The French Volleyball Federation announced today the appointment of 47-year-old Spaniard César Hernández as head coach of the French women's national team.Currently coach of "Neptune" Nantes, leader in Safiorel Power 6league, the professional French women's championship, César Hernández succeeds Émile Rousseau, who led the French women's national team from 2017 until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where the "Blues" participated for the first time in their history. Born in Madrid on October 24, 1977, the new coach of the "Blues" was part of a shortlist of six names, selected by Eric Tanguy, president of the French Volleyball Federation, Axel Giguet, national technical director, and Marc Francastel, performance director for the women's and men's national teams. He has solid experience in coaching high-level athletes. After starting his coaching career in Spanish clubs,he was assistant coach of the Korean national team when they finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympic Games.He has a rich club career, including a first stint in France as assistant to Carlo Parisi in Le Cannet (2016/2017), followed by a successful period alongside Giovanni Guidetti at the Turkish club VakıfBank Istanbul, winning the Champions League in 2022 and 2023 and the Club World Championship in 2021. Arriving in Nantes in the summer of 2023 as head coach, César Hernández managed to achieve a convincing first season with "Neptune", winning the French Cup 2023/2024 - the first trophy in the club's history, and reaching the final of the French championship. At the helm of the French women's national team, the Madrid native will have the task of continuing the development of the "Blues" in the new Olympic year, with an eye on 2025, a second participation in the Volleyball Nations League and the World Championship, which will take place from August 22 to September 7 in Thailand.
photo:volleybrains.com