Idman.biz
According to the results of the tenth round of the Azerbaijan Women's Volleyball Super League, "Ganja" is in fifth place in the tournament table with 14 points. The club's last game was against the current champion of the country, "Azerreyl," and the Ganja team won with a score of 3:1.
In an interview with Idman.Biz, the head coach of "Ganja," Rafael Petri, stated that this meeting was important in terms of position in the tournament table: "The team showed excellent tactical discipline and fighting spirit. We followed the game plan well, especially in important moments. This victory is very important for our self-confidence, but we are focused on the next game."
The Brazilian specialist explained the main goal of "Ganja" as follows: "We want to be competitive in every game and fight for the top positions in the table. There are several strong teams in the league, so every opponent is a real rival for us."
He added that the league in Azerbaijan is becoming more professional every season. Petri has worked in countries such as Peru, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Colombia, and the Czech Republic. However, he did not compare the championships:
"Each country has its own path of development, and Azerbaijan is writing its own history of development. Investment in youth, training of coaches, and improvement of infrastructure are important for future development."
The prospects for the development of volleyball in the country were one of the reasons that attracted Rafael Petrini to work in Ganja: "I was interested in the club's project and ambitions. Ganja has one of the best training facilities in the country. I already knew that volleyball is developing in Azerbaijan and I wanted to be a part of this process."
The head coach stated that adapting to Ganja was easy thanks to the hospitality and respectful attitude of the local residents:
"I was very impressed by the hospitality of the Azerbaijanis and their pride in their culture. Ganja is a beautiful city with a rich history and very sincere people. It reminds me of some traditional European cities, where sports and society are closely connected," he added.
According to Rafael Petrini, the team's results help attract local residents to volleyball: "The interest of fans in "Ganja" is growing, and their support gives the team additional motivation."
