Sam Deroo, the captain of the Red Dragons, has just had a very special year. The diagnosis in November 2025 that he had cancer and therefore had to undergo three cycles of three weeks of therapy, followed by a solid rehabilitation period. On the other hand, the positive news that he was going to become a father of a second child. A late return to his club Novosibirsk for the Russian play-offs, followed by an unexpected transfer to the Turkish club Halkbank Ankara. The birth of his daughter Mia, now already three months old. And just before his departure for the European Championship in Tampere (Finland), the death of a family member, ‘opa snor’, Ivo Ribbens, also the father of former international Jelle Ribbens. But Sam Deroo is professional enough to focus despite everything on the Red Dragons’ participation in the European Championship.

How do you look back on that period? And how do you deal with cancer?
Sam Deroo: “You clearly learn from it that you have to live in the moment. Thanks to the knowledge of science you get through it, but somewhere in the back of your mind it remains that you can get cancer again. But so far the check-ups give positive results and that is a relief. The longer that good news lasts, the less chance there is of a relapse.”

Nice that you were allowed to play again for your club Novosibirsk at the end of the competition…
“I felt good again and personally I thought I deserved to be used a bit more in the play-offs. But yes, you come out of rehabilitation and the confidence in me was therefore not yet fully back. I did prove that I had the character to come back after a heavy rehabilitation.”

And yet you left Novosibirsk…
“I was told that there would be a budget cut at the Russian club and so I seized the opportunity to join Halkbank. A Turkish club with ambition, with Stoytchev as an excellent coach, they kept Ozdemir, Kaziyski and they brought in the setter of the national team. Maybe just below a Turkish top club, but just below that we should certainly be able to show ourselves. Normally we play in the CEV Cup against my former club Modena, a nice confrontation!”

Did the birth of your daughter Mia also play a role in your move to Ankara?
“To some extent, yes. My son Bas loves his new little sister and to see her, he and my parents have a slightly easier journey to come to us when we are in Turkey. My wife, former international Dobriana Rabadzhieva with a tremendous record, accompanies us. But she will no longer play volleyball after a serious shoulder injury.”

Does the political situation in Russia have nothing to do with your transfer?
“For most people there it was something they were actually little confronted with. We lived day by day. But in the big cities — and also for example in Kazan — you sometimes heard that the airports were closed due to possible problems in the airspace.”

With the Red Dragons you have a strong preparation campaign behind you with victories against the Netherlands and Czechia. That naturally increases the ambition for a good result at the European Championship!
“Correct. We think that a medal should be possible. It will certainly not be simple, but it is in any case the ultimate dream within the group. Why not? We have a world-class main attacker, we have two experienced setters who alternate and complement each other, we have a worthy series of middle blockers. We simply have a very complete team, which has quite a lot of experience.”

Two years ago the whole country was in mourning after you narrowly lost an Olympic ticket due to a defeat against Bulgaria. What has changed in the meantime?
“That is also more than two years ago and at the last World Championship we did not perform badly anyway. In the meantime, those young guys are a few years older and most have gained international experience by playing at top clubs abroad. So we have certainly become stronger.”

Your opening match is against the Netherlands. You inflicted two heavy defeats on them in the preparation campaign, but will they not know you much better now?
“That also applies the other way around: we know them very well by now too. Of course we must not underestimate them, but honestly: we can beat them. We approach that opening match with confidence.”

You are 18th in the world ranking and in your pool Serbia (13th) and host nation Finland (16th) are ranked higher. That means that you — besides the Netherlands (21st) — must easily beat Estonia (30th) and Denmark (31st). Qualification must therefore be possible.
“If we do not come onto the court in an arrogant way, qualification must certainly be possible. But actually I find this a fairly balanced series. We can beat everyone, but also lose to everyone. That is where the danger lies. However, I also think that there is no opponent that we cannot beat. But we are not going to start calculating. If we reach the next round, we may have to face strong opponents in a series with Italy, Slovenia, Czechia, Sweden, Slovakia and Greece. Yes, we beat Czechia with great difficulty in the preparation campaign (36-38, 27-29, 25-21, 25-20, 15-11), but we are really better than them!”

Does participation in the Olympic Games remain an unrealistic dream as the ninth best country in Europe?
“Of course we have to move up a few places in the world ranking and then we have to hope that the Asian and South American countries beat our strongest competitors. But the Olympic Games are definitely still our final goal.”

What is your contribution as captain of the Red Dragons?
“I have to contribute to ensuring that we maintain our level. Of course everyone wants to win, but I have to ensure among other things that there is no stress in the group. Furthermore, I have to ensure that all kinds of things outside volleyball do not distract attention. Outwards I certainly stand up for the whole group. I have to ensure that everything runs optimally: the training sessions, the meals, the stay, the drawing up of the daily schedules… And I have to ensure in any case that everyone gets the necessary confidence.”

For Pieter Coolman this would be his last campaign with the Red Dragons. What about you?
“I have a one-year contract at Halkbank. If I still feel good after that, I am happy to do at least one more year. And if we do qualify for the Olympic Games after all, I think Pieter will also perhaps think again whether he can still be there. And as far as I am concerned: I will certainly not become a coach.”

What do you consider so far as the highlights of your career?
“I assume that my highlight is still to come with the Red Dragons. But otherwise I experienced very nice successes with Zaksa Kędzierzyn in Poland. Although I perhaps still consider my first season at Kazan as an absolute peak. I was also more mature there and I showed the character to come back after a heavy operation and contribute to the club’s successes.”

Text: Marcel Coppens
Photo: Topvolley Belgium - amaphoto

Red Dragons match schedule (matches via livestream on Canvas):
Friday 11/09: 16:00 Netherlands (WR 21)
Saturday 12/09: 17:00 Finland (WR 13)
Monday 14/09: 19:00 Estonia (WR 30)
Tuesday 15/09: 16:00 Denmark (WR 31)
Thursday 17/09: 16:00 Serbia (WR 13)