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Guy Melamed ready for Scottish League Cup final: "This is the pinnacle of my career"
After almost returning to Israel in January, the St. Johnston striker will try to pick up his first European title when he meets Livingstone with his team (16:00, 5+).
The tremendous fitness, the team's dream and the days at Hapoel Beer Sheva: Guy teaches in a special interview
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Guy teaches
St. Johnston
Shlomo Weiss
Sunday, 28 February 2021, 11:13
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Johnstone Football Club (@stjohnstoneofficial)
Last January, Maccabi Petah Tikva believed that
Guy was teaching
, Who left them three and a half years ago, on his way back to the team.
The striker did not get credit for his team St Johnston in Scotland and the Malabes thought it was an opportunity for significant reinforcement to their point.
Apart from Maccabi Petah Tikva, Hapoel Haifa also wanted the striker very much and in the background there were also rumors from the big teams of Israeli football.
Melamed, his entourage attests, certainly thought of returning to the country, but his advisers and British agent Clive Hart were convinced that if only he would be patient, he would succeed in the Scottish League as well.
So he started groping about his status and heard from coach Callum Davidson that he holds it very much.
After the conversation Melamed decided he stayed on the British Isles and continued to work hard to make the dream come true.
"He told me he's building on me and that he's very fond of me," Melamed recalled in a special interview with Walla! Sports ahead of the Scottish League Cup final to be held today (Sunday, 16:00, 5+) against Livingstone.
In any case, I do not know if he would have agreed to release me if I had asked. "
Davidson did give the teacher the opportunity and since then the striker has returned to him in a big way; Excellent, Melamed will try to get a European title, he is expected to start in his team in the League Cup final, and just before the game starts, he told about the ambitions, the period in Scotland and also about the days at Hapoel Beer Sheva.
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Guy, you seem to have been on the wave lately.
"It's fun to get all this love from the club, the players and the fans on the networks. That's why we play football."
What brought about the change?
"I think the reason is very simple. I just started playing, I started getting regular opportunities and I came right back. At first I went in here for ten minutes and there for twenty minutes and the team failed. Then when I got a chance to open, I scored and since then I am involved in six more goals. "12 performances is definitely a lot."
You gave up on returning to Israel in January, was there really anything serious and on the agenda?
"There were no real conversations. There were a lot of groping with most of the senior teams in the country but nothing really serious."
An official offer from Maccabi Haifa or Maccabi Tel Aviv would return you?
"That's a good question. I don't know how to say but there is such a chance."
Which are the only groups that would tempt you to come back after half a year?
"They, Betar Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva are definitely the only ones who would make me think about it seriously.
If not the big ones, I'd rather give myself time in Europe. "
How did you actually get to St. John's?
A group that is not known to the Israeli public at all.
"It was in the last days of the transfer window. Maccabi Netanya and I did not get along financially because professionally they wanted me very much. I had two amazing years there and I told myself I had to look for something else. Then I arrived through Clive Hart, a British Israeli agent that Danny Amos met "To this team. The agent told me the coach wanted me very much and I said to myself, come on I'm going for it."
What are the differences between the Scottish League and our League?
"I think you can see the differences in the thousand games we've had in the last two years against the Scottish team," said Melamed and giggled.
"We have a very hard time beating them at the national team level. This is a very tough league, strong and aggressive. I personally feel that it is much better than the league in the country."
To the Israeli audience, it looks like Celtic, Rangers and everything else.
"It's not just that. There are other strong teams. Ophir Marciano's team, for example, is very high quality."
Do you feel you have improved in your short time there?
"Yeah. I had to change my style here to adapt to other situations. The league here is more physical."
Is there a difference in facilities?
"Everything here is top notch. The facilities are also of a very high standard."
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A good name has been created for Israelis in Scotland, is your next ambition Celtic or Rangers?
"I don't have a specific team that I want to get to specifically, really my ambition is to take a degree with St. Johnstone first."
Surprisingly, you and Livingstone have reached the League Cup final.
"Yes. Celtic and Rangers were relegated in the earlier stages. Obviously once it is not Celtic or Rangers then there is an equal opportunity."
Talking about the game in town?
"Too bad for time, the city is insane. I realized that if it weren't for the Corona, 20,000 of our fans would come and if they take the trophy then there are celebrations all over the city."
And the corona will prevent the festivities?
"I wish I could say."
How exciting is it for you to be in the Cup final?
"Very exciting. I'm supposed to start in the lineup."
Did you believe that you could already win the title in the first season?
"I did not expect it to happen. When I arrived the team was in last place and now we have another chance to be in the top playoffs and still win the title so we are facing a super critical month for us that can make the season a dream. Clearly for me personally this is a critical month As many exiles as possible. "
Are you favorites?
"I think it's 50:50. I believe very much in the team, it is stubborn and there is something to go to war with."
Will this be the pinnacle of your career?
"Unequivocally yes. They are insanely here and the whole city on this game and I think it will be my highlight."
Apart from you and another Canadian player, the team has no other foreigners coming from outside the British Isles.
Does it make it difficult to adapt?
"I do not know if the Canadian remembers what Canada looks like. They are not too enthusiastic about foreigners here in the league because there are all the players from the British Isles. It does not matter to me, I am a type who knows how to mix, I brought them a bit of Israeliness."
how?
"Warmth and hugs. I know how to talk to them and not be shy."
Already playing songs in Hebrew in the locker room?
"Not yet, I'm waiting for Eyal Golan's new album."
If you win the trophy today, this is a good opportunity to play happy songs in the locker room, isn't it?
"If we take the title I'll put them in some song by Omar Adam."
"In retrospect it was my good decision."
Teaches in the Hapoel Beer Sheva uniform (Photo: Adrian Herbstein)
How are you doing there in the days of Corona?
"I'm in a town called Per, it's an hour from Glasgow but it's a great city with a river and with life. The weather is a bit different, on the hottest day here it's seven degrees outside but I'm having a lot of fun. "Two months and talk about it continuing for another month and then they will open everything up again. In terms of vaccines, they are a bit slow here and it is not like in Israel, I personally did not have another opportunity to get vaccinated."
When you arrived at Hapoel Beer Sheva in 2017, they thought it was your breakthrough and it did not happen.
what went wrong?
"There is no doubt that I did not get enough opportunities at Hapoel Beer Sheva. There were a lot of good players like Wakma, Melikson, Shahar and there was a very quality staff. When I played I scored a hat-trick against Maccabi Netanya, a goal against Hapoel Haifa and also in the cup I scored two goals so my conscience is clear and I am in a relationship. "Very good with Alona Barkat and I do think she holds me back."
So maybe you break in there too fast.
"It could very well be. This year I moved to Netanya I started the season well in Be'er Sheva and won against Kiryat Shmona but then they brought in Nigel Hasselbaink and Dia Seba and Netanya told me to come and I will be a star there, maybe I really gave up too quickly."
Are you sorry about that?
"In retrospect, it was a good decision for me to move because I had very beautiful moments with Maccabi Netanya."
Teaches dreaming about the team.
Rotensteiner (Photo: Danny Maron)
The team summonses are close, do you expect to be there?
"Absolutely. I'm crazy here for a month and a half so I think the timing of the summonses is great for me. I'm not got any clues yet, I have to admit, but I'm sure it will come later. It's an unequivocal goal I set for myself. All my life I have dreamed of getting on the team and now Excellent - I'm at the age, I'm with the experience and I taste different football so it can help the team. "
At the end of the season your contract ends, what are the plans for the future?
"I really don't think about next season right now. I'm focused on the two or three months I have left."
What are your goals?
"Mostly as a team - to take the trophy today and then slip into the top playoffs. Personally, I don't think about numbers but only about being good."
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