Bulgaria has been a birthplace of many great opposites over the years. Size and physical prowess are among the basic characteristics of recent Bulgarian opposite players, with a few exceptions (such as Vladimir Nikolov), who have always been the backbone of the national team. Just remember Tsvetan Sokolov, Boyan Yordanov, and Lyubomir Ganev.
At the recent inaugural European Games in Baku, a young player with an impressive appearance popped up and carried on the Bulgarian legacy. The 212cm-tall Velizar Chernokozhev has been a member of all junior and youth national selections, but had never achieved much in his career. He was somewhat unlucky to be part of an allegedly less talented Bulgarian generation, but his skills could not go unnoticed and unrewarded for too long. Chernokozhev grew up at Levski Sofia and spent the first half of last season on a trial period under the guidance of Radostin Stoychev at Energy T.I. Diatec Trentino. The financial difficulties which the Sofia-based club is currently facing made many of their players, including Chernokozhev, terminate their contracts and look for a career elsewhere.
The Azerbaijani capital was the place that unleashed Velizar’s potential with the national jersey. The opposite had a significant role for the historic silver medals Bulgaria, represented in Azerbaijan with a mixture of experience and fresh blood, grabbed. Standing at 212 cm, the 20-year-old opposite was a real threat from the service line and when he attacked from position 1. His block is certainly to be avoided when approaching the net. With the current problems in the Bulgarian roster concerning mostly the opposites, including the recoveries of Tsvetan Sokolov and Boyan Yordanov, as well as the expected retirement of Vladimir Nikolov, Chernokozhev is doomed to find his place in the senior team and will be among the new recruits in the next Olympic cycle. Until then, however, the youngster should deal with finding a suitable club, preferably abroad, that would allow him to further develop his skills.
Velizar Chernokozhev
Born: April 23, 1995
Nationality: Bulgarian
Position: Opposite
Height: 212 cm
Current club: none
