China

Yu named head coach of Chinese volleyball team

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-15 17:02

Yu Juemin attends a news conference after being appointed as the head coach of the Chinese women’s volleyball team in Beijing September 15, 2010.  [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - Yu Juemin on Wednesday was appointed head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team with an expectation to pull the former Olympic winners out of slump in their build-up for the London Games.

Yu's appointment ended a two-week search following Wang Baoquan's resignation citing health reasons on September 2 and the 50-year-old became the third head coach in the past 18 months.

Yu, working for six years as the assistant coach in the women's team, said he was under great responsibility.

"I am aware that I am under huge responsibility to turn the situation around," said Yu.

After bagging the bronze medal in the 2008 Olympic Games, the team failed to score major wins and the 3-1 loss to Thailand in last year's Asian Championship dealt a devastating blow to the already much criticized team.

The Chinese volleyball authorities were kept busy finding right person to fill the head coach position in the past one and a half years and Xu Li, chief of Chinese volleyball governing body, thought Yu was well qualified for this job.

"Yu is firm, determined and passionate. He is familiar with the world map of volleyball and knows well the team. And he is trusted and respected by the players," said Xu.

Yu's assistance helped Chen Zhonghe lead the team to a bronze medal finish in Beijing before he worked with the next head coach Cai Bin. After Cai stepped down in March, Yu continued his role as assistant coach to Wang Baoquan.

"We have seen some good effects in the past two weeks when Yu acted as the interim coach," Xu added.

Since Wang's resignation, Chinese volleyball authorities shortlisted Yu, Lang Ping and Chen Zhonghe as the most desirable candidates.

But Chen, who brought the team back to the top of the Olympic Games podium in 2004 in Athens, refused to take over.

"Chen said he was not in good health. Besides, he is the deputy chief of Fujian sports bureau," Xu explained about Chen's refusal.

Lang, returning to China in August to take the helm of the Hengda team, said the club relied so much on her that she could not leave.

"Now it is just a makeshift team without many coaches and backup players. I am here to hold the team together," said the 50-year-old Lang, who resigned as U.S. head coach in 2008 after winning a silver in Beijing.