SWD powervolleys Düren, a German volleyball Bundesliga team, announced that Finnish coach Matti Alatalo will be the new head coach for the upcoming season.
Alatalo, who is currently leading the team of Karelian Hurmos in the Mestaruusliiga in his home country, will take on the role in the summer. The 27-year-old has been coaching his current team since 2020 and it is currently in fourth place in the championship.
According to Goswin Caro, Düren’s sports director, Alatalo’s success in building a team in Finland composed entirely of Finnish players and improving it over the years was a key factor in his appointment. Caro further explained that Alatalo’s enthusiasm and modern approach to playing volleyball convinced them that he was the right choice for the job.
Alatalo himself sees the move to Germany as a great opportunity and the next step in his coaching career. He has been following the Bundesliga closely for the past two years and has already seen almost every Düren game. Despite being in the decisive phase of the season with his current team, he already has a clear vision of the game he wants to play with his new team from autumn. Alatalo’s approach involves playing fast, variable and surprising volleyball, with technically strong players who fight for every ball from the first game on.
Interestingly, Alatalo’s approach is similar to that of his Finnish compatriot Tommi Tiilikainen, who was a former head coach at Düren and is now the head coach in South Korea at KAL Jumbos. Tiilikainen has been a mentor and role model for Alatalo and advised him to take advantage of the opportunity at Düren.
As Alatalo prepares to take on the head coaching role at Düren, he is already involved in talks with the team officials regarding the 2023/24 season. Düren’s shareholders have put their trust in the young coach, who they believe has the enthusiasm and expertise to take the team to new heights. Alatalo has deferred the opportunity to be part of the coaching staff of the Finnish national team beyond the summer for his commitment in Düren.
Despite not having as much money as some of the top clubs in the Bundesliga, Alatalo is convinced that they can build a team that can attack from the top. With his clear vision and modern approach, it will be exciting to see what he can achieve with SWD powervolleys Düren in the upcoming season.
