Former Italian star turned agent Birarelli visits #EuroVolleyU20M qualifier in Serbia
News
While the national teams of Serbia, France, Greece and Austria were battling for a spot in the Final Round of this year’s #EuroVolleyU20M in Ub, Serbia, these young, promising talents could show their skills to a real Volleyball legend – former Italian middle blocker Emanuele Birarelli. Birarelli travelled to Serbia in his capacity of Volleyball agent to scout some of the most promising talents in European Volleyball.
While playing for TRENTINO Volley, Birarelli claimed the CEV Champions League Volley crown for three years in a row and as many as four titles from the FIVB Men’s Club World Championship. A two-time Italian champion with the same club, Birarelli played for the Italian national team from 2008 – with the highlights of his career including Olympic bronze and silver in 2012 and 2016, respectively. Birarelli is also a two-time EuroVolley silver medal winner – achieving this feat in 2011 and 2013.
Emanuele Birarelli“I have to say that I like modern Volleyball. When I was young, the coaches wanted us to play with much discipline. Now, the situation has changed and players look a little more relaxed – and you get to see some second-touch attacks, for instance. When I was young, coaches did not like it when a player would try something difficult. Now, they understand that you need more creativity to reach a high level, and I really like it."
Speaking of his former role, he adds, “You know that the primary role of middle blockers is to block. I liked to read the setter, and this is not such an easy thing now, because the setter is very fast. The task for middle blockers has become even more difficult. Today, if a middle is not tall, he has a big handicap. However, the block is the last thing that many young players are learning to master.”
Birarelli explains why he travelled to Serbia to follow the #EuroVolleyU20M qualifier in Ub. “I work for an agency that recruits young players, and helps them to develop their careers. I am here to observe and scout all kind of skills. Not just how they spike, because I like to watch how they warm up, and how they behave off the court as well.”
He knows Serbian Volleyball very well from his many years with TRENTINO and the Italian national team. “Yes, I know many Serbian players, and we are good friends with Marko Podraščanin and Srecko Lisinac as well. I played for two years with Aleksandar Atanasijević in Perugia. They are very good players and people. I do not want to speak about their skills, because everybody knows that they are great champions. They deserve all the success that they have been achieving. They are every time an asset for the team, and they like to work hard every day. I cannot say anything bad, but only the best.”