Hazan: "Eran Zahavi asked to be alone in the room, that's why he is not in the national team"

The national team coach explained why the Maccabi Tel Aviv striker was not invited to Albania: "He may not be part of the squad until things change."

The professional manager Yossi Benyon: "Eran said 'this or that, or I'm not coming'."

And also: the decision to summon Azili, Desa's situation and leaving Abu Fani out

Raanan Baranovski

09/15/2022

Thursday, September 15, 2022, 12:15 p.m

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Tikatku, summary of the day's events in sports, 15.9 (Sport1)

Shortly after the Israel national team squad was announced for the important game next Saturday at the Bloomfield Stadium against Albania, a victory in which is worth qualifying for the Nations League playoffs, professional manager Yossi Banyon and coach Alon Hazan appeared at a press conference where they answered the journalists' questions and explained the various summonses - including that of Omer Azili, As I recall, he was already in the team's squad in the previous games as well, but recently there have been questions as to whether it is time for him this time as well in light of the new evidence revealed by "News 13" regarding the "football players and minors" affair.

Hazan and Benyon also surprised when they explained the reason why Eran Zahavi, the team's star in recent years and known as a Maccabi Tel Aviv striker since last summer, was not called up.

"As for Eran Zahavi, we had a meeting this week, I was in constant contact with him. The subject of the rooms in the national teams came up, when we arrived at the beginning we wanted the players to be in the same rooms to consolidate them. He asked if there was any change, he asked to be in the room alone and said that being together bothers him Professionally. I told him we would look into the possibility of being in the room alone," said national coach Alon Hazan.

"Eran explained in a good way that it is difficult and will hurt him in his professional preparation. He may not be part of the squad until things change, I told him that I cannot provide him with these things at the moment, right now everyone is in pairs in the rooms so that the veterans will give the young people an idea of ​​what the Israel national team is. He He said that he is used to being like this in the clubs he plays for, and we had to give up his services. This does not mean that he has finished his career in the national team, we have no objections to him."

They chose to leave Eran Zahavi Segal in the current situation.

Hazan and Benion (Photo: Udi Tsitiat)

The professional manager Yossi Banyon added on the Zahavi issue: "Alon informed me in a conversation with Eran. Of course I was surprised, I spoke with Eran and talked to him to make sure there was no misunderstanding. I had a very long conversation with him, I tried to explain to him that this was a policy we established from the first moment and that he should conform himself. He told me unequivocally that it's either that, or I'm not coming. Unfortunately, it's not what we wanted, because I really like and appreciate Eran. He's a huge player who can contribute a lot more to us in the team, the door is still open, and from here on out we want to focus in the match against Albania".

As for Omer Azili, Hazan said: "I am aware of all the voices. When I came to the national team, Omer was a national team player. The story was published at the time, we all respect the legal system of the State of Israel and we waited to see what the consequences would be. While the suspicions were being investigated, he was not a national team player, but at the moment it is It is possible. There is a cloud that hovers all the time, but I have to make a professional decision. I have my personal opinions, but I must conduct myself on a professional level, because I am a coach and not a judge in a court of law. I hear the voices, but my decision has to be purely professional. I put the professional side in front of me, that's the side I'm supposed to be on. People told me it's great that I'm giving a second chance to a person, certainly after the criminal proceedings are over. Any decision that is made by the football association, I will align myself accordingly."

Afterwards, Banyon added about Zimon Atzili: "The matter is very different. I did not take Omar Atzili to the Beitar and I am very satisfied with the decision.

I would repeat it a million times.

When I was in Beitar, the incident just happened, the matter was investigated, the prosecutor's office did not make any decision, and also at that time Atzili met with Maccabi Haifa before he offered himself to Beitar, and Yaakov Shahar did not take him.

He told him that he wouldn't take it as long as there was a legal process going on, and that's exactly what I did too.

We came to the team after Atzili was already in the team.

Of course there is a cloud and there is some kind of shadow, but as soon as they decided that there is nothing criminal in Atzili's story, we have to make a purely professional decision."

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What is good for the Russian league is good for the national team.

Eli Dassa (photo: official website, Dynamo Moscow's Twitter page)

Hazan on calling up Ofir Marciano and Doron Leidner: "Ofir Marciano has been the goalkeeper of the Israel national team for a long time. There have been cases when goalkeepers did not play regularly in their team, I cannot guarantee that he will be in the lineup, we have Omari Glazer who is in excellent shape, Daniel Peretz could come to the squad, but we had to make a decision that we are strengthening the young team. As for Leidner, he is in regular contact with me. Since he is delayed in getting his passport, he cannot play in an official framework but he participates in practice matches every week. In one given 90-minute match, also A player who doesn't play regularly can give his maximum."

Hazan on Eli Desa: "His current condition is much better than two weeks ago. If Jokanovic and Dynamo Moscow, which is a top team in Russia, can afford to give him almost 90 minutes, that means he can keep up with a very high level of pace. I believe Eli will be in good playing shape , because you get the sharpness through games."

On Alhamid: "We also show patience towards him. There are personal problems there, I hope they will be resolved as soon as possible and that he will return to normal functioning. The door is open for him too, of course."

Commenting on the veterans in the squad: "From the first moment, we made it clear that we are trying to make the team younger, but that does not rule out any player who has good ability, no matter what his age. The general idea is to let as many young players as possible develop and progress. When young players prove that their level is high enough , they will be part of the team."

It has gone through not easy fluctuations in recent times." Abu Fani (Photo: Reuters)

Hazan on the Davor case: "We deal with people, Mones was a person with whom we had a close relationship. He decided to retire from the national team, everyone involved with the Israel national team did everything to make Mones feel the best here. His retirement was due to the things that happened around him. There were times Harder or easier for him, I respect his decision. I don't rule anyone out."

Hazan on Aden Kartsev: "One of the things a coach in the Israeli national team should do is to give professional support to the players. If we see in training that the gap between him and other players is large, he will not be part of the team. We want to give him the possibility that he can still show things in the national team in a way Better than in his team. Aden is a legitimate national team player for everything, he has great potential, it's our time to back him up."

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If the Israeli team does not beat Albania, the decision regarding the identity of the home team will be determined after the match on Tuesday (September 27) in Tirana between Albania and Iceland.

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• Alon Hazan