was a general secretary, he was also a coach of a national squad with which he also achieved nothing, he was also a team manager for a short period in the men's national team, he self-proclaimed himself a volleyball revolutionary at the end of 2019, when he visited us, the clubs, collecting signatures to remove Dancho Lazarov… in short – he has been everything in the Federation over the years, but currently he is officially nobody and has no right to these arbitrary actions. Not to mention that, from a parent's perspective, no one would be pleased to have their child psychologically suppressed before a match, etc. These things are not good, let him not do that anymore.

- You accuse the Federation of managerial farce. What are these conclusions based on?

- It's a managerial farce because two years ago I warned the people currently managing our volleyball – Lyubo Ganev and David Davidov – that the coaching appointment of Desi Velichkova was unsuitable even before they appointed her. Moreover – a year and a half ago, just before the general assembly on March 24, 2023, I was invited to a meeting of the Federation's Board of Directors to give my opinion on one of the agenda items! In the next item, they were prepared to vote on the appointment of Desi Velichkova as coach for that age group then, and I shared with the Board that, in my opinion, this was not right, and they didn't even let me explain why? The Federation doesn't listen to a club that works primarily for youth volleyball and shows results – again, it doesn't seem right to me. What would have happened to them if they had just heard what arguments I would give them, and then they could still vote. It's a managerial farce what's happening also because it's becoming a frequent practice in the men's youth division not to call up capable and promising boys to the national squads who deserve to be called up and given attention. Several times now, national coaches have encouraged children to change their club affiliation, with Miro Zhivkov even last year allowing himself to abuse his official position, 'pressuring' one of our players during the camp to go to him at 'Beroe'. A coordinator of the national teams has been appointed, and there is supposedly a coaching commission, but we all see the results of their work and their managerial decisions at this home European Championship for boys under 18, and not only. There are many things. Many, but I can no longer remain silent because what is happening in the men's division, in youth volleyball in all its subdivisions, is not 'okay'. One more example of the results of their way of working is that we have one Bulgarian child who, instead of for Bulgaria, plays for France at this European Championship. Something that is already extremely worrying and unpleasant. And that's even though his first coach in Bulgaria was Desi Velichkova herself – totally illogical and inexplicable things are happening. Another child from Bulgaria went to Italy 5 years ago and is waiting for a passport, another child is also leaving for France this summer and will play for 'les Bleus' from autumn… If drastic changes are not made in the way they work, I won't be surprised if there are more children who will flee from Bulgaria and play for another country. I am ready to talk with anyone from the Federation, and beyond, to make decisions that will change things for the better! Decisions primarily of a personnel nature, because the human factor is the most important! I say these things with good intentions – hoping to be heard and for the way of working to be changed by the people currently managing volleyball. And last but not least – due to the fact that I have known these boys since they were 10-11 years old and it hurts me because they don't deserve this! At the very least – to be insulted and suppressed! Yes, anyone can lose to anyone, but in this way at a home European Championship, it's not 'okay'.