Eran Zahavi: "I will probably finish my part in the national team because of ego games"

After it became clear that he was not invited to the squad for Albania due to his refusal to share a room with another player, the Maccabi Tel Aviv star published a long explanatory post: "I offered to pay all the hotel expenses out of my own pocket, but I realized that Banyon has something personal in front of me"

Yaniv Tuchman

09/15/2022

Thursday, September 15, 2022, 1:04 p.m

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Summary: MS.

Ashdod - Maccabi Tel Aviv 0:0 (Sport1)

Eran Zahavi is about to retire from the Israeli national team.

After the surprising news that he was not invited to the squad for the match against Albania due to his refusal to share a room with another player, the Maccabi Tel Aviv star explained his position in a long post he published on Instagram.

"This week I was invited to a conversation with the national team coach Alon Hazan. There was a long and good conversation about how much he wants me to be part of the national team, how important I am and how much my leadership skills and professionalism can help the national team," Zahavi began.

"Of course, I told him that I was here for him and for the national team as always. At the end of the conversation, I brought up the issue of shared accommodation in the rooms. A matter that I understood came into effect in the last summons and I heard about it from the players and not from the team itself. When I brought up the issue, I realized how far they were willing to go so that I would not be a part from the national team if I don't line up. For the last seven years in the teams I played in and the last four years in the national team, I am alone in the room, and this is for the simple reason that before every practice and game I get up very early with morning preparations - prayer, eating routine and organization and also at night I go to bed early, all this to Be ready for the next practice and of course the upcoming game. If there is someone else in the room who behaves differently, then it bothers me and I bother him.

"There is no logic in this, certainly when professionalism is a candle to my feet. I have a summary with the association and an understanding from everyone about the importance of the matter. Until Yossi Benyon arrived and decided to change the summary. I tried to convince both Khanuch Hazan and Yossi Benyon of the importance of this to me, including An offer to pay all my hotel expenses out of my own pocket, but Yossi refused to listen. I did not give up and I also turned to Oren Hasson who, as you may remember, was the chairman of the association even when I returned to the national team and the conclusion was in front of him and Willy, and even today he is responsible for everything.

I again explained to him the importance of professional conduct for me, including a willingness to finance everything from my own pocket.

Oren Hasson promised to look into the matter and get back to me.

After he talked to Benyon and Alon Hazan about the situation, and unfortunately he was unable to change Benyon's will, who decided that's what he decided and that's it."

A new case.

Eran Zahavi (Photo: Audi Tsitiat)

Zahavi added: "I don't take anything personally and I asked to come and pay for my room out of my own pocket, and that they don't try to educate me in my last campaign in the national team and let me complete my goals in the national team with respect and professionalism as I've been used to today. When I realized that they don't agree that I'll do that either and they want At any cost I would be with someone in the room, I understood that it was something personal and that there were ego games in front of me and a lack of respect for my contribution to the team to this day. I love always love the team and I asked to come at any cost and be part of the squad. I was even ready to come to a common room, enter it and then take another room At my expense and to sleep in it at night to continue my professional line. For my part,

I did everything, including everything, to be in the national team. Unfortunately, the professional team at the Benion Authority decided not to invite me because of the story of the room, which left me shocked and very sad that this is how I will probably finish my part in the Israeli national team."

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• sport

• Israeli soccer

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Tags

• Eran Zehavi

• Yossi Benayoun

• Alon Hazan

• Israel's national team