Summary: Hapoel Tel Aviv - Maccabi Haifa 1:0 (Sport1)
It's a bit ridiculous these days to write that there has been a significant retreat in the patriotism of our national team players.
At a time when our country is falling apart, crashing, divided, and at the beginning of a fratricidal war, the question surrounding the level of personal interest of the Israeli soccer player at the expense of the national uniform does not seem serious.
Maybe even an escape from reality.
But if we take into account that the hatred, abhorrence, and violence on the soccer fields didn't just start in the last two months, and a fratricidal war has existed between the fan camps for decades, it is possible and absolutely necessary to deal with the disturbing question (at least to me) regarding the disdain of Israeli soccer players in the national uniform.
The Eran Zahavi saga, and now Dia Saba's decision to give up the call-up to the national team, prove one thing - the Israeli footballer's personal interest is at the top of the priority list.
And this is not new.
Personal interest above all else.
Saba (Photo: Ariel Shalom)
Still in the Israeli national team
A member of the national team: "Dia Saba made a grave mistake and now they are making up a story"
The Dia Saba case: "He doesn't believe in the chant and the coach doesn't believe in him"
Muhammad Kanaan, Shagib Yehezkel and Raz Shlomo in the national team squad for Kosovo and Switzerland
When Saba played for Maccabi Netanya and Hapoel Beer Sheva, being called up to the national team was a huge thing for him.
dream.
When Zahavi dreamed of a career in Europe, the national team was his whole world.
When Zahavi and Saba played overseas, they were excited to be on the team.
For them there is no better stage than the Israeli national team.
It improves your status in Europe, may arrange tempting offers from other teams and is good not only for your resume or statistics, but mainly for your career and bank account.
As soon as Zahabi and Saba returned to Israel to finish their careers here, the team became a burden (at least, that's my feeling).
They no longer need the success in the national team, they do not need exposure in Europe, they are not enthusiastic about being followed by scouts in the team's games.
That's it, the interest is over.
Let's leave you with the story of the room, if Banyon and Chan were managing the team 4-5 years ago, do you think that Zahabi would have given up because of this delusional affair?
Forget about it.
If Saba was still playing in Netanya or Be'er Sheva, would he have given up on the national team?
you would like
He would open his mouth about the national coach?
Not a chance.
But Saba, like Zahavi, made a career overseas, made contracts that enriched his bank account with numbers that were imaginary for him until a few years ago.
Saba returned to Israel with a nice bank account (and he will definitely have it for his health), it is very important for him to concentrate on the championship fight and lift a plate with Maccabi Haifa.
He is no longer eager to be in the national team because he no longer needs it to advance his career.
Zahavi and Saba are not alone.
They didn't invent it.
Mons Davor also made a tour of the team.
Without underestimating the damage he suffered from the fans in the team's games, would Davor have retired if a similar incident had occurred when he played for Maccabi Tel Aviv?
really not sure.
Davor's big dream was to get a contract with a European club, and he would have stayed in the national team.
With all due respect to our league, exposure in national team matches as part of the Euro qualifiers and the World Cup qualifiers have already arranged dream contracts for many Israeli players.
In order to fulfill a dream and receive an offer from a European club, Davor would have already taken care of containing the severe injury.
Would Davor have retired from the national team when he played for Red Bull Salzburg six years ago?
After all, Red Bull was a transition station for him to a bigger league (Spain, Germany).
After signing a contract with a fourth club in Europe, after a dream career in Europe, and after arranging himself and his family members with contracts worth millions, he decided to retire.
Don't get me wrong, Davor suffered, suffered a lot, but still, if he needed a team to advance his career, he would have stayed and continued to suffer.
May they be healthy.
for everyone.
But they are not the problem.
We are the problem.
More in Walla!
Beavers Natcho is expected to retire from the Israel national team after the match against Kosovo
To the full article
Take a tour of the team.
Davor (Photo: GettyImages, Martin Rose)
Not only the players lost the patriotism, the national respect, the desire to be part of the national team.
Our big clubs also lost.
long ago.
The media also lost, even lost itself to know.
The journalists, commentators, and who not - all worship our players, glorify them, and make them saints.
It may be due to the fear of them, the desire to receive some golden information and maybe even some exclusive interview.
On the way they also lost their way.
A player (no matter how big) hurt the national coach?
The coach should apologize, a player (however important) refuses to be in the team?
The national coach should pick up the phone and maybe send the kindergartener to him.
Our superstar does not accept the decision of the national coach and professional manager?
A media earthquake is taking place here.
Have we gone crazy?
we said
When did you see our great stars of the past (the really great ones) sitting in the booth of honor at the Ramat Gan stadium and cheering the national team enthusiastically?
When did you see our big stars in Bloomfield, Sami Ofer or Teddy, those who wore the team's uniform, had a great career and became symbols, encouraged and excited in the stands at the team's games?
You haven't seen and you won't see.
Why should the national coach be a kindergarten teacher?
Cantor (Photo: Udi Tsitiat)
Admit that you were moved and enthusiastic by the amazing photos of the stars of the Argentina, Brazil, France and more, supporting and encouraging their team in the World Cup in Qatar from the stands of honor.
How huge superstars, great legends become passionate fans and almost pass out in the stands.
How big, how small.
Did you see how Aguero jumped to the grass at the end of the World Cup final and hugged the players as if he was on the bench of the Argentina team?
Imagine, for example, Eyal Berkovich and Chaim Rabivo eating their nails in the stands in a decisive game of the national team.
Imagine Zahavi jumping from the stands to the grass, hugging and dancing with Oskar Gloch.
Keep imagining.
We are no longer patriots.
Maybe we weren't either.
Actually, 30-40 years ago we were.
We lost our way.
We have become the slaves of the players, we have turned the national coaches into punching bags, we have become the mouthpieces of the owners of the big clubs, of the speakers, of anyone who wants to light fires here in the Israeli national team, and most importantly to keep the flames away from them.
The truth is no longer important.
The spins, the desire for revenge, the crazy elimination of accounts, everything is mixed in a mixer to make a short.
It seems, at least this was the feeling in the past of the national coaches, that officials at the big clubs would walk around with a jerrycan of fuel every time the team gathered.
The feeling of the coaches (some of them expressed in their voice) according to which players received a briefing on how to be released from the team, players disguised themselves as injured, and all according to the interests of the teams.
And the national interest?
Who exactly is interested?
There were times when the national team coaches cut off contact with the coaches of the big teams.
They complained that they were preventing senior players from reaching the national team.
They complained that there are coaches who sabotage the team.
Ask Dror Kashtan and Moshe Sinai.
Eli Gutman was also often frustrated by the illusory reality he discovered.
Try to imagine him celebrating on the grass.
Zahavi (Photo: Danny Maron)
It's perfectly fine that Eran Zahavi gave up on the national team or that Saba gave up on his call-up.
It is also okay that Davor preferred to retire, and also Omar Azili (under completely different circumstances).
Those who believe in the concept "there is no player above the team", must believe much more that "there is no player above the team".
We didn't advance to any tournament with any of them, and maybe we won't advance to the next tournament without them either.
Since the president's prophecy of a civil war is closer than ever, and since the difficult atmosphere prevailing in Israel will accompany us for a long time, we should take advantage (at least for the time being) of the team's two upcoming games and that everyone - player, fan, journalist, commentator, broadcaster - everyone, dress up as patriots.
We don't have another country, and we don't have another national team either.
All the evil, the abomination, the hatred, and the liquidation of the accounts can be left for the end of the game against Kosovo and against Switzerland.
You can visit even if we win.
After all, one can always criticize the composition, the method, the style, and the room Zahabi did not get.
And you can also be patriots of the national team.
it is possible
try
sport
Israeli soccer
Israel national teams
Tags
Israel national football team
Eran Zehavi
Mons Davor
Dia Saba
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