Gardini: ‘A new cycle has begun in the national volleyball team, the world has changed in 15 days’

“Beyond the change in performance, the detachment was very evident, there was a change. A cycle has ended, in my view, and another has begun. In 15 days the world has changed. And ‘started a new cycle that had the advantage of being clean, enthusiastic, with many positive signs inside and involved a lot of people who watched these guys play, for how the team interpreted the matches. passionate, determined, with an important pride in the blue shirt, with a desire to do well, there was no selfishness, they only transmitted positive signals and then played very well at volleyball, in a delicious way. my heart and I say ‘it can be done’ “. This was stated by Andrea Gardini, one of the most successful players in the history of Italian volleyball, at the Adnkronos on the victory of the Italian men’s volleyball team at the European Championships for the seventh time. “It was a wonderful experience, someone recalled the events of 1989 when our group’s path began and I must say that I see many similarities. Even then there was the closure of an old cycle, a change of coach, all new guys. , except for Lucchetta, we were a completely young team, with Velasco at the helm, little accredited by everyone, but who opened a beautiful path and the similarities are many, as well as the enthusiasm of that period I seemed to see him in this team. It’s a beautiful parallel after a few years. It almost gave me a sense of goosebumps “, added Gardini. “It seems like the year zero since September of this year of the Italian men’s volleyball team. During the tournament I said I only had very good sensations from this team, so when I am there it is difficult for things to go wrong. He gave me a great satisfaction. “The coach Fefè De Giorgi gave a new mentality to this team after the Tokyo Olympics. “When you change most of the players and bring a new mentality, you don’t have many obstacles. The imprint that De Giorgi gave is of a very important generational change. He had to make decisions that also involve risks. Young people then do what they do. they are told, if you address them they will follow you even in hard work and great efforts, if you want they are better than us in the past, they are much smarter. The wonderful and beautiful thing is that it was done in 15 days. This shows that young people have this ability to change. Today I am delighted. As in 1989 no one believed it “, continued Gardini, silver in Atlanta and bronze in Sydney. “This team with a top-level Slovenia played an important final, beating a great team. Now we have to enjoy what has been done, and see what to do to continue this climb. If it is a year zero, we have to spend the following years. in our group many players have entered and left, the important thing is that that spirit and that soul remain the basis of everything they do, then when you do these things, as an old coach said, ‘the score is made by only ‘”, added the technician. “We talk about Giannelli as a veteran but he is 22 years old, he is a young veteran who fits well in this group, I have seen all the right cards in the right place. I only see a good future”, added Gardini who arrived in January 2021. at Jastrzębski Węgiel where he won the championship. “Now in Poland we are starting the new season. Last year I went from rags to riches, from being sacked in Italy to a team that was sinking and that we led to win the title against the team that played the best volleyball in Europe. Zaksa. I don’t know what will happen this season. In Poland we have achieved great success after 20 years, and now we want to try again even if miracles don’t always happen, then we’ll see. Going back to Italy? Maybe, I would run back “, concluded Gardini. .