Recap: Brazil vs Tunisia 1:4 (Round of 1) (Sport<>)
Yila Hoss settled in Budapest this week. The UEFA European Under-17 Championship is being held in Hungary and last night (Wednesday) he was also in the Europa League final that brought together Sevilla and Roma. Huss has already gotten used to his new role as UEFA's director of development, but his heart is still with Israel. "I watched all the games on the FIFA TV channel. I followed what the guys were doing in Argentina and my heart was filled with pride," he told Walla! Sport.
Huss shares what's happening at the World Cup right now. The under-20 team is the next stage of the under-19 team, which reached the Euro final in Slovakia exactly a year ago. Back then, he was still the technical director of all of Israel's young teams. Bonnie Ginzburg and Moshe Sinai were by his side and now it was Ginzburg who succeeded the Dutchman.
Were you surprised by this success in Argentina? Still, Israel is in the quarterfinals against Brazil.
"I wasn't surprised, because we did a big thing a year ago. We reached the final of the Euro Under-19s and lost in the final to strong England, so for this tournament in Argentina, Israel came with receipts."
Arrive with receipts. Players of the Israel national under-20 national team (Photo: official website, Assi Kieffer, Israel Football Association)
More about the national under-20 team
The King's Way: The Youth Team's Achievement at the World Cup Is Not Accidental
Hawaiian Generation: To justify the hype, the youth excellers have to survive a difficult
transition Haim Revivo: "This is the achievement we have waited for 53 years"
Brazil is not impressed by Israel? "It's going to be tough, but we're improving."
More in Walla!
Pitro is celebrating a round birthday and you enjoy a once-in-60-year sale
In association with Pitro
But we came into the tournament without our main player - Oscar Gluch - and Idan Tocalomati was also absent.
"Oscar is really something special, but what's special about this team of Ofir Haim is the togetherness. You can be a standout player or a star, but the story of this team is togetherness. The philosophy is the team above everyone else and so even when Oscar stayed at Red Bull Salzburg, it was clear to me that we could do great things at the World Cup."
So there were no question marks with you?
"There were question marks with me and Bonnie and the whole gang that runs this business just because the team didn't have enough meaningful training games before the World Cup. That's the main thing that worried us ahead of this tournament. We said that once we overcome this issue, great things can be done."
But this team also came into the tournament with very few players getting to play neatly last season.
"That's the biggest problem. You have to believe more in the young Israeli player. I turn from here to the coaches, let the players play. I ask them, believe in the young Israeli actor. There are so many good players, but they need minutes. They need to play regularly and they will constantly improve. Look at what a leap Oscar made in one year, because there was someone who let him play and believed in him."
Could it be that what you did at the Euros a year ago was bigger than what the national team is currently doing at the World Cup? After all, you made it all the way to the Euro final and lost only to strong England.
"I think what we did at the Euros was amazing because the Euros a year ago brought together eight of the best teams for that period on the strong European continent. We came to the tournament with seven other excellent teams and from a group that included England, Serbia and Austria we qualified for the knockout stage, where we passed France in the semi-finals. It's a huge story. What's different now, and it has to be said to the credit of the players, coaches and managers, is that this team is flying to Argentina with a bag of expectations on their backs. Even if there are worse teams in the World Cup than in the Euros, to go to the tournament when you have expectations and there is other pressure because we already did something a year ago, that's the big difference. So I don't think there's room for quality comparison, but you can say that at the Euros our achievement was enormous and now the achievement is huge because there are new variables of a different class, the World Cup, which a lot of eyes are turned to."
"You have to believe more in the young Israeli player." Yila Huss (Photo: official website, Israel Football Association)
On Saturday Brazil. Is this our last stop?
"Absolutely not. I don't think there's a hurdle this team can't overcome. This team can go all the way. I really believe in her."
Who do you keep in touch with on the national team? You must have sent messages.
"After the game with Japan that led to the final eight, I wrote Ophir a message. I really like Ofir and I think he deserves to be happy and happy for all his investment and connection to the players."
You are both very exposed with your personal story. You share a similar story with children with special needs.
"That's true. Ofir and I's joy comes from sorrow, over the similar story we have. That's one of the reasons I'm so happy for him for these happy moments. He deserves it."
"I really like Ofir and I think he deserves to be happy and happy." Haim (Photo: official website, Assi Kieffer, Israel Football Association)
Can Israel advance in the senior team as well?
"I believe that this generation now at the World Cup will also man the senior national team in five years' time. I trust the work being done. Yossi Benayoun, Alon Hazan, Bonnie Ginzburg, Moshe Sinai. These are very serious and thorough people who come from a common goal and that is to promote Israeli football. Just please, let the young players play. Believe in them in groups and they will give back."
- sport
- Israeli football
- Israeli national teams
Tags
- Youth team
- Yila Huss
- Ofir Haim
