05/03/2021 15:15
Portuguese Volleyball superstar João José to make coaching debut with women’s national team
News from the National Federations
Porto, Portugal, March 5, 2021. The women’s national team of Portugal will start in mid-April their preparations for the EuroVolley 2021 qualifiers scheduled for early May. João José (pictured), a true superstar of Portuguese Volleyball and former captain of the men’s national team, will be making his coaching debut at the helm of the women’s team. José currently works as national teams’ coordinator at the Portuguese Volleyball Federation and he recently released a list of 24 players he is due to work with ahead of the EuroVolley qualifiers.
“As a rule, I consider that every year is different, even when the group and the competitions are the same and this is no exception. However, the pandemic has brought about a completely different situation. The Portuguese Volleyball Federation, the national teams and clubs are trying to adjust in the best possible way so that we can all continue to work, compete and achieve our goals. There will have to be a joint effort so that, in the short time that we will have to prepare, we can be ready for the EuroVolley qualifiers and the European Silver League,” José says.
Regarding the list of players from the pre-call and the main goals, José continues: “This is a pre-call with a mix of experienced athletes and younger ones. We believe that the group shall combine the maturity coming from years of experience and the energy and ambition of the youth. We aim to qualify for the final round of EuroVolley and the Silver League Final Four. It will be a tight schedule where we will probably only have the full working group together about a week before the start of the competition. We are aware of the enormous challenge that lies ahead, but we are confident in the group and in its ability to overcome it.”
The long-list released by José includes the following players:
Setters
Ana Couto (Sporting CP)
Eliana Durão (Leixões SC)
Ana do Carmo Figueiras (GC Vilacondense)
Beatriz Rodrigues (Sporting CP)
Middle Blockers
Carina Moura (Leixões SC)
Helena Monteiro (PV2014/AV Colégio Efanor)
Aline Rodrigues (Sporting CP)
Neusa Neto (SL Benfica)
Amanda Cavalcanti (Sporting CP)
Marlene Pereira (Castêlo da Maia GC)
Outside Hitters
Bárbara Gomes (AAJM/FC Porto)
Marta Hurst (Osacc Haro Rioja Vóley / Spain)
Gabriela Coelho (PV2014/AV Colégio Efanor)
Ana Afonso (GC Vilacondense)
Ana Monteiro (PV2014/AV Colégio Efanor)
Catarina Silva (PV2014/AV Colégio Efanor)
Opposite Hitters
Júlia Kavalenka (Olimpia Teodora Ravenna/Italy)
Maria Reis Lopes (PV2014/AV Colégio Efanor)
Mariana Maia (PV2014/AV Colégio Efanor)
Alice Clemente (Centro Desportivo de Fátima)
Liberos
Joana Resende (AAJM/FC Porto)
Matilde Calado Rodrigues (PV2014/AV Colégio Efanor)
Beatriz Basto (Leixões SC)
Daniela Loureiro (Sporting CP)
Portugal competes in Pool B of the CEV EuroVolley 2021 qualifiers, with tournaments due to take place in Portugal and Georgia, with the participation of the national teams of Portugal, Georgia, Ukraine and Sweden. The first such tournament will run from 7-9 May in Portugal (at the Matosinhos Sports and Congress Centre) followed by a second from 14-16 May in Georgia (at the Arena Tbilisi).
In the CEV European Silver League 2021, Portugal features in Pool B with two tournaments due to take place in Bosnia and Herzegovina (28-30 May and 1-3 June) featuring the hosts, Portugal as well as the national teams of Estonia and Latvia.
|