02/04/2019 09:00
STUTTGART coach Athanasopoulos takes over reins of Czech national team
News from the clubs
Luxembourg, April 2, 2019. After achieving unprecedented success with Germany’s sensation Allianz MTV STUTTGART, Ioannis Athanasopoulos has drawn the attention of additional members of the international Volleyball family. The 40-year-old Greek will be at the helm of the Czech women’s national team for the next two years.
“I am much honoured that the Czech Volleyball Federation has chosen me,” says Athanasopoulos, who helped STUTTGART make it to the quarterfinals of the CEV Champions League, thus becoming the first women’s team from Germany to achieve this feat. “Over the next two years, we will work hard to improve the level of the Czech national team and, hopefully, to become one of the best European teams, with the biggest aim being to qualify for the European Championship in 2021.”
In May and June, the Czech team will participate in the 2019 edition of the CEV European Golden League. In addition, the Czechs will contest a qualifying tournament for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics later this summer. This event will take place in China in August. There, the Czech Republic will play Turkey, the German team with national coach Felix Koslowski and the hosts and reigning Olympic champions, China.
Athanasopoulos knows the Czech Republic, their culture and many players from his time in the coaching staff of VK PROSTEJOV (season 2013/2014), his last season before he moved to Stuttgart.
“I would like to thank the people in charge at Allianz MTV STUTTGART, who have been very supportive and have made it possible for me to fulfil my dream of becoming a national team coach,” he adds. “I am sure that I will gain much more experience, which will enable me to become a better coach, and I just want to give this back to the Stuttgart team as well.”
Photo courtesy of Tom Bloch
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