18TH ASIAN GAMES: THAILAND: THE END OF AN ERA? - PART II (Post 181)
Much before having a Professional Championship, the Thailand Volleyball Federation had started a National Program that selected players from different Provinces and took them to Bangkok to train together: in 2000, Pleumjit Thinkaow; in 2001, Wilavan Apinyapong; in 2002, Nootsara Tomkom.
These 3 Friends that changed the History of a Volleyball Country together with legendary Open Spiker Patcharee Sangmuang and, in my opinion, one of the best 3 Asian liberos of all times, Wanna Buakaew, enchanted crowds all over the World and surprised the greatest Teams with quick attacks, spectacular floor defenses, strategic game organization, aggressive services, beating China, Japan, Italy, Brazil, South Korea: a Gentle Giant, always smiley and polite off court but strong and determined on court ... a fantastic Team, now 16th in the FIVB World Ranking, that will meet The Philippines in the 1st game of Pool A, next 29th of August.
These amazing players are now 35, 34 and 33 years old. If you watched the Volleyball Nations League, lately, you might have noticed that Thinkaow has "stationed" in the warm up area for most of the games, subbing Team Mates only occasionally, which made us Volleyball Lovers quite sad ... because we want our Heroes to be immortal so that we can enjoy their greatness forever.
Not so, unfortunately. 35 years are a heavy burden to carry on court when you play Middle at the highest level and you are not very tall. Pleumjit Thinkaow is getting close to "hang the kneepads to the nail in the wall", we say in Italy. Her National Team is trying to replace her with Hattaya, Thatdao, Chitaporn ... to build a Future, to stay with the best in the World. "Aging" is a merciless "injury". You can't recover from it.
And, soon, even Wilavan and Nootsara will come to their last day in National Team.
Is this the End of an Era?
Yes, it is. Like Piccinini in Italy, Gamova in Russia, Valdez in Philippines ... some players are unique and somehow irreplaceable. They mark an Era and make it very special for the Fans. They write unforgettable memories in our minds and make us smile every single time we remember them. But, one day ... they become the past. To be honest, having had the luck and pleasure to coach against these new young Thai Stars and also the 3 great Friends that made History in the World of Volleyball ...the New Generation doesn't even get close to the Class Acts those "Old Ladies" got us used to. They are just not so "beautiful"!
Thailand has generally played bad Volleyball at VNL, with a lowest point against Italy when they collected a humiliating 3-0 (25-11/25-17/25-15) in a brief game in which Thinkaow and Sittirak did not even enter the court.
Sadly ... IT IS THE END OF AN ERA! And I am not sure we will see the Thai National Team in the first 8 in the World again for the next 10 years. The revolution started with the new Coach Danai, who is desperately trying to adapt a new game, a little slower and based on Open attacks, like China and some Japanese Clubs have been doing for few years now to "imitate" European & American Volleyball. The Asian Style is out of fashion. Finding new tall and powerful Players is a must for all the Teams of this great Volleyball Continent. Thailand is indeed trying to build a new Future. To write some more History.
But all this will not be important in 10 days, when Philippine NT will meet Thailand. Firstly, because those amazing 3 Friends are gonna be on court and, secondly, because, no matter what ... Thailand is still another Planet for us: too technical, too quick, too intelligent, too disciplined.
And to think to win a game against them is just a Pleasant Dream with a bitter Awakening.
Thailand will cruise to next round and search for challenges at higher level, it's written in the Stars and ... speaking of Stars ...
Miss Thinkaow, Miss Tomkom, Miss Apinyapong ... MARAMING SALAMAT for all you have shown us in the last 17 years. We are very very very grateful to you! And you know what? Even if that sad time is coming and you will retire your magic skills from the most beautiful Sport in the World ... no worries ...
SOME HEROES REMAIN IMMORTAL IN OUR HEARTS!
Next Post: The Rising Volleyball Sun - Japan
คิดอย่างไรเมื่อโค้ชวอลเลย์บอลฟิลิปปินส์Fabio menta เขียนถึงอนาคตวอลเลย์บอลหญิงไทย
Much before having a Professional Championship, the Thailand Volleyball Federation had started a National Program that selected players from different Provinces and took them to Bangkok to train together: in 2000, Pleumjit Thinkaow; in 2001, Wilavan Apinyapong; in 2002, Nootsara Tomkom.
These 3 Friends that changed the History of a Volleyball Country together with legendary Open Spiker Patcharee Sangmuang and, in my opinion, one of the best 3 Asian liberos of all times, Wanna Buakaew, enchanted crowds all over the World and surprised the greatest Teams with quick attacks, spectacular floor defenses, strategic game organization, aggressive services, beating China, Japan, Italy, Brazil, South Korea: a Gentle Giant, always smiley and polite off court but strong and determined on court ... a fantastic Team, now 16th in the FIVB World Ranking, that will meet The Philippines in the 1st game of Pool A, next 29th of August.
These amazing players are now 35, 34 and 33 years old. If you watched the Volleyball Nations League, lately, you might have noticed that Thinkaow has "stationed" in the warm up area for most of the games, subbing Team Mates only occasionally, which made us Volleyball Lovers quite sad ... because we want our Heroes to be immortal so that we can enjoy their greatness forever.
Not so, unfortunately. 35 years are a heavy burden to carry on court when you play Middle at the highest level and you are not very tall. Pleumjit Thinkaow is getting close to "hang the kneepads to the nail in the wall", we say in Italy. Her National Team is trying to replace her with Hattaya, Thatdao, Chitaporn ... to build a Future, to stay with the best in the World. "Aging" is a merciless "injury". You can't recover from it.
And, soon, even Wilavan and Nootsara will come to their last day in National Team.
Is this the End of an Era?
Yes, it is. Like Piccinini in Italy, Gamova in Russia, Valdez in Philippines ... some players are unique and somehow irreplaceable. They mark an Era and make it very special for the Fans. They write unforgettable memories in our minds and make us smile every single time we remember them. But, one day ... they become the past. To be honest, having had the luck and pleasure to coach against these new young Thai Stars and also the 3 great Friends that made History in the World of Volleyball ...the New Generation doesn't even get close to the Class Acts those "Old Ladies" got us used to. They are just not so "beautiful"!
Thailand has generally played bad Volleyball at VNL, with a lowest point against Italy when they collected a humiliating 3-0 (25-11/25-17/25-15) in a brief game in which Thinkaow and Sittirak did not even enter the court.
Sadly ... IT IS THE END OF AN ERA! And I am not sure we will see the Thai National Team in the first 8 in the World again for the next 10 years. The revolution started with the new Coach Danai, who is desperately trying to adapt a new game, a little slower and based on Open attacks, like China and some Japanese Clubs have been doing for few years now to "imitate" European & American Volleyball. The Asian Style is out of fashion. Finding new tall and powerful Players is a must for all the Teams of this great Volleyball Continent. Thailand is indeed trying to build a new Future. To write some more History.
But all this will not be important in 10 days, when Philippine NT will meet Thailand. Firstly, because those amazing 3 Friends are gonna be on court and, secondly, because, no matter what ... Thailand is still another Planet for us: too technical, too quick, too intelligent, too disciplined.
And to think to win a game against them is just a Pleasant Dream with a bitter Awakening.
Thailand will cruise to next round and search for challenges at higher level, it's written in the Stars and ... speaking of Stars ...
Miss Thinkaow, Miss Tomkom, Miss Apinyapong ... MARAMING SALAMAT for all you have shown us in the last 17 years. We are very very very grateful to you! And you know what? Even if that sad time is coming and you will retire your magic skills from the most beautiful Sport in the World ... no worries ...
SOME HEROES REMAIN IMMORTAL IN OUR HEARTS!
Next Post: The Rising Volleyball Sun - Japan