| Philippe Blain | |
| Full Name: | Philippe Georges Antoine Blain |
| Birth Date: | 20 May 1960 |
| Birth Place: | Montpellier, France |
| Position: | Outside hitter |
| Height: | 1.93 m |
| Years: | 1980–1985 1986–1989 1989–1990 |
| Clubs: | Montpellier Volley Montpellier Volley Piemonte Volley |
| Nationalteam: | (340) |
| Nationalyears: | 1980–1991 |
| Currentcoachteam: | Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers |
| Coachyears: | 1991–1993 1994–2000 2000–2001 2001–2012 2013–2015 2013–2016 2016–2017 2017–2021 2021–2024 2024– |
| Coachteams: | Piemonte Volley AS Cannes Arago de Sète France Montpellier Volley Poland Skra Bełchatów Japan Japan Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers |
Philippe Georges Antoine Blain (born 20 May 1960) is a French professional volleyball coach and former player. He was a member of the France national team from 1984 to 1987 and a participant in the Olympic Games Seoul 1988. Blain serves as head coach for Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers. He also acted as Secretary of FIVB Technical & Coaching commission.[1]
Since 1998 he has coached in France, first at AS Cannes, then, since 2000, at Arago de Sète. Starting from 2001 he was a head coach of the France men's national volleyball team.
In 2013 he was announced as new assistant coach to new coach Stephane Antiga. They have been working with Poland men's national volleyball team. On September 21, 2014 Poland won a title of World Champion 2014.[2] [3] [4] On October 27, 2014 he received a state award granted by the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski – Gold Cross of Merit for outstanding contribution to the development of Polish sport.[5]
On 29 March 2016, he signed a contract with PGE Skra Bełchatów and replaced the previous head coach, Miguel Angel Falasca.[6]
Blain coached the Japanese men's national volleyball team since 2017, first as an assistant coach and then as head coach from 2022 onwards. Under his guidance, Japan would qualify for two Olympics: the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the host nation and the 2024 Paris Olympics through the qualifying matches of 2023. Following the 2024 Olympics, Blain announced his departure from the team.[7] [8]