Philippe Blanc (FRA) said a tearful goodbye to Japan’s men’s volleyball team after leading them to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He will now head to South Korea. Japan has shown interest in foreign coaches, including Blanc, as they enter the V-League.

After the Paris Olympics, Blanc will join the Korean men’s professional volleyball team Hyundai Capital.

Japan failed to win an Olympic medal for the first time in 52 years when the Japanese suffered a heartbreaking 2-3 (25-20, 25-23, 25-27, 24-26, 15-17) loss to Italy in the men’s volleyball quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics on May 5. Japan had struggled to reach the quarterfinals as the third-ranked team in their group, but they took a 2-0 lead in the set against Italy. They fought back from 13-14 down in the fifth set to win 15-14 and set up a dramatic quarterfinal, 토토사이트 but fell short.

After the match against Italy, coach Blanc and players including captain Yuki Ishikawa, Ran Takahashi and Yuji Nishida were in tears.

According to Japanese media outlets Nikkan Sports and the Chunichi Shimbun, Blanc said after the match, “We didn’t take the chances we were given. We dreamed of reaching the final, but we didn’t, and it’s a shame that this will be my last match as head coach of the Japanese national team,” he said, adding, “I’m proud of the team we’ve been able to grow together, and I’m now a big fan of Japan.”

Born in 1960, Blanc has been an assistant coach of the Japan men’s national volleyball team since 2017. He was promoted to head coach in 2022, leading the team to the Paris Olympics. With Japan’s golden generation, he led them to a third-place finish at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in 2023 and a silver medal this year, climbing to No. 2 in the world rankings. Japan’s hopes of an Olympic medal were dashed when they fell to their knees in a five-set quarterfinal.

It was the end of Blanc’s seven-year association with Japan. Japanese volleyball fans are reacting to the news by saying, “I hope he stays in Japan instead of going to Korea,” and “It is a great loss for Japanese men’s volleyball that Blanc’s term was not extended.”

Tokyo Sports reported on the interest of foreign coaches in the V-League, including Blanc, who became the head coach of Hyundai Capital. Out of the seven men’s volleyball teams in the V-League, there are five foreign coaches. In addition to Korean Air’s Tomi Tilikainen (Finland) and OK Financial Group’s Masashi Ogino (Japan), KB Insurance and Woori Card also appointed Miguel Rivera (Spain) and Mauricio Paes (Brazil), respectively, this year. “The most attractive aspect is the treatment in a fully professionalized league,” the media said, referring to the coaches’ salaries and treatment.

“If the V-League becomes the best league with the best coaches, Korean volleyball will become stronger once and for all,” it added.

Meanwhile, Blanc will arrive in Korea in mid-August. Foreign coaches of various nationalities will take the V-League stage. The unpredictable war has begun.

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