A few months ago, when he was 38, he turned to an island.
Jay.
Roland to Hapoel Jerusalem and asked to join the team's training, and if there is an opportunity - also to sign up for the squad.
The people of Jerusalem, who remained in good contact with him, agreed to the request.
They remembered the excellent character and the experience and toughness, hoping he would add in training and in the locker room, and even shared it in one game.
"I sat at home and wondered if I could still play at a high level on a daily basis," he tells Israel Today in a conversation from his home in Madrid, where he has lived for the past few years.
"Practicing in person can be good, but also a little misleading. I felt good, and people I trained with told me 'man, you have a few more years to give.' So I started asking myself and talking to friends and it worked out. I told myself I wanted to be in the place. I feel comfortable in it and can enjoy.I did not want a bad organization or a bad situation, I do not force myself to be in such places.I wanted to be in a good place, so I turned to Jerusalem.
Roland.
"I never thought I would play so much," Photo: Alan Schieber
"I look at my time there as a success," Roland continues.
"After the Corona and everything that has happened in recent years, I got to a point where I did not know if I could play physically and mentally, and the fact that I was with everyone, trained and played every day with big players like Jerusalem, showed me I could stand it. "The time to treat injuries. I can tell you that I have felt my best in the last five years."
"The game tests you"
Roland (1.88 m), already 39 years old, played in Jerusalem in the 2015/16 season and has since moved to Moscow, Eskiskhir and Ponelberda.
His last team was Tehran from the Iranian league.
Even before his first term in Israel, he played for Banbit, Malaga and other good teams.
Roland.
Was the backing of Jerusalem, Photo: Berni Ardov
"It is difficult for me to analyze what exactly happened," he tries to answer the question of why Hapoel Jerusalem lost this season in all the important games and was left without a significant title or achievement.
"When I got to the team I told Yotam Halperin that he has a talented team with good chemistry and the players care about each other. Jerusalem was built to take a championship and the team was very good, so I have no answer.
"There were players who for the first time were in such situations of title fights, and not everyone understands what is suddenly required in the playoffs. Moves you made all season will not suddenly bring you points and everything is different, maybe that's how you explain what happened to the team in the playoffs."
Let's talk about you again. Do you want to continue playing next season as well?
"Yes, I believe I can play at a high level and mentally I'm ready. I'm just waiting for the right situation. I'm looking for a place where I will feel like I'm playing for something. It's not critical to me where, but just having a good place for me. I hope I find the right place."
And to stay at Hapoel Jerusalem as a foreigner Friday-seventh?
"I want to keep playing. Everything else depends on the situation. Think about it, I was there and the team finished in first place. It seems they need to keep whoever brought it there.
Roland.
Wants to keep playing, Photo: Alan Schieber
"I can still play and help the team. I earned my way to the pitch. It's totally something I would love to talk about. I believe in myself and my abilities, and I feel comfortable with the club and the staff. We have a great relationship, my wife is good in Israel, so it's definitely something to hear It makes sense to me. "
Finally, where does your motivation come from to play until such a late age?
"I never thought I would play so much. When you were young and saw a 28-year-old player, I thought to myself he's close to the end and that 30's old. My career just went on, I played year after year and listened to my body and my love of the game. "Staying a long time. Basketball is something I enjoy, train and be with players, I will do it and I will continue as long as I can."
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