Rafael Habibullin: "I believe in every player"
11 October, the traditional pre-season press conference of Gazprom-Yugra took place at the Premier Arena.. Also traditionally, in addition to the press representatives, there are fans in the hall, many children and youth. Everyone arrived to be torn to pieces: Rafael Talgatovich Khabibullin, full coaching staff and players. Well, after the conversation, the team changed clothes and held an open training session.
Rafael Habibullin, head coach of VC "Gazprom-Yugra": Us 30 years old, 30 our house is old, we're starting 25 season in the Superliga. Previously, admission was free., way out as we agree, but time dictates its conditions. Everything about the sound of the anthem in the arena – we were the first. But we are the last, who imposes the entrance fee. It's no longer financial, and the organizational component, the need to hold a full-scale pre-match show. We'll do this!
Very important, that Oleg Viktorovich Vakhovsky supported us (General Director of Gazprom Transgaz Surgut LLC – ca.. order.): "Don't worry, we're close, we'll help". There is an example, our friends from mini-football "Fakel", we are watching their development, development of the marketing component. People, who do marketing there, They’ll draw us their own “movie”, I think, everything will be worthy. We've updated the arena a little, the hall will be updated. On the day of the game, a tennis court will be used for activities with fans..
All, who wants to watch volleyball, everyone who loves volleyball, they will be with us. It's important to understand, that it's not about money: everything, who wants, everyone will be at volleyball.
25-1st season in the Super League. clear, that we just never had, it will be very difficult now. 25 years in the region we are the highest, regarding Olympic team sports. Being not the capital of a subject of the Federation, the northernmost team in the Super League. Ours are normal, working guys, ours to the core, so everything will be fine.
Before the start of the championship we had two tournaments: Spartakiad of the strongest plus the Cup of the Volleyball TV channel. We considered all this in the context of preparation for the championship, every game is a new lineup, looked at the people. Alexey Eduardovich will tell, what we have and how.
Alexey Rudakov, head coach of the EC "Gazprom-Ugra": As Rafael Talgatovich said, we took part in two competitions: Spartakiad, where did they play 11 the strongest teams of our huge country. We represented Ugra, took third place in the group, conceded to Novosibirsk, Peter, beat friends-rivals from Yamal. At the Volleyball Channel Cup we tried new combinations, every game we had serious updates in the lineup, We tried to give everyone gaming practice, see the players in action. It turned out that way, what happened, took third place in the group. But we collected information on the players and now with this information 16 October we will play the first round of the championship in Nizhny Novgorod.
Our composition is even, there is no division into base and spare. We will choose at the last moment, who is better prepared for this moment. The season will be very difficult for us, the teams are very even, literally one or two episodes in a game decide its outcome - that’s what, what we saw at the Cup. From eighth to sixteenth place – everything is very, very even, on a thin.
Our only line of middle blockers remains the same., one player added, this is Alexander Moskalev from Nizhnevartovsk, the rest of all lines were updated by fifty percent. New setter Artem Ivanov, which we already had, came back. We have a new diagonal, Pavel Galota, Belarus national team player, best player in Belarus last season. The most updated line of players, Nikita Mushenko from Samotlor came to us, Andrey Bobrov from Yaroslavl and our student Sergey Panov, who helped us a lot last season. Grigory Serov returned from loan. Well, our eternal team leader Alexey Rodichev is still in service. 50% our libero is Nikita Eremin, he also returned to us.
Overall we have a very smooth team., in some way this, may be, even bad. Good in some way. There is no such leader, who would carry the matches, we can only do something through team play.
This is already the calling card of the club, every year we reveal someone. While I can’t take and show anyone from the current lineup. This is bad for me, that there is no such person. We develop youth, but we don't hold anyone: the same Krasilnikov is now closing holes in Kazan, the same Skvortsov fourth in Ufa, the same Vylkov in Novosibirsk. Nikita Mushenko is our student, returned to us. We will see, what will it be.
There is a war going on and we must be like we are at war. Do here, what can. In any case it will be interesting.
We have one task for the season: be in the playoffs, this is 12 commands. For everything 24 We weren’t there in the Super League for a year, can, just a couple of times. We'll gnaw, we will fight, I think, once again we will succeed.
Oleksiy Rodychev, captain of VC "Gazprom-Yugra": Let at your level, to have as many fans in the stands as possible, they create the necessary atmosphere, are worried, rejoice with us. The youth in the hall are especially important - this is like a start for many, to get interested in volleyball, come to study in the section.
We have already conducted several master classes with children and it is always very interesting to watch the emotions, how the children rejoice at us, opportunities to learn something new, that they won't be shown at school. These kids, looking at us, perhaps, want to go to sports, not necessarily volleyball. Them, by the way, it's harder to explain something, than professional players on the court - too many distractions in the head.
As a team we are still getting used to each other. You need to feel your partner at the reception, in attack, on the block, in insurance - to become like a single mechanism. There are moments, which still need to be developed.
Pavel Galota, diagonal VC "Gazprom-Yugra": Everything is still new to me. It's one thing to watch the Russian Super League on TV, the other is inside. At the Cup I saw, what to beat those teams, whom we met, We can do it and the task for the season is quite realistic. We have a very strong coaching staff, we work a lot individually, the preparation is very cool. Everything is there - just play! Almost the entire Belarusian team, except for a couple of people, already moved to Russia, to improve your level.
Andrey Bobrov, Spiker of VC "Gazprom-Yugra": I really like the atmosphere, great friendly team. It's cool to be here. Surgut is somewhat reminiscent of our native Barnaul.
Sergey Panov, Spiker of VC "Gazprom-Yugra": I'm very glad to be back later 14 years in Surgut. Last year I didn't expect the challenge, was preparing to leave for Tyumen. Call from Rafael Talgatovich: "You're coming? The team needs you in four hours.". Sure! Immediately such warm feelings... I went to Kemerovo by train, something hurt me, but since they called, I had to help. It seems to have worked out, then they called a couple more times, thanks to Rafael Talgatovich for this chance...
Nikita Mushenko, Spiker of VC "Gazprom-Yugra": I've been here four years, graduated from YUKIOR. Then this happened, that he left the team, Now, seven years later, I’m back and I’m very happy about it..
At all, YUKIOR is the best platform in the country, as for the material and technical base. There is no such thing in Russia, so that everything is under one roof. But initially the gene pool is important, geography, solar activity, many, many things, including the financial component. Today there is a struggle for talented youth, Volleyball Russia today is experiencing a gene pool deficit. We 28 places in YUKIOR, many people want to go there, everyone wants to go to the Super League, but it is given to the chosen ones.
Postscript from Khabibullina:
The great Tretiak did not notice anything or anyone three days before the game. Many didn't understand, were surprised - how is this possible?, I could walk by and not say hello to a friend. I now have the same effect before the game in Nizhny Novgorod, cumulative effect. Getting ready.
Read also the article about the team on the All-Russian Volleyball Federation website
When is the season? "Gazprom-Ugra"
