The captain of Maccabi Tel Aviv, Eran Zahavi, is known as one who does not hide his opinions and thoughts on any possible subject.
After the loss yesterday (Saturday) to Hapoel Jerusalem, the striker spoke with the media and spoke openly about the sad situation of the Yellows.
"I don't take back the things I said after the game," Zahavi said, "I said that everything needs to be improved because everyone has to look in the mirror and take responsibility - from top to bottom. Everyone who works here and gets paid at this club has a responsibility. The Maccabi Tel Aviv shirt Not easy, we will have to take responsibility each and every one of us and try to improve.
"I don't like hearing boos, but I can understand. I want this club to get back on its feet, to be strong and everyone to take the responsibility that needs to be taken. If it's us the players and up to the management and the coaching staff, including the crowd. Everyone has to give more of themselves."
Great frustration at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Will the championship run away?, Photo: Danny Maron
Zahavi addressed the criticism of coach Aitor Karanka about the bad substitutions he makes and the change in formations: "It is clear that the coach is also in a difficult situation. He arrived in the middle of the season in a difficult situation, his first time in Israel, he does not know the squad, he wants to make changes and play in a different way, but He sees that the players do not fit the system because we are used to a different system.
"It's hard to judge him, but it's also hard to judge the players. I've been here for half a year, but there are players here for two or three years and every six months they change coaches. It's not an easy situation and we need to fix it, create a balance in the club and find a path to follow."
Could it be that this squad is not good enough to compete for the championship?
"There are good players here who can give even more, we are not managing to reach our potential as a team. I am not pointing a finger of blame, lest it turn out or be interpreted that way, I say again - we all need to improve in every little thing, we will try to do it until the end of the season We have a cup semi-final and we're not going to give up now."
Aitor Karanka caught fire.
"Not an easy situation",
Is it Gloch's departure that hurt you like that?
"Oscar was a significant player, there's no doubt. We lost a very significant player and we also lost a training team, and a new team comes that takes time to acclimate and that's understandable, it's not easy to come to Israel and find a new team. If I put you on a new team, just learning 30 names will take you a week - Two weeks. So getting to know their abilities and getting acclimated is not that simple, so we pay a price for all the things that happened but we don't remove ourselves as players from responsibility."
On the pressure when the team is behind, he said: "I don't know how many times we fell behind in the league. We turned against Umm Al Fahm, but we are under pressure here in Bloomfield. The situation is not easy, instead of entering the game and getting the crowd to fight with us, we all sink including the crowd unfortunately, both the players and The staff all need better energies of self-belief.
"I think in certain situations we don't believe in ourselves and we want too much. We don't believe in our way, in our peace. I see people who are very restless and it's a shame because we have the abilities to do it, we'll try to improve."
Regarding the offer he received from the USA and his future in the Israeli national team, Zahavi said: "I do not control all the publications nor the offers that come.
I am here at Maccabi Tel Aviv until the end of the season, I have a contract and I will definitely not leave the club in its current state.
I have a very big responsibility.
team?
When the time comes for the national team and I have to speak, then I will speak for now, there is nothing too much to say."
were we wrong
We will fix it!
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