When Korean Air coach Tommi Tilikainen walked into the press conference room after defeating Samsung Fire, a team that has proven to be a tricky opponent this season, he looked at a reporter’s monitor.
He was distracted by the women’s game between Korea Expressway Corporation and Pepper Savings Bank, which was still in progress at Gimcheon Gymnasium.
Korean Air swept the match against Samsung Fire at Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon on Friday with a set score of 3-0.
Prior to the match, Tilikainen received a ring commemorating the team’s third consecutive overall title last season, and after a flawless performance, the coach was in a much more relaxed mood for the press conference.
When I asked Tilikainen why he was watching the women’s game so closely, he hesitantly replied, “The women’s team has a new foreign coach. I’m curious to see if there are any new ideas coming from them.”
It’s not hard to imagine that he was curious to see how Joe Trindge, who took over at Pepper Savings Bank this season, would fare.
Tilikainen and Trindge are the youngest coaches in the men’s and women’s game, respectively, and both were born in 1987.
“Korea is a great place to watch volleyball,” says Tilikainen. It is well broadcasted,” he said.
On the men’s side, Tilikainen and OK Financial Group’s Masashi Ogino are the only foreign coaches, while on the women’s side, Trinzi and Heungkuk Life’s Marcello Abondanza.
Heungkuk Life may no longer share a home stadium with Korean Air, but they are still a brother and sister club with ties to Incheon.
“I talk to Trinzi and Abondanza once in a while, if not often,” says Tilikainen, “and I’ve been to their training center during the off-season. “We don’t have a lot of time, but we still get to see and learn a lot of things.
Tilikainen, who was briefly distracted by women’s volleyball, was asked if he was overwhelmed by the constant attention, “I’m just a fan. I just enjoy women’s volleyball,” he concluded.
Korean Air’s “domestic ace” Jung Ji-seok hasn’t played a single game this season due to a back injury.
Jung has filled in admirably, helping Korean Air to a 6-2 record and second place in the league with 19 points.
Coach Tilikainen said, “It’s unavoidable that a situation like Jeong Ji-seok’s injury happens. “We have to find the best solution in his absence,” Tilikainen said, adding, “We have to be patient because there are a lot of players with good skills (to replace him). It’s true that our scoring power has decreased.” 파워볼분석