Santiago Darraidou
Not only the title contenders are assured the best players, seemed to say Mariano Baracetti, manager of Bella Vista, when Santiago Darraidou hire to make the first release in the only Metropolitan representative of the next 2011/12 A1 Argentina League. The spiker has a long and successful career with a lot of passport national stamps in which places left its mark: Brazil, Greece, Turkey, Spain and Italy. In the most important tournament of the world had three steps: was runner-up in Modena (2002 / 3), and then he played in A2 in Isernia (2008 / 9) and recently in Globe Sora, with whom he reached the quarterfinals
“I came to Bella Vista because it is a new project with an important objective: to occupy the last places in Playoff. I am aware that there are 6 teams well armed and we must fight to the other vacancies“, said the left-handed opposite upon arrival to his natural country after five seasons. His last championship there was in 2005 / 6 in which was placed third with Origenes Bolivar, then headed by Daniel Castellani. Before, he had represented Koyote Salta in 2001 / 2.
I was not in my plans to go back now, but I got two offers from here and I opted for the better. I am very excited that the league has grown so much” said Santiago, who had revenge in Brazil after frustration with Bolívar: he won the title with Ulbra.
Undoubtedly, the fans remember Darraidou´s performance in 2002 World Championship in Buenos Aires when he replaced Marcos Milinkovic and got in trouble the Italians. After that, he continued representing the national team in 2004 Olympics, in which Argentina received a merit diploma for his fifth place. With the SouthAmerican team also reached the fourth place in the 2005 American Cup
Darraidou turns 31 in November and will be one of the four most experienced players in the cast of Juan Manuel Serramalera –coach German National team assistant reciently-, along with setter Sebastian Fernandez, middle blocker Javier Soldi and versatile Hernán Carneri which renewed its contract for one more season. The team promises to fight for the top eight with the young blood of líbero Tomás Ruiz and spiker Nicolás Méndez (2011 Junior World Championship runners-up) and the powerful Martin Portillo (from Puerto San Martín) and Ivan Postemsky. The coach also feature Nicholas Cunto, Lucas Letamendia and Mauro Aguilera.
