Summary clip of today's events in sports, 16.11 (Sport1)
Many eyebrows were raised when Elie Desa decided to play in Russia.
Mitch Goldhar offered him an extraordinary contract, the second highest salary at Maccabi Tel Aviv only to Eran Zahavi, and Vladan Ivitch spoke with him several times and Barak Itzhaki also exerted his weight.
Desa didn't blink and waited until almost the photo finish to sign with Dynamo Moscow.
If you believe him, he doesn't regret it for a moment.
Despite everything that is happening in Russia and its relations with the world, Dassa stayed there.
In the meantime he is here and tomorrow (Thursday) he will take to the grass in Petah Tikva for the game of the Israeli national team against Zambia.
"It was clear to me that my signing in Russia would provoke reactions here and there," he admitted yesterday in an interview conducted with him before the team's pair of games.
Was this a correct professional decision?
"Certainly. A very good decision. I play in a strong team with good players in a very difficult league. I'm still in a challenge and I like challenges. I wanted to experience a new league and have fun."
"I wanted to experience a new league, it's fun for me."
In the debut in the uniform of Dynamo Moscow (photo: official website, Twitter page of Dynamo Moscow)
Didn't you have any concerns because of what was happening in Russia?
"I had no concerns because I did my tests and got the answers I wanted to hear from the club in Russia. What they told me satisfied me and I decided to sign there."
Have you exhausted the football in the Israeli Premier League?
"No. Why should I exhaust Israeli football? I want to still play in Europe but I'm not against the league in Israel. In the end I left our league and I'm grateful for what I got from Israel. I still have something to give abroad and that's where I want to be right now.
" Not choosing abroad because you feel anti to the league here?
In the past you talked about chants that were against you in the courts because you were a member of the Ethiopian community.
"There's nothing to do with it. I'm only motivated by the desire to continue developing. The daily competition abroad helps me in the national team as well.
I am also a person who likes adventures, likes to experience things and likes to go out of the box."
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"I haven't exhausted Israeli football."
In his days in the uniform of Maccabi Tel Aviv (Photo: GettyImages, JACK GUEZ/AFP)
And you still talked to Maccabi Tel Aviv and gave the option to sign there.
"Unequivocally. I am not a person who can close a door to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi Tel Aviv was my home for four years. I am in good relations with the entire system there, but we did not find a way to close the deal. Both sides are very balanced and calm. There will be another opportunity to return to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Anyone who tries to create tension between me and Maccabi is wrong."
What was missing for you to be in Maccabi Tel Aviv?
Take a very risky bet.
"Who can determine for me what a bet is? Who lives with me every day who knows what bet I take?".
Because there is a deadline and teams all over the world are closing rosters even if you are a free agent.
"It's true and I could be left with nothing. A player can also get injured and be left with nothing. I'm a person who values myself in a certain way and until I find the right place for me both professionally and financially, I don't make the decision."
You really surprised the people at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Ivitch and Yitzhak were convinced that he would sign.
Goldhar has made you an almost unprecedented offer.
"It could be, but I think they weren't surprised because they knew everything. I spoke with Ivitch several times and at the end of the day it's all about demand and supply. You're talking about an unprecedented offer, but I found a place that surpassed Maccabi Tel Aviv's offer."
Happy that Ezekiel responded to the change of position.
Desa with the captain's ribbon (photo: Barney Ardov)
Will you return to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv?
"Do not know".
did you have a good time
"Very good. It's important to me not to hurt people. I read a lot of things that are said about me and I really don't get help from associates. I'd rather Maccabi Tel Aviv be portrayed as the one who did everything to sign me and I'll be portrayed as the bad boy who left. I protect the name of Maccabi Tel Aviv more than the name Mine. My negotiations were conducted in front of Mitch Goldhar and people don't know what happened. It was a good negotiation and we closed things between us. As soon as we realized that it wasn't going to happen, we shook hands on the phone and wished each other success."
Eran Zahavi must have tried to push for her to come.
"We are friends and have very good relations. He didn't try to bring me because we are friends or he tried to get me a contract. Eran knows that the combination between us is very good on the field and we saw it in the team. In the end it didn't work out even though he did everything. He played a very significant role between two The parties, but as soon as we realized that it wasn't going to work, we had to stop."
Your replacement in the team is Shagib Yehezkel.
How surprised were you by his development as a right back?
"Shagib and I are friends from Maccabi Tel Aviv and we played together. I'm not afraid of competition. On the contrary, I prefer good players next to me. I sent him a message not long ago when I saw how successful he was as a right back and I told him: 'I'm happy for you, but hey, calm down. You're exaggerating a bit It was in jest of course. I'm happy for him. It's healthy for me and healthy for him to have good competition. It will also help Hapoel Beer Sheva."
sport
Israeli soccer
Israel national teams
Tags
Israel's national team
Eli Desa