The President of the Turkish Volleyball Federation, Mehmet Akif Üstündağ, confirmed full support for head coach Daniele Santarelli and set a clear task for the women's national team – a place on the podium and a medal at the World Championship in Thailand (August 22 – September 7).

In the group stage, Turkey will faceCanada, Bulgaria, and Spain, and the goal is to improve upon their best previous finish – sixth place.

Preparation with an eye on the top

Üstündağ recalled that in 2023, Turkey achieved historic successes with titles in the Nations League and the European Championship. These are the foundation of the trust placed in Santarelli, who is known for his disciplined and analytical approach.

In this year's edition of the Nations League, the Turkish team played with a rejuvenated and expanded squad. The goal was to increase the number of players ready for the major tournament and to give the starters time to recover. According to Üstündağ, this will lead to a fresher and more competitive team in Thailand.

"Nobody is a magician" – a response to critics

After being eliminated by Japan in the quarterfinals of the Nations League, Üstündağ did not hide his disappointment but emphasized that the selection was consciously experimental. He defended Santarelli, recalling his words:"I am not a magician; I am a worker."

"He is right – nobody is a magician. I am not a magician as president either. But everyone holds us accountable – 'Why didn't we win, why didn't we become champions?' When we win, they want to erect a statue for us, but when we lose, the ugly attacks begin," said Üstündağ.

He sharply criticized some of the comments in volleyball circles regarding the squad selection:"Do you train with the team? Do you know what we're going through?"

Open doors for constructive criticism

Üstündağ stated that the federation is open to ideas and constructive remarks, but will use its legal rights against personal attacks, insults, and false information.
"Our doors and hearts are open. Our doors and hearts are open – instead of making statements that are not objective, just to please the public, and spreading fabrications and fake news, let's discuss ideas and constructive criticisms together," he added.

Historical rankings of opponents in the group

Bulgaria and Turkey have identical highest rankings in World Championship history, but achieved in different eras. Canada and Spain have never entered the top 10, which makes matches against them crucial for advancing from the group.

photo: Nikolay Varadinov