31/03/2015 17:46
Anderson’s resurrection: from pre-retirement to Champions League gold
2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Men
Kazan, Russia, March 31, 2015. This season has been truly special for USA’s Matthew Anderson with the outside spiker announcing in October he would take a break from competitive sport citing depression before coming back in January and going on to win gold at this year’s CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League Finals in Berlin.
Matthew Anderson scored the last point of the final match with Poland’s Asseco Resovia RZESZOW for the happy end of a plot that even a Hollywood screenwriter couldn’t have delivered any better.
“I just want to say that this was neither my last point for Zenit nor my last match. Who knows where I am going to play next season… But anyway, this was definitely my last game this season with Zenit. What can I say? I am very happy and it is an incredible feeling. I have been waiting for this victory for three years and we all have worked very hard for this. I am grateful to our management because they allowed me to come back some months after I had announced that I wanted to take a break. They understood my decision and this way I got some time to relax and dig deep into myself. Zenit KAZAN did everything for me so that I could make it to the Champions League Finals in the best shape.”
Anderson was not in the starting six for the final match with RZESZOW but joined the actions later on.
“I played very bad in the semi with the BERLIN Recycling Volleys so I could not question the decisions made by our coach. It is understandable that our mentor decided to go for another player as you can’t afford any mistakes in a final match of the Champions League. After that, I got a chance to join the game and since I knew I could not play any worse than I had done in the semis, I felt calm and relaxed. I tried to help the team to the best of my abilities. Even though I did not attack that much, my goal was to support the team at blocking and in reception as well.”
What prevented Anderson from playing his best in the match with BERLIN? Was it the pressure or the lack of practice since he hasn’t played this season in the Russian league?
“I do not know and frankly I do not want to search for excuses. Sometimes there are such matches where you just play bad but in the final things went better. I know I can play much better than I did last weekend in Berlin and it’s great that despite this, Zenit could win both matches and lift the trophy.”
The final match with RZESZOW seemed an easier task for Zenit than the semi with the hosts.
“I do not think it was easier since every competitor in this Final Four was able to give us trouble. As we went into the semi with BERLIN, everyone said we were the red-hot favourites. It was important not to feel and think this way so that we could remain focused and play our best. The match with Resovia was not easy at all like any other final.”
RZESZOW was close to win the second set and led by as many as four points in the third. What helped Zenit KAZAN change the course of the game in such moments?
“They are a great team. In the second set they made some changes and they worked well, whilst we started making mistakes. After we started playing with more consistency, we got back on track. Of course we have to stress that Maxim Mikhailov and Wilfredo Leon both played a great game and scored a lot of points.”
Does Anderson take on the Cuban wunderkind during trainings?
“Yes, we do play against each other quite often. He is such an incredible player, very strong physically. I would not like to be in a team which has to play Zenit KAZAN with Leon in their starting six. However, I am not scared: playing against him is a good test and a lot of fun at the same time. Leon missed almost two years being banned after he defected. It’s a sad story that a professional player has to leave his home country but this is the situation there. Wilfredo took his chance once he decided to play for Zenit and he has developed a lot. Now he is one of if not the best player in the world and he is only 21.”
Now Anderson is set to move to Italy and will play there for Sir Safety PERUGIA.
“I have signed the contract and will stay with this team only for the Playoffs, which means up to the end of this season. To a certain extent I decided to go there because the team is coached by Nikola Grbic. Last year we played together here in Kazan and we are good friends. He initiated my transfer to PERUGIA. His team was searching for an extra player for the Playoffs, he called me and I accepted his offer. But I have to say that the ongoing negotiations with PERUGIA did not distract me and prevent me from focusing on my duties towards Zenit KAZAN. All of my thoughts were here. And as far as the next season is concerned, I can’t say at this stage what will happen and where I am going to play.”
Anderson does not rule out his future may be with the armada from Tatarstan.
“Zenit KAZAN is a great club where everything is organised in the best way. This is the best club in Russia and in the Russian Superleague which is the strongest and most competitive league the world. It is hard to say no but I will analyse all offers and choose the best one, not only from the sports perspective, but for me as a person as well.”
Source: Vadim Kuznetsov, R-Sport
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