China’s volleyball team aims big with first foreign coach
Print Edition
THE newly appointed head coach of Chinese men’s volleyball team, Raul L. Lozano, said his target was to take the team to the top level in Asia and return to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The 61-year-old Argentinean has coached Spain, Poland, Germany and Iran in his career and led three of the four teams into the Olympics.
The recent one was last year when he helped the Iranian team make its debut at Olympic Games in Rio.
“In fact, I was very familiar with the Chinese team as an opponent. At the qualifying for Rio Olympics, I coached the Iranian team and defeated the Chinese team,” said L. Lozano, who is also the first foreigner to coach the Chinese volleyball team. “Now I want to give back something to the Chinese team, and take them to the Olympics.”
The arrival of L. Lozana is widely considered “a new era” for the Chinese men’s volleyball team.
Compared with the women’s team, which won the Olympic title three times in 1984, 2004 and 2016, the men’s team only participated in the Olympic Games twice — as a substitute team in 1984 and as host team in 2008.
After failing to make it to Rio de Janeiro last year, the Chinese Volleyball Association started hunting for an experienced foreign coach for the team and the choice eventually fell on L. Lozano.
“The Chinese team is good at attacking, but like other Asian teams, China’s defense is weak. I don’t think it is because of the height ... The players can do much better and we’ll have some targeted training to improve that.
“The success of the women’s team could be a good lesson for us. I am very confident about my players, especially for their learning ability and adaptability. I’m sure that my coaching will bring in some good changes,” said L. Lozano.
The Chinese Volleyball Association has made a clear timetable for the team for the coming four years.
“Winning a medal in the Asian Championship this year, making it to the final in the Asian Games next year, winning the gold medal in the Asian Championship in 2019 and eventually competing in Tokyo 2020,” the CVA said.
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