After the award at the President's House: Beitar Jerusalem fans celebrate the win (Avi Rokach)
Beitar Jerusalem celebrated winning the State Cup last night (Wednesday) by hoisting at Sacher Park in front of 35,<> fans. The players received great love from the fans, found it difficult to get off the stage and return to the bus, with Meir Harush taking the trophy with dozens of security guards and Special Patrol Unit personnel escorting him so that the trophy would arrive safely on the bus.
The one who rushed to cut home after the hoist is Danilo Esperia, who will fly to Colombia tonight, as well as Ion Nicolaescu. Fred Friday looked delighted at the celebrations and said: "It's amazing to win the trophy with Beitar Jerusalem, to win the title after so long, it's a very good experience for all of us. Every striker in the world wants to score, sometimes it comes, sometimes it doesn't. I'm happy, at the end of the day everything went well and there was a great atmosphere."
When asked about the next season and the fact that Beitar is expected to exercise his option, he replied: "First we will celebrate, we will not go through an issue, the cup here we will celebrate with him." Asked another question about the contract, Friday decided to evade, saying: "That's the case, I don't comment on the contract." From Friday's facial expressions, it was clear that even after Beitar exercised his option, he had other thoughts, as he might want a contract for more than one season at a higher salary.
Haas from the bench. Fred Friday (Photo: Maor Elkeslassy)
But with all due respect to Friday, it was hard for anyone present at last night's festivities to take the smile off their faces on this evening. Assistant coach Gal Cohen said: "If we had started the season with this squad and had gone to an organized training camp, we would have made a top playoff. But we did something bigger, such celebrations and intensity of winning a trophy with this club don't compare to anything. Not for a top playoff and maybe just a championship. From here Barak (Abramov), Kfir (Edri) and Yossi (Avoxis) know what to do to continue taking this club to other places."
"If you had told me at the beginning of the year that we would win a ticket to Europe, I would have told you that you were dreaming. The team at the beginning of the year was not like a football team, today there is a football club here, strengths, the crowd came back which is the strongest thing, much more than a ticket to the top playoffs."
Regarding the next season, Cohen said: "If at the beginning of the season there was no future for Beitar, this time we will start with a base. With strengths, with people who believe in themselves, fans who believe in the team, an owner who believes in the team, a professional team that believes in the team headed by Yossi Abukasis. There is a basis for doing beautiful things but it is important not to get confused. With the right reinforcement and a deeper squad, we can do nice things next season."
Cohen spoke about the connection of the managerial and professional staff as part of the club's success, explaining: "Yossi Abukasis was my coach, Yossi was the coach of Kfir Edri the CEO, Yossi coached Eliran Danin, the team manager, Barak Abramov with them for many years. There is something strong here, there are strengths of space, as we talk about a strong dressing room of players, no less important is the connection of owners, management and professional staff who stay together even in difficult moments and crises. That's the power of the management people and it permeates the dressing room as well."
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"There are no such feelings." Beitar players celebrate with the trophy at the President's House (Photo: Flash 90, Jonathan Zindel/Flash90)
On the feelings of winning the cup: "As a player I made it all the way to the semi-finals, there are no such feelings as taking a trophy, I am still digesting the strength of the crowd, I am still in shock. I've been here for two years but it feels like an eternity, I heard about Beitar's strengths but this time I feel what it is, it's just crazy."
Cohen dedicated the trophy to his children: "My girl, my life may she be healthy. The first soccer game she came to was Beitar Jerusalem against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the semi-finals, she had to come to the final and she came, she always says that the next game is the most important and that's the message to everyone. And then there's my son Omar, my love, my life, everything I do in the world is for him."
A difficult summer is expected with him. Yarden Shua (Photo: Maor Elkeslassy)
Beitar will rest on the holiday and next week will begin planning the next season and at the same time preparing for a court hearing regarding the cup events. Beitar knows that they will suffer a difficult punishment, but said: "There are too many elements here that make noise for Beitar to be the scapegoat for violence and problems that have existed in all of Israeli football this season, we will not let that happen."
The club will begin sitting with players who have completed contracts such as Avishai Cohen, Orel Degani, Ofir Krief and Dan Azaria. It is not yet clear whether a new contract will be offered to Tamir Adi. Uri Dahan and Bar Cohen are currently returning to Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv and there is still no decision regarding Miguel Silva. The options on Morozov, Thomas and Friday will be exercised, with signed players such as Esperia, Shua and Nicolaescu also in for a difficult summer.
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- Israeli football
- League
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- Beitar Jerusalem
- Yossi Abukasis
