Issanayê Ramires of Brazil has been named the head coach of the Korean men’s volleyball team, while Fernando Morales of Puerto Rico will helm the women’s team. Ramires, coming from his stint as the head coach of the Pakistani men’s team where he guided them to significant triumphs, including a resounding 3-0 victory over Korea at the Hangzhou Asian Games, has now landed in Korea. His recruitment comes in the wake of the former men’s team coach being let go following an underwhelming seventh-place performance at those very games.
Ramires is tasked with revitalizing a men’s team that has struggled on the international stage, failing to qualify for the Olympics since 2000. The women’s team, under the guidance of Morales, also faces challenges ahead. Despite his successful four-year stint with the Puerto Rican women’s team, Morales inherits a team that has seen its FIVB ranking plummet from 14th in 2021 to 40th, following a series of defeats in international competitions.