Alon Hazan: "If we play badly and rise to the euro - we have no future, what have we done about it?" | Israel today

This is the first time that the coach of the Israeli national team has grown up in the Football Association.

Alon Hazan (54) was selected by the professional manager Yossi Benyon as the leader of the team in the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign and in the League of Nations.

The man who worked with the boys, with the youth and later also succeeded as a young woman, received a phone call from Benyon and immediately agreed to accept the position, although with the young woman he succeeded and reached the playoffs.

"I can not vote on what the right path is, but it is a good path, and in many countries they have done this path from below," Hazan says in an interview with Israel Today.

I started in Ashdod and felt then that I was not ready enough to train at these levels.

Then I made my way through the young teams, I improved, I promoted players and I felt that I was also advancing as a coach.

I coach a team only because I have progressed, but that does not mean that I will not coach teams in the future. "

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"I coach a team just because I progressed," Photo: Alan Schieber

Maybe you are expected to take the young people you coached and carry out a process of rejuvenation in adulthood?

"I do not think the age component is a limitation to promote players. I went to England at the age of 30 and still studied football. When I was a young player on the team I did not feel different because of age, because I played well. Even under Shlomo Sharaf or Giora Spiegel I felt that way."

Daniel Peretz, Eden Kartzev, Liel Abda and others are a good foundation for future graduates.

Why not make them a more significant part?

"They are not just a base, it is much more than that. Let them not think 'we are young and the future will be good', let them think about the here and now. Whoever is good - will play. It does not matter if he is 20 or 30."

Young or old, the goal set for you is clear: to qualify for Euro 2024. Long before you tried, why would you succeed?

"Try before me and try after me. If I thought about the past, I would not take the job. I try to be positive. Israeli football can do good things. I hear what is said in the media. You can say in one program or another 'we will never get there', but I I do not think so, I think of success. One of my goals is for the fans to come back to support the team and support it. I want a team that plays offensively, that makes not only the fans at home, but also the players. Always say 'there are so many people at home "They are good, but what about the players? I want them to feel good too. It connects."

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"Israeli football can do good things", Photo: Alan Shiber

"Sometimes it's better not to talk"

One of the first issues that Alon Hazan will have to deal with is the split created in the locker room.

After his political reference on social media, the audience responds with contempt whistles at every touch of Mons Dabour on the ball.

Correspondence from the players' WhatsApp group was later leaked, including disappointment on the part of national team star Eran Zehavi that the Arab players did not condemn terrorist attacks.

In general, it seems that the complex reality in Israel has never seeped into the Israeli national team in this way, and Hazan is aware of this.

"Dabour is very important to the team, and I'm sure the fans will learn to put aside the marginal things," he says, "there was a lack of communication between the player and the crowd. People need to understand that there is a crazy reality here.

Dabour said the things, then expressed his desire to play for the team and proved that when he wears the uniform - it is a right for him.

He could say ‘I don’t want to, I’m tired’ and move on with his career.

If he's still here, despite the shouts and curses, it means a lot.

It is important for him to represent Israeli football.

Dabour is the ambassador of Israeli football. "

Politics has already entered the locker room, how do you get it out of there?

"It can not be cut off. When there is an attack during a gathering, they try to bring politics to the field. The players themselves are experienced and sometimes it is better for them to say nothing. Even if there are thoughts and emotions - it is better to keep them in the stomach. These players sleep together, eat together, play together. All day together. "

Dabour.

"Ambassador of Israeli Football", Photo: Alan Shiber

Will there be new rules?

"Yossi and I are talking, the players are not smooth yet. It would be more honorable for us to sit down with them and formulate things together. I do not think it is right to put rules on their heads. What was before - belongs to the past. Now we need the right way. .

What do you think it would be like to work with Benyon?

"I'm glad that Yossi is with me at the beginning of my journey. It is important that you have strong people by your side, and if you are afraid of strong people - then you will always live in fear. I am very good that he is here."

"I'm glad that Yossi Benyon is by my side at the beginning of my journey," Photo: Oded Karni

How big will your dependence on Eran Zahavi be on your team?

"We are not dependent, but happy that there is a player who knows how to give numbers. The goal is to have more players to help us make it happen. I am happy to have a player like Eran Zehavi on the team. I will not tell him 'listen Eran, score less so more players score' "No, but I do expect more players to reach their peak in the team. I have no problem with their hair sticking out and doing things well. It is very important that the team has golden players, Beavers Natcho and Davor, those who have experience to pass on to young people and show them the way and adopt it."

You are the first coach brought to him by "Purchasing", the brakeman Miguel Vitor.

This is exactly the position the team needs.

"Vitor is a very important player. We have not sat on the squad yet, but Vitor can be very significant for us. It is a welcome move, but it is impossible to kill our defensive players. There may be a lack of concentration, but we have good defensive players. The defense is not just "Four players who play from behind. If the attacking players and everyone else do not do the job - we will not be able to move forward."

Bottom line, the goal is to rise to Euro 2024?

"The easiest thing to say is that my dream is to rise to the Euros. I really want people to feel comfortable when they see the team, that there are players who do everything to make them enjoy. I want those who work with us to receive different recognition. Once that happens - everyone will be happy. "If we play badly and accidentally win three games on penalties and win - we have no future, so what have we done about it?"

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