The massive loss of points at the start of the season following 13 infections in Corona • His personal dealings with the virus • The surprising success with the foreigners he found in places no one thought to look for • And his team's survival struggle in the Premier League: "We have no intention of giving up" • Interview
Mimar.
Believes in Hadera's ability to stay in the league
Photography:
Udi quote
The corona break is for Hapoel Hadera like a training camp.
The modest group felt the first wave in its flesh, with no less than 13 contagious and cessation of activity.
Hadera's first game of the season was against Maccabi Haifa on August 30, but the next one was only two months later - on October 31.
Coach Sharon Mimar did not know what to do first: reconnect a team that was suspended for five weeks from training or check the physical condition of his players to start the super-task - survival.
All this, when he himself became infected at the beginning of the season in Corona and recovered from it.
"In the first closure we stopped for five weeks and it did heavy damage," he says in an interview with Israel Today, "now there is equality, because everyone is in the same situation. Without games, the damage is not to athletes but also to fans who are thirsty for football. We welcome at least There is training. "
How did the players who recovered from Corona feel when they returned to training?
"The problem is that the virus does not affect everyone the same. For some it amounts to two days of headaches and fever, like me for example, and for others it is more difficult. Getting out of focus after two weeks of isolation is something that throws players out of balance. Every time it happens to one "Or two who just go out of their way. But there is no choice, you have to live with it."
At the beginning of the season, it seemed difficult for you to reconnect with the team. Were you afraid you would not recover from it?
"We had 13 tackles, but the main blow was that they shut us down for five weeks. Even the summer break doesn't last five weeks. We were given two and a half weeks to prepare for the first game, and that's not even half of what we needed physically. The points we lost along the way are related too. Them the hard way. "
It is said that recovery from corona is not a simple thing. How did you get through this?
"I suffered from headaches and fever for two or three days, and slowly everything disappeared. After the isolation I returned to normal life. I did a serological test, and my antibody level is very high. I think compared to others I went through it just fine, but no one knows what the future effects will be." .
Hadera's defense against Vered // Photo: Alan Shiber
Idolatry
With the exception of the two games against Betar Jerusalem, in which Hadera lost 4-0, the team does not fall apart this season. However, the loss of points at the beginning of the season meant that it is still below the red line with 14 points. Before the losses to Betar and Maccabi Haifa, Mimar and his players connected Five games without a loss, much thanks to the team's foreigners.
Maybe the low budget helps her room bring in good strangers from places no one is just looking for.
The striker Marshall Oda, for example, was found by Oren Golan in the second division in Iraq, and Gustavo Marmentini was brought in from the reserve team of the Brazilian Atletico Paranasa.
"We dug hours into the video to find players like Oda," Mimar admits, "not always looking for the big leagues. We watch the video and look for the good things in his game. It's not always right to look at the league he plays in."
Agree with me that big clubs will not look for players in the second division in Iraq, and will further hurt Bull.
"Last year we were in a good spot at the end of the playoffs, so we had a lot of time to bring in foreign players who fit us. We sat and searched, and yes, we got to leagues that people know less. You see, we have a limited budget, maybe the lowest in the league, so it's not easy. A privilege to fall with strangers. We can say that we succeeded with this season. The new stranger will also help us (Muhammad Osman; LN).
Oren Golan and I feel that we have composed something good. "
When you train for a big club, you will have a hard time bringing in foreigners for 400,000 euros.
"It's not always a foreigner at 400,000 euros it will be good. Bringing reinforcement players is one of the hard things, and it really doesn't matter what your budget is. When there is a big budget then expectations are accordingly. We have seen falls of 400 and 500,000 euros."
Define your season so far.
"The situation is not bad, but not good either. We went through the crisis and that is what is important. We must remember that we switched 16 players at the beginning of the season. The Corona stopped the process and put us back a lot. I feel we are connected again, the players know the requirements and we have a good team." .
At the beginning of the season, they marked Hadera as a safe descendant.
"I do not think there is one team in the league that is going down safely. Hadera will fight with four or five more teams until the last round. We have no intention of giving up in this fight."