Seven professional men’s volleyball clubs have selected foreign players to influence farming this year.
The Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO) held the 2023 male foreign player draft in Turkey, Istanbul on the 8th.
In this draft, a face-to-face tryout (selection test) was held for the first time in four years, and the skills of the players were directly checked and selected. From 2020 to 2022, it was held in a non-face-to-face manner in the aftermath of the Corona 19 pandemic.
‘Actually number 1’ Yosbani, V-League ‘comeback’ after 3 years
OK Financial Group obtained the 1st choice through a bead lottery, but obtained the 2nd choice by renewing the contract with Leonardo Leyva Martinez (Cuba, registered name Leo) Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance actually exercised the first choice.
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance chose Yosbani Hernandez (Cuba/Italy). After joining OK Financial Group in the 2018-2019 season and making his first connection with the V-League, Yosbani is a “career” who played for Hyundai Capital in the 2019-2020 season and Korean Air in the 2020-2021 season.
Yosubani, who contributed to Korean Air’s unified victory, played in Spain, China, and Italy, and returned to the V-League after three years wearing a Samsung Fire & Marine uniform this time.
Hyundai Capital,토스카지노 which unfortunately finished runner-up last season, obtained the 5th place nomination and nominated Ahmed Iqbairi (Libya), a’Middle East Express’ who played for Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance in the 2022-2023 season.
Ikbairi had high expectations that he was nominated first in the foreign player draft last season, but the renewal of the contract failed as Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, which had severe ups and downs and fell to the bottom of the men’s division, began to reorganize its power. However, he challenged the tryout again and was selected by Hyundai Capital, changed his uniform, and will play an active role in the V-League next season.
Woori Card, which won the 6th pick, nominated Matei Kok (Slovenia), the only player with no experience in the V-League. It seems that Woori Card recruited Kok, an outside hitter, to fill the vacancy of Na Gyeong-bok, who obtained qualification as a free agent (FA) and transferred to KB Insurance.
‘Model foreigner’ Leo, active in the 6th season in the V-League
Along with OK Financial Group, four clubs, including KB Insurance in 3rd place, Korean Air in 4th place, and KEPCO in 7th place, renewed contracts with existing foreign players.
With this, Leo will wear the OK Financial Group uniform for three consecutive seasons. Leo, who previously played for Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance for three seasons and made a name for himself as the best foreign player in the V-League, has expanded his career in Korea to six seasons.
Last season, KB Insurance, which showed a much improved performance by recruiting Andres Vijena (Spain) as a substitute player, chose to renew the contract. With this, Vijena will be able to play an active role in the V-League from the opening game next season.
Korean Air, who achieved the treble (regular league, championship match, and cup championship), also agreed to Lincoln Williams (USA) for three consecutive seasons, and KEPCO also decided to join Tais Dulle Host (Netherlands, registration), who led the club’s first playoff victory. Myung Tais) kept his loyalty.
Meanwhile, the women’s division will also hold foreign player tryouts and drafts in Istanbul on the 11th and 13th.