Coach Cha Sang-hyun: "The Yeo Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team is in crisis, but we will produce a good result in the end" [Live from Bangi-dong]

*This content was translated by AI.

Cha Sang-hyun, the newly appointed head coach of the South Korean Yeo Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team, stated, "It is true that the Yeo Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team is in a serious crisis, but our goal is to produce a good result in the end."

Coach Cha Sang-hyun said at the press conference for the head coaches of the South Korean men's and women's volleyball national teams held on the 20th at the Olympic Hall in Seoul Songpa-gu, "It is not without pressure. However, we are building the national team with conviction and hard work. So far, the players have performed well."

A graduate of Kyunggi University and former player for Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, Coach Cha Sang-hyun worked as a coach for GS Caltex after retirement and served as a commentator for SBS Sports before taking charge of the Yeo Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team in April.

The 'Cha Sang-hyun' Yeo Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team is preparing for the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup women's tournament to be held next month in Candor, Philippines. Following this, they will compete in the East Asian Women's Championship and the Asian Women's Championship, aiming to win the gold medal for the first time since the 2014 Incheon Games at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Coach Cha Sang-hyun said, "I have been involved in women's volleyball as a coach and head coach for over 10 years. There were rumors that it would be scary or that training would be difficult, but I had many concerns about how to quickly resolve those relationships. Perhaps it was because Kang So-hui (Korea Expressway Corporation), who is both the captain and an old friend, laid the groundwork, but so far, the players have been participating well in training." He emphasized, "The key is to prepare well for the biggest tournaments, the Asian Championship and the Asian Games."

Coach Cha Sang-hyun then pointed out the bitter realities of women's volleyball. He stated, "The world ranking has dropped to 40th, and even in Asia, we are ranked outside the top seven. I told the players that they must accept reality; otherwise, they cannot grow. How well they prepare will determine whether they can leap forward or remain stagnant."

Coach Cha Sang-hyun added, "Competition in Asia is not easy. Japan and China have the strength to reach the world's top four. Thailand and Vietnam have also risen significantly. However, I believe we are at a point where we cannot retreat. We will prepare with the mindset of taking on challenges."

Coach Cha Sang-hyun continued, "We cannot expect to succeed on the first try. To be frank, among the 14th players in the final roster, only about one-third to half are regular starters on their club teams. That is our biggest concern." He said, "We told them to prepare well not just as substitutes, but as players who can win games. That is the biggest challenge for Korean women's volleyball right now."

Coach Cha added, "Everyone in the volleyball community and fans know that the growth of domestic players is necessary. However, without systemic changes, growth is impossible. Players must eventually play in matches." He also emphasized the need for systemic changes in the professional V-League.

Coach Cha Sang-hyun said, "When I met with other stakeholders, I argued that 'at least during seasons with the Asian Games or Olympics, the 4th to 6th rounds of the regular league should be played only by domestic players.' Currently, foreign players occupy more than 60% of the positions." He added, "I am confident that growth will occur when a system is created where domestic players can solve problems and play as opposites. I believe the time has come to create a system where domestic players can play."

Captain Kang So-hui, who attended the press conference, emphasized, "There are many international tournaments this year, and I want to prepare thoroughly. As captain, I want to lead the team as one. I want to show the performance and spirit befitting the South Korean national team."

She continued, "At the last Asian Games, I shed tears of frustration with the players and felt very powerless. I do not want to feel frustrated again." She added, "I also want to improve our ranking in Asia, which is currently 6th or 7th. As much as our pride was hurt, I want to repay with results through hard training."

The Yeo Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team will participate in the 2026 AVC Cup women's tournament next month in Candor, Philippines, followed by two domestic friendly matches against Indonesia in July. They will then compete in the 2026 East Asian Women's Championship (Hong Kong) and the 2026 Asian Women's Championship (China), before heading to the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September. At the Asian Games, they will aim for the gold medal for the first time since the 2006 Doha Games, 20 years later.

- Setters: Kim Da-in (Hyundai Construction), Lee Soo-yeon (Korea Expressway Corporation)

- Liberos: Lee Young-ju (Hyundai Construction), Han Da-hye (Pepper Savings Bank)

- Outside Hitters: Kang So-hui (Korea Expressway Corporation, Captain), Kim Hyo-im (GS Caltex), Park Yeoreum (Jung Kwan Jang), Lee Ye-rim (Hyundai Construction), Jung Yoon-joo (Heungkuk Life)

- Opposites: Na Hyun-soo (Hyundai Construction)

- Middle Blockers: Kim Se-bin (Korea Expressway Corporation), Park Eun-jin (Jung Kwan Jang), Lee Da-hyun (Heungkuk Life), Lee Ju-a (IBK Industrial Bank of Korea)

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*This content was translated by AI.