Moscow, Russia, October 1, 2013. After the first training session joined by all players signed for the 2013/2014 season, Dinamo MOSCOW organized a press conference in Russia’s capital city to discuss goals and expectations for the coming season. The meeting was joined by three members of the Russian national team that won European gold this past September 14 in Berlin – Tatiana Kosheleva, Nataliya Obmochaeva, and Iuliia Morozova – plus Croatian opposite Sanja Popovic, head coach Svetlana Ilic, and General Director Vladimir Zinichev.
“We have set very clear goals for the coming season: we want to win the Russian Superleague and make the final four of the CEV Volleyball Champions League” Zinichev said. “We have a very strong team this year as we have added to our roster Ekaterina Tretyakova (Starodubova), Olga Zhitova, Sanja Popovic, Tatiana Kosheleva – who all signed for our club at the end of the past season – as well as Vera Vetrova (Ulyakina) who is returning back to Volleyball after having a baby. All these top players will help us go for excellent results in the 2013/2014 season”.
After thanking the journalists in attendance, head coach Svetlana Ilic addressed the press by saying: “Mr. Zinichev did already inform you about the players that have joined the team and I believe that we have put together a very strong group. This, combined with hard work, shall make sure we will achieve the goals we have set for the coming season. The most important thing in Volleyball is team spirit and I am convinced that our team captain Tatiana Kosheleva did exactly show that as she anchored the Russian national team to European gold in Berlin. I am very close to this philosophy and I hope we will get to enjoy a nice atmosphere in the group”.
Many questions were quite evidently asked to the members of the Russian team that won gold at the EuroVolley in Berlin. “My mind is set exclusively on the coming season now and I am sure that we can qualify for the final four of the CEV Volleyball Champions League. After the European Championship we only had five days to rest a bit and I spent this time at home here in Moscow, together with my husband. Though it was only five days, I already started missing Volleyball and really wanted to join the team as I am eager to work hard” said Nataliya Obmochaeva (née Goncharova), who last year married 2012 Olympic champion and Russian libero Alexey Obmochaev.
Croatia’s Sanja Popovic joined the team two weeks ago. “I thought it would be tough after moving to a different country and club but right from the very beginning everything has been going well and I have the feeling that we have been together already for quite a long time” said the player who last year represented Poland’s Bank BPS Fakro MUSZYNA. “Of course I knew some of the members of this team, but we had only exchanged a couple of words, that’s all. I have been here for a couple of weeks now but it feels and looks like I have been with the team for months”.