The commission, which the Board of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation appointed to conduct interviews with candidates for the new head coach of the women's national team, will hear the Italian specialist Marcello Abbondanza at an online meeting on November 5, learnedVolleyweek.

Who will make the decision

The commission includes President Lyubomir Ganev, Vice President Iliya Dinkov, national teams manager Nikolay Ivanov, and Board member Sasho Yovkov. They will also hold meetings with the other two candidates is Ivan Petkov and Radoslav Arsov.
Each coach will present their program for preparation, staff selection, friendly matches, and a plan for integrating young national players. The questions to the candidates will be identical to ensure transparency of the procedure.

Focus on the young world champions

The federation's president, Lyubomir Ganev, emphasized that the main goal of the new coach will be the integration of the U19 world champions and the girls from the U21 team (fourth in the world) into the senior team.

"The goal is to build a team that follows the example of the men's national team. You see what Gianlorenzo Blengini achieved with the boys is with hard work and persistence, results came quickly," commented Ganev.

Abbondanza returns after 11 years

Abbondanza, who coached Bulgaria from 2011 to 2014, joined the competition at the last moment. His candidacy necessitated the postponement of the decision for the new coach. The Italian is known for his rich experience in national teams and club volleyball.

The commission must complete its evaluation and propose a name for approval within a week after the hearings, so that the necessary documents can be submitted to the Ministry of Sports.

What's next for the national team

Bulgaria will participate in the Nations League in 2026, as well as the European Championship, where the group is tough but surmountable. The new coach will have to build a stable squad capable of fighting for qualification in the next Olympic cycle.