*This content was translated by AI.
The women's professional volleyball team IBK Industrial Bank of Korea Al-Toss has appointed Japanese coach Manabe Masayoshi (63) as its new head coach ahead of the new season. He will face off against Tomoko Yoshihara (56), head coach of Heungkuk Life, who shares the same Japanese nationality, in tactical battles on the V-League stage.
IBK Industrial Bank of Korea announced on the 21st that "Coach Manabe is a leader who most accurately reads the trends of global volleyball" and added, "His data-based tactics and coaching philosophy that draw out the potential of each player are expected to further enhance IBK Industrial Bank of Korea's competitiveness for the championship."
Coach Manabe is widely regarded as a legendary coach who led the Japanese Yeo Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team to world-class status, achieving a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a fifth-place finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Under Coach Manabe's leadership, the Japanese women's volleyball team's world ranking rose to second place in 2018.
He is also known for his systematic analysis system and personalized training programs. He is credited with sparking innovation in the volleyball world through live analytics, which quantifies opponent attack patterns, defensive positions, and setter tendencies, allowing for real-time tactical adjustments during matches.
Coach Manabe will take direct command of team training starting in May. IBK Industrial Bank of Korea has already signed Osanai Miwako as an Asia quota player, preparing for the organized, fast-paced volleyball style that Coach Manabe advocates.
With Coach Manabe's appointment, Yeo Oh-hyun, who successfully led IBK Industrial Bank of Korea as acting coach last season and received praise for the "Yeo Oh-hyun Magic," among others, will depart the team.
The club added, "We express our deepest gratitude to Acting Coach Yeo Oh-hyun and the coaching staff for their dedication and passion toward the team's growth and development, and we will continue to offer unwavering support for their future challenges."
Meanwhile, with Coach Manabe's appointment, two out of seven women's professional volleyball teams are now preparing for the new season under Japanese head coaches. Heungkuk Life, led by Coach Yoshihara, finished fourth in the regular season last year.
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*This content was translated by AI.
