Kolakovic Looking Ahead to 2018

Tehran, Iran – January 23, 2018 – Igor Kolakovic, the head coach of Iran shared his plans in 2018 with Iranian media members.

Over thirty-five Iranian reporters took part in the first new-year press conference of Igor Kolakovic, the head coach of the national volleyball team of Iranian senior men that was held in Football Academy Hotel.

He referred to the “Nations Volleyball League” as the first event ahead of him and found it as tough as before since the players must compete in five weeks travelling to different continents.

Since the volleyball calendar in 2018 is compact, Kolakovic has decided to form two national teams of A and B to prepare one of the squad for less important matches like Asian Games, “the team composition is not yet decided. I did not have enough time last year to add some more young players mostly because they were all busy with their own age-group tournaments, so I will do my best to include them” Igor Kolakovic explained.

He found the Men’s World Championship very important that is one of the most important focus of him this year since “this is going to be held every four years and the record will be important while not understating other matches” as he put.

Iran finished the last tournament of 2017 year – Grand Champions Cup – with big success and now people are waiting for more medals, yet Kolakovic guaranteed no medal and said, “no one can claim to stay on podium. We will try but even the top teams of the world like Brazil cannot guarantee medal in advance. All I know is Iranian volleyball features one definite quality that is the desire to sacrifice themselves for their national flag. They fight for their country”.

The reporters asked him why he was such long away from Iran while everyone was waiting for him to analyze the national league matches to discover the new young players for the future of Iran volleyball but he believed: “I was away from Iran for three and a half month in precise. I was away but I missed nothing out. I received the film of all matches and watched them very carefully. Moreover, I never violate my contract rules and this is all part of my rights”.

He praised the performance of two Iranian legionnaires – Milad Ebadipour & Mohammad Javad Manavinezhad – and when was asked about Adel Gholami, he said: “he is a very good player with high qualifications. I am thinking of him but nothing is yet determined about his return”.

About the new president of Iran volleyball federation, he put: “I had a meeting with him and let him know my plans. I hope we can have one more meeting to have his ideas as well. Dr. Ziayee was along with Dr. Davarzani for many years and experienced many good activities with Iran and I hope in the future, he stays closer and support the national team of Iran”.