Recap: Maccabi Haifa - Hapoel Jerusalem 0:5 (Sport1)
Maccabi Haifa also turned the last game of the season into an evening of celebration, when it ran over Hapoel Jerusalem 0-5 on Saturday evening on the way to the best home record in the history of the Premier League, and said goodbye to Barak Behar in the play. Dolev Haziza was interviewed at the end of the game and referred to the two coaches: the one who leaves, and the one who replaces him.
"It was fun to come into the last game knowing we were champions. We always carry it until the last cycle. Today was fun, we were at the hotel from noon laughing and a good atmosphere, which also helped us play well and give a five," Haziza concluded. "We also wanted to break the home scoring record. It's hard for me to give a title to a season, I would say it's a monster season because no team has made a group stage with a championship. There were a lot of good games, we represented the country with dignity and we will take it with us for life."
What makes Behar unique: "Beyond the fact that he is one of the best football coaches, as far as I'm concerned, what he has that others don't have is a perfect team that knows how to put everyone in his place. There is a lot of ego in football, Barak knows how to manage the ego, give a good word and also give in the head when necessary. He is a great man, a good personality, manages games in all kinds of ways and methods, is very fun and a great privilege that he is the coach for all of us. I hope he does well at Red Star with his whole team, because these are people I really like. To win six championships in eight years is crazy, and I hope he continues like that."
The midfielder spoke about his personal future: "The Israeli footballer always aspires to advance and play in Europe, to higher levels, if a good offer comes I will have to think about it. I am very happy here, I will give everything to keep this club at the top. The Red Star? They didn't talk to me personally, as long as I'm an active player it would be a great privilege to have Barak as my coach."
Celebrations at Maccabi Haifa (Photo: Danny Maron)
On Masai's appointment: "When they talked about it, most of the players here were shocked, because it's not something you expect to happen. They talked about a foreign coach. I didn't train with Masai, I just got to talk to him a little bit. He's a very relatable person who understands football. When he comes here he will chart a path, and as much as we want to be good on the pitch, he wants to be good as a coach. There are players here who have won three championships and it's no small thing, but he will bring something and will have to manage the dressing room in the best way possible. From my side, I will give everything I can."
"The day I heard that these things were close to closing, I asked for Masai's phone, sent him a message and told him that if, God willing, he will be the coach, we players will do everything to make him successful."
Professional manager Gal Alberman's part: "Gal's office is inside our training complex, we see him in the morning and at lunch. He's such a laggard that his dignity goes before him, he's a fun person to talk to. He doesn't look at you arrogantly, always at eye level. He also consults with us when he wants to bring in Israeli actors, he asked me and Omer Atzili before bringing in Shaun Goldberg. As for Masai he did not consult us, but he is the professional manager. He doesn't interfere in training, even after losses and difficult times he came and picked us up. If he chose the essayist, you can be sure he knows what he's doing."
- sport
- Israeli football
- League
Tags
- Maccabi Haifa
- Dolev Haziza