Summary of the Premier League: M.S.
Ashdod - Maccabi Haifa 2:1 (Sport1)
Maccabi Haifa is preparing for its possible coronation game tonight (Monday) in Be'er Sheva, and among those who are keeping their fingers crossed for the greens is Vladimir Devalashvili, who just yesterday marked 12 years since his fateful goal that made it 0:2 against Hapoel Tel Aviv in a game that practically guaranteed the championship for Elisha's team Levi.
Even from the distance of time and geographical location, "Lado" as he was called in Carmel continues to follow his former group, and in an interview with Walla!
Sport he admits: "At every opportunity I check on Maccabi Haifa, even today I will follow because I hope it will end in the championship."
Lado, tell me what are you doing today?
"I am a professional manager in Dynamo Batumi and also in the Georgia national team."
So when will you return to Israel?
"(Laughing) Just let them call me."
So maybe for the position of the next coach of Haifa?
"I didn't know Barak was leaving. I don't know him, but I didn't know he was leaving."
"The best time of my career."
Devalashvili (Photo: Barney Ardov)
Have you seen the Maccabi Haifa games this season?
"I follow the Israeli league and, of course, Maccabi Haifa in particular. I saw several games in Haifa's season as well, especially the group stage in the Champions League where I saw all the games, including the two games against Red Star in the playoffs. It brought back memories of the Champions League I played with Haifa , this is the best time in my career as an actor."
What did you think of the current campaign?
"Maccabi Haifa showed that it is at a level and that it deserves that name. There were a lot of positive things in this campaign, both in the conduct as a club and on the grass, the professional team did beautiful things and the players presented positive and good football."
Although many years have passed, the crowd of Maccabi Haifa still loves you very much, do you have an explanation?
"When I hear that, it makes me happy. I love Israel and I'm in love with the Maccabi Haifa crowd. I arrived and started conquering immediately and the crowd connected with me, me and them we did beautiful things together and fulfilled dreams together so we became a close bond between me and the Maccabi Haifa crowd. They always will remain in my heart."
Have you seen the new stadium?
"I played there with Ashkelon against Maccabi Haifa. I saw that now it's crazy, every game the stadium is full, but it doesn't surprise me, when Maccabi Haifa is in good shape and looks good, I have no doubt that the stadium will always be full."
Does it help or stress players?
"When you are with 30 thousand you conquer more, that's for sure. Football without an audience is not worth it. When there is so much of an audience behind you it not only helps, it helps a lot, it's not a cliché. Haifa plays every home game 12 against 11, it's real, That's why it's almost impossible to beat Haifa in Sami Ofer."
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Maccabi Haifa fans (photo: Barney Ardov)
Haifa will meet Tomer Hamed today, some say you are responsible for his and Shlomi Arbeitman's career.
"It is not an exaggeration to say that. Tomer and Shlomi were tremendous pioneers and they made their own careers, they helped me as I helped them."
Can Tomer prevent a championship from Maccabi Haifa today?
"Tomer was always a professional at the highest level, he always works hard and that's why he reached the levels he did. I'm sure he'll try to conquer today because it's Tomer."
Is there a player from the current Maccabi Haifa squad who can make a glorious European career?
"I think a lot of them showed that they are great players with qualities and they showed it in the group stage of the Champions League. They are high level players, if they work hard and do everything just to succeed in football then everything is possible for most of the players in the team."
Everyone says that Abdulai Sak is the best brakeman who landed in Haifa, do you agree?
"I saw him in a few games but not too many. If they say that in Israel, they are probably right because there are many people who understand football in Israel. He looks like an excellent stopper from what I saw."
The audience of Haifa and Beer Sheva are angry about the penalties for closing the stands, what happens in Georgia in such situations?
"We also give penalties for games without a crowd, if the crowd makes a mess they punish us, I think it's everywhere in the world unfortunately."
"He was always a professional at the highest level."
Devalashvili with Hamad (photo: Barney Ardov)
You're the one responsible for discovering Habicha Cabezdalia who stars in Naples.
"His agent is Mamuka, who was my agent my entire career. When he was 16 years old, me, Mamuka, and the Israeli agent Nir Amir, who is a close friend of mine, sat down. Mamuka told us that this boy would be one of the greatest players in the world for a few years and probably the best in the world, after Nir watched him he also He said he is a special player. Nir even thought about maybe bringing him to Israel, but Mamuka said even then that it was not possible."
How did he break out like that?
"Mamoka brought him to Batumi when the war in Russia started because I was there, and I understood from the first moment that he is one of the best players in the world. He is a special guy and he is just a tremendous player, I am happy that he is doing this way, we are very good friends."
Will he be at the level of the greatest?
"I don't want to say Messi or Ronaldo because they are something special, but he will be at the top of the world, he is like an opera singer, he is like a painter, he is an artist, not a player. He likes to play football, he is focused only on success and professionalism."
You are sure happy about it as a professional manager of the team.
"He will bring us to a big tournament, I have no doubt about that, I hope there will be more and more players like this in Georgia."
Would you like to come and work in Israel?
"Obviously, I love Israel, I love the people, I always follow what happens in the country and in football and always want Israel to succeed."
"He is a craftsman, not a player."
Kabazdalia in the national team's uniform (Photo: Reuters)
You also had the chance to meet Eliniv Barda when you played against Beer Sheva with Batumi
"I remember more that he knocked us out at the Ramat Gan stadium when he played in Belgium. I know him, I heard he does a good job as a coach as well, he was a great player."
From your campaign remember mainly zero goals zero points.
"You can't say it was a good campaign because we didn't score even one goal, we played well in some games, but when you don't score it's never good."
Buffon's save for your kick still stuck in your head?
"Of course I always think about it, I will think about this situation all my life until I die. This is perhaps the biggest save in his career. I had the opportunity to play against him four times in two months because I also met him with the national team, he was nice and always spoke to me with respect , at a certain point I already came to him and told him let me score, for you it won't do anything, for me it's something for an entire career."
Did you take his shirt?
"(Laughs) No, I have Meschweinsteiger, Ribery and Killaney."
Are they framed?
"No, all the shirts are with friends, they would kill me if I didn't give them, I don't even have Maccabi Haifa shirts because I gave all my shirts to my friends, Maccabi Haifa is engraved in my heart, I don't need a shirt."
"For me it's something for a whole career."
Devaleshvili against Italy (Photo: GettyImages, Claudio Villa)
what's your bet tonight
"Maccabi Haifa will win the championship, I have no doubt at all, today they will win. Another championship is coming."
What do you advise him, an Israeli coach or a foreign coach in Bacher's place?
"Shahar knows better than anyone, he is a very smart man and he understands the matter, he doesn't need advice, he will make the right decision I'm sure."
Who is the greatest Israeli player you played with?
"For me Ketan is the best, he is the ultimate captain."
sport
Israeli soccer
Super League
Tags
Maccabi Haifa
Vladimir Devalishvili