2021 Women

Giovanni Guidetti on the Ace Space

Quotes

Article Sun, Mar 14 2021

The coach of Vakifbank Istanbul Giovanni Guidetti once again joins the Ace Space podcast to give us insight into what it is like coaching one of the most dominant teams in women's professional volleyball. 

In this article you can find the best quotes from a very quotable man. But we highly recommend the full podcast to enjoy one of the best Ace Space episodes yet! 

“The coaches never win because they are not a coach ranking, that’s why I don’t like it too much”

On the Athletes Unlimited scoring system

"This Vakifbank team this year is one of the best Vakifbank teams ever. We have the best setter in the world, one of the best middle blockers in the world. Egonu, Boskovic, and Bella Haak are the best three opposites in the world and we have one of them. Amazing players in position 4, Gabi Guimarães and Michelle Bartch. And a good libero too. I am a lucky coach. "

On this year's Vakifbank team

"Evolution shouldn’t be feared if it’s done with the right intention."

On the rules of volleyball changing

"It is almost one year since any of us – coaches or players – have played in a do or die match. We don’t what is, it has just been play play play. Matches where if you lose, everything is finished. Last year we couldn’t do this: couldn’t play playoffs, couldn’t play Turkish cup, couldn’t play quarterfinals."


"Losses are always a very good medicine, if you know how and when to take it. If you take the medicine wrong, it can kill you. If you take the medicine right, it can heal you. So if you know how to take it, a loss can be a great medicine for the team. So we took one loss."

On how a loss can help

"We are not here (Vakifbank) because we are the richest or the most beautiful. We are here because we we put in the work and we have the passion. If you cannot work to our standard, even if you are very good, you cannot stay. Unfortunately in the past I have had to give up on some very good players but they could not train at the level that we like."

On what it takes to play for Vakifbank

Listen to the full episode:

#CLVolleyW