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Alas Pilipinas heads for Italy training camp as part of FIVB men’s worlds campaign
Alas Pilipinas Men is preparing for a significant two-week training in Italy as part of their preparations ahead of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship.
Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni braces for a tough campaign for the men’s national volleyball team as the world No. 64 Alas Pilipinas was automatically grouped in Pool A, attempting to score an upset as they battle with Asian championship runner-up world Iran, 11-time African Championship titleist Tunisia, and reigning African champion Egypt slated September 12-28 next year.
PHOTO COURTESY: PNVF
“The World Championship for Philippine Volleyball is not the end of volleyball, it’s just the start of volleyball. And to build a team, and to build a good level team, you need years, not months,” said Frigoni after the World Champion Draw on Saturday, September 14, at Solaire Grand Ballroom.
Veteran middle blocker and team captain Kim Malabunga highlighted the importance of competing against high-caliber teams in order for the team to flourish and reach new levels.
“It is adequate that we can tune up with teams in other countries that are really strong because if we conform with teams that are of the same level as us, we can only learn a little bit. It’s best if we go against teams that are really strong,” Malabunga told the reporters after the draw.
With Alas Pilipinas partaking in a historic event, Frigoni coaxes fans to cheer Alas as he felt that the home crowd showed better support for Yuji Nishida and Osaka Blueteon during the Alas Pilipinas Invitationals last week.
“I would like the Filipinos to start to be a little bit different. Cheers for Filipinos, please. Because we played against Japan, and they were cheering more for Japan than for the Philippines. Please, you are Filipinos. Cheer for Filipinos,” Frigoni concluded.
