Marcelo Mendez`s success with Brazil`s Sada/Cruzeiro has paid off big time for the coach, as he was recently announced by the Argentine Volleyball Federation as its Men`s National Team Head coach following Julio Velasco`s departure. Mendez is currently one of the world`s most successful club coaches, having won 28 titles out of 36 possible tries at the helm of Cruzeiro. Mendez signed a six year deal, which includes the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. He will be allowed to keep his head coaching job at Cruzeiro as well.
Here is how we he reacted:
“I’ve been waiting for this challenge all my life. Every coach wants to lead the national team sometime. It was a long road to achieve the merits needed to reach this opportunity, and now I feel a great responsibility to keep Argentina at the top of world volleyball. The Federation and I are not two different parties, we are a group that is willing to fight for our volleyball and who wants the best for the sport. When the objectives coincide so clearly, it is very easy to reach an agreement. Representing the country is a dream in itself. I want to contribute to improve the players and the sport with my experience and, above all, get to represent the country in the Olympic Games.”
Federation president Juan Gutiérrez also spoke of the agreement:
“Once Velasco opted to rescind his contract, the Federation quickly mobilized to give certainty, in all areas, of continuity in development of the men`s team. Once the personal decision of Velasco was made official, and once we informed our entire Board of Directors of our project, we moved quickly to initiate contact with Méndez, and the coincidence of interests was overwhelming, and we believe that we have complied not only with the best option for Argentine volleyball, but also with the desire of the vast majority of people involved in the sport. Méndez enjoys the prestige of his results, the challenges assumed in his career and his conduct as a coach, so we want him to lead our project for the next 6 years.”‘
Mendez will take over the team as soon as Velasco departures after the 2018 FIVB WCH.
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