GEORGIOS MORFESIS: «IN SENSE OF THE ORGANIZATION THE PRESENT CHAMPIONSHIP HAS SURPASSED ALL EXPECTATIONS».

     The head coach of the Greek national women’s team Georgios Morfesis shared the impressions of the championship and of staying in Khanty-Mansiysk:

     – I have been staying in the city for three days. It is my first visit to Khanty-Mansiysk. I liked this small and modern city with a large number of beautiful new buildings and constructions very much. However, the weather was far from perfect. It is difficult for us to change ourselves from hot August to cool and rainy one.

     What can you tell about organising of the championship?

     – A lot of work has been done by the organising committee for holding competitions of such level. I think, Russia in this sense has surpassed all expectations. Everything is thought carefully over and it’s probably the distinguishing characteristic of the Russian. However, we had small problems with food. The matter is that there is an essential difference between the Russian and Greek cuisine. But we have almost got used already.

     On the Olympic Games 2004 in Athens the national team of Greece won the second place. Was it as a push to the water polo development in the country?

     - Speaking about water polo prospects in our country, I can tell that this kind of sports is not so popular. Favorites are football, basketball, volleyball. The Greeks prefer to be in teams of these kinds. And that one who has not been chosen goes to water polo. Even swimmers, who do not show good results, go to us. And unfortunately, the success on the Olympic Games in Athens is difficult to call a push which will have a strong influence on the development of women’s water polo in Greece. In the country the number of water polo players - candidates to the national team was not increased too much. And it is a big problem for us.

     In this championship you act in a role of the assistant coach of the Greek junior women’s national team. In the adult national team you are the main person. How difficult is it for you to vary roles? And what is the idea of such shifts?

     –I was asked by the Federation to go with the colleague on the World Championship to watch girls for the adult team. After the Olympic Games only three skilled sportswomen remain in the national team, the others are the youth. The head coach of the present junior team, Konstantinos Petrakis, and I teach and help each other. That is the secret.