Israel's volleyball team celebrated its second consecutive victory at the European Championships in Tel Aviv on Thursday with a big 2-3 victory over Romania. Face the next games, aiming to advance to the next stage of the knockout round to be held in Italy.
"I wasn't surprised by the team," union chairwoman Rina Dor told Israel Hayom. "I really believed in them, I met the players before the tournament and I am in contact with the professional committee. The biggest goal is to step up, with those two wins being the most significant."
Itamar Stein, the national team's coach, does magic.
"Stein is a lovely guy, he brings quiet, calm, professionalism. Came with a resume of 10 years in Europe. He does a great job with these players, unites them. It wasn't a gamble to bring him, to the national team you need a different personality. He sweeps the team, you could see him in the good and difficult moments, his guy, who knows where he needs to go."
Stein. Doing magic, photo: Oren Aharoni
"The national team needs a certain character, because everyone comes from a different background and if you don't know how to connect it to one thing that is bigger than its parts, then it's a problem - and Eitan knows how to do it very well."
So the next three games won't be a simple task?
"What to do, we have to be realistic, France is the Olympic champion. Of course we will give everything we can, and if we beat Portugal we will put the stamp."
Tamir Hershko said: "It feels great to win, we came to fight for every point and I love our team. There was a crazy atmosphere here and I wish every game in Israeli volleyball would be like this. We want to reach our limit and only if we do everything we will know where we can go. Our team is fighting."
Israel national volleyball team, photo: Oren Aharoni
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