Despite Pink Spiders' perfect start, head coach Marcello Abbondanza demands improvement

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Despite Pink Spiders' perfect start, head coach Marcello Abbondanza demands improvement

Published: 26 Nov. 2024, 17:03

Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders head coach Marcello Abbondanza poses for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Heungkuk Life Academy in Yongin, Gyeonggi on Friday, Nov. 22. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders head coach Marcello Abbondanza is unfazed by his team winning all nine of their games in the 2024-25 V League so far this season and expects further improvements from his squad.

“This is not a good start,” Abbondanza said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, at Heungkuk Life Academy in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Friday, Nov. 22.

Despite the Pink Spiders’ remarkable run, the Italian coach did not appear impressed. The Incheon side has been in formidable form, securing a 3-1 win over last season’s league and championship winners, Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate, on Sunday, extending their lead at the top of the table to five points.

Notably, Sunday’s win marked the Pink Spiders’ second straight victory over the defending champions this season.

“We did well strategically and technically, but we will need to improve further if we want to maintain good results through to the end,” Abbondanza said.

This season is Abbondanza’s third in charge of the Pink Spiders, having taken over midway through the 2022-23 season. That year, he led the team to a league victory and narrowly missed out on the championship title.

The following season, however, saw a decline, with the team finishing as runners-up in both the league and championship, despite having Korean volleyball legend Kim Yeon-koung in the squad.

But Abbondanza’s changes ahead of the 2024-25 campaign have already yielded positive results on the court.

New signings Tutku Burcu and Anilise Fitzi have improved team cohesion, gradually elevating the team’s performance.

The Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders' Tutku Burcu, left, attacks during a V League game against Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate at Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Increased reliance on outside hitter Jeong Yun-ju has also been a key factor in the team’s success, with the 21-year-old scoring 21 points alone against Hillstate on Sunday.

“Yun-ju is a player with big potential,” Abbondanza said. “I want her to believe in herself. I think she will mature as she faces difficult situations.”

In addition to new signings, Abbondanza has expanded the coaching staff to 18 members, ensuring comprehensive player support.

“Medical staff are just as important as physical coaches in the Korean league,” he said. “We play every two or three days with six or seven regular picks. It’s difficult to substitute a foreign player during games, so maintaining fitness is especially important.”

If the Pink Spiders win the championship this year, it will be their first since the 2018-19 season when they swept both the league and championship titles.

For Kim, it would be her first title since 2009, before she played overseas. Over the course of her career with the Pink Spiders, Kim has won the league four times, in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2023, and the championship three times, in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

The Pink Spiders can further extend their lead over Hillstate, as they have played one game fewer as of Tuesday. The league leaders’ next match is against GS Caltex Seoul Kixx on Thursday.

BY KIM HYO-KYUNG [[email protected]]