"Coach Shin Young-cheol is someone I respect..." → "They seem to think our team is a joke" V-League Men's Division Kicks Off with a Lighthearted Clash Between Coaches [On the Scene in Cheongdam-dong]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

At the men's professional volleyball media day held ahead of the new season opening, a lighthearted exchange unfolded among the coaches. A playful provocation from Coach Seok Jin-wook (50) of KEPCO was met with a witty response from Coach Shin Young-cheol (62) of OK Savings Bank, bringing laughter to the venue.

The Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) held the opening media day for the men's division of the 2026-2027 V-League on the 8th at Hotel Riviera Cheongdam in Seoul Gangnam-gu. Coaches from the seven men's division teams gathered to share their resolve for the new season.

On this day, reporters posed a common question to the coaches of the seven teams: "If our team advances to the championship finals, which team would you like to face?" It was a question that could offer insight into the expected landscape of the new season, but most coaches adopted a cautious stance.

Henan Dal Zotto (66), head coach of defending champions Korean Air, answered, "It is neither easy nor fair to single out one team. All teams are preparing hard to win the championship." He added, "If we advance to the finals, we will wait with respect for whichever team comes up against us."

Philip Blang (66), head coach of Hyundai Capital, also avoided a direct answer, stating, "It seems that only after the KOVO Cup concludes will the outlines of each team's strengths and difficulties become clear." Ramirez Gam of KB Insurance did not specify any particular team.

In contrast, domestic coaches were more bold. Coach Park Cheol-woo (41), who led Woori Card to a resurgence as interim head coach last season, said, "First and foremost, the most important thing is that we are waiting at the top," while adding, "I would like to face Hyundai Capital in the championship finals, as we lost to them in the playoffs last season."

Last season, Woori Card was eliminated after losing 2-3 in a comeback defeat to Hyundai Capital in the playoffs, despite taking the first two sets in both matches. Now serving as the official head coach, Coach Park is looking for an opportunity for revenge.

When it became Coach Seok's turn, the atmosphere became even more lighthearted. While saying, "If the coaches before me speak that way, what should I say?" he stated, "First of all, I would prefer teams with foreign coaches not to advance. I respect Coach Shin Young-cheol because he is older, and I want to play against Woori Card under Coach Park Cheol-woo. I definitely want to win."

After excluding the four teams led by foreign coaches, this was a playful provocation that even targeted Coach Shin, who was sitting right next to him. Coach Shin was not one to stay silent. Taking the microphone, he retorted with a laugh, "From what I hear from Coach Seok, they seem to think our team is quite a joke."

Nevertheless, he added, "I admit that. The teams here can be seen as better and more skilled than ours. However, I believe that when our players each fulfill their roles, it will create a synergistic effect."

Tommi Tilkkanen (39), head coach of Samsung Fire, boldly named an opponent, unlike the other cautious coaches. He said, "All the coaches must have understood the question. Yet no one is answering clearly." He continued, "Our answer is clear. Our biggest rival is the number one team, Korean Air. I would like to face Korean Air in the championship finals."

Coach Tilkkanen, who previously led Korean Air, expressed his hope for a final showdown against his former team. He added, "Of course, I exchanged greetings with my former players. Because I have good memories from my time at Korean Air, I actually want to meet them in the championship finals."

The men's division of the 2026-2027 V-League will hold the 2026 Yeosu NH Nonghyup Cup tournament from the 19th to the 25th at Jinam Gymnasium in Gwangju Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. Following this, the regular season, consisting of 36 games per team, will begin on the 31st with the opening match between Korean Air and Hyundai Capital.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original