Summary: Beitar Jerusalem - Maccabi Haifa 2:0/Sport1
In the middle of September, Lorenzo Shimich made his debut at Maccabi Haifa - a debut that turned out to be a dream come true.
Three serious mistakes by the brake led to a 3:2 loss to the Malabasim and the criticisms came from all sides.
The period that followed was also accompanied by harsh criticism, and quite a few people called for the release of the Croatian stopper in the transfer window.
Shimich listened, internalized, and recently completed a major transformation when he became one of the favorite players of the green crowd, with excellent ability.
Just before he meets Ghent (Thursday, 22:00, Sport2), the defender gave an exclusive interview in which he talked about the beginning of the difficult road, the criticisms, the comeback to the top of the table, the war and what not - Anan Halaili.
Five months later, can you explain what happened to you in this game?
"I can give 300 excuses here, but I'm not the type to make excuses and the fans don't care about excuses, they only care that the players come to the field and show good ability."
Still, how do you explain the fall display there?
"The truth is that I just finished my preparation for the season and I wasn't 100 percent in terms of my ability."
And yet, it was something special.
"The truth is that I underestimated the value of the Israeli league, it taught me a lesson that I should be humble in every situation. If you look at my mistakes in this game, most of them were mistakes of unnecessary dribbles. I didn't think that the Israeli league was at the level it really is and this was a serious slap for me, which taught me to be Always humble. I thought it would be easier."
Tell me what went through your mind when you got home from that game.
"I told myself this is not happening to me, this is the worst moment of my career, I told myself that maybe I burned myself. I asked myself why why and I repeated what happened here."
"If you look at my mistakes in this game, most of them were mistakes from unnecessary dribbles. I didn't think the Israeli league was at the level it really is, and that was a serious slap in the face for me."
Shimich premiered/Audi Citiat
Did you feel burnt out after this game?
"I know that in football a bad game or a great game does not indicate the continuation, and you have to be good throughout the season. After the game I spoke with people at the club, they saw that it was a very difficult moment for me but they gave me all the support, all the conditions to get back to my form . I think now I've started to show the ability I need to show."
Did it hurt your confidence?
"It's not that I was without confidence. When you come to a new country, especially to Israel, with football that is completely different from football in Italy, you have to adapt. I just have to be the Lorenzo you see now, and even now I say that I think the real best is yet to come. I know I can do Much more than what I present now. One game does not define you as a player, everyone should understand that. They didn't need to tell me what was written about me, I saw it myself."
If you were a journalist, what would you write about yourself?
"Probably the same - that there are great expectations from someone like me who came from Italy and then comes with a game like this, and everyone says - wait, what happened here? The important thing is that I realized it was my mistake and I continued and came back to myself."
Masai Dago said at one point that you don't play because you are not suitable professionally, and explained that it is difficult for you as a right braker to play as a left braker.
"It's not difficult for me to play as a left tackle in a line of four and I don't think that was the main reason. The reason, as I said, was made up of many things - also in terms of acclimatization. I played a whole season in a line of four as a tackle on the left side and in three tackles as a middle or right tackle. In a line of four I don't have a problem, but in a line of five, when you play as the left defender, then you are a kind of defender with the opposite leg and then it is really more difficult - not only for me, but for any defender who is right-handed and plays three defenders on the left side."
We conducted the interview with Šimić at the training complex in Kfar Galim, when, symbolically, the Croatian defender sat down under a picture of Bogdan Palanić, one of the most memorable defenders in the club's history.
"I heard about Palanić, I don't know him, but I heard that he was also crushed in the beginning and I tell everyone - be patient," says the Croatian.
"In the beginning, we as a team were also told that we had finished the story, but we all believed throughout. The team told us that he believed - we are the champions, we have the character of champions and we did not give up for a moment. The coach told us that we would come back game after game and that is what really happened."
After your goal against Maccabi Tel Aviv you were ecstatic.
"Everything exploded for me after that goal, you see I'm crazy. There were lots and lots of emotions that exploded after that goal. I was very happy for the team and it was the exact moment to score. In the games before I was very close, I hit the crossbar, I cooked, I was close. God must have chosen For me, the perfect moment to conquer in the derby."
You say derby, but Maccabi Tel Aviv is not a derby.
"For me it's a derby, it's like Hayduk Split against Dinamo Zagreb, that the two top teams play is like a derby. To score in a game like this is amazing."
The secret?
rowing swimming
How to look and feel great, live healthy and lose weight?
In collaboration with TI SWIM
"I know I can do much more than what I am showing now. One game does not define you as a player."
Shimich/Shlomi Gabai
You only saw Sami Ofer fully once.
How was the feeling?
"That's right, only against Panathenaikos before the war. It was amazing. I haven't seen many times and maybe even an audience that loves the team so much, that is so connected to it. It was amazing and I'm looking forward to experiencing it again of course. Without cliché, it's really like we're with Another player on the field. Every team that came to play here, Apollo Paris Saint-Germain, felt that it was not easy to play against this big push of the team. It gives a lot of confidence to the players and gives us fighting spirit, because we want to make them happy."
With the hand of the heart, when you were in minus ten from Maccabi Tel Aviv, did you believe that you would now be in first place?
"Always. I'm not lying - I believed 100 percent, I believed very much in this team. We are a completely new team, a new coach, many new players and it takes time to bond and understand what the coach wants from us. This is the biggest club in Israel, we have won three championships in the last few seasons and I know the crowd And the people around expected immediate results, but sometimes for good things you need patience, and from what I see now we are the best defense in the league and the best attack in the league and the best team in the league. That's why every game in this league really depends on us, but at the same time we are clear that nothing will be easy and that we have A very, very hard fight until the end."
Every game depends on you?
Also the game against Ghent?
"I believe so. If we come with the right attitude like we did against Panathinaikos and Villarreal then anything is possible. We have a very positive spirit and a strong mentality in the team so of course anything is possible. I have played in many teams and there is something really special here."
Are the chances 50:50?
"I don't know about the chances, but right now we respect them, understand that they are an excellent team and we have to give our best to be in the next stage. The league is our main goal, but the conference is also a significant goal, we want to go as far as possible."
How significant is it that you will not play at home but twice outside?
"It's significant and it's clear that at Sami Ofer it's something different, because every team that comes here and it doesn't matter where they're from needs the first 15-20 minutes to adapt and understand the strengths of the crowd and the stadium. It's significant to us."
Maccabi Haifa had Croatian legends like Giovanni Russo and Nenad Pralia.
Do you want to be the new Croatian legend?
"I came here even though I had offers from both Serie B and Serie A. I wanted to come here because I wanted to be part of a team that competes in European establishments, that wins titles, I only think about Maccabi Haifa and of course I would love to succeed here and be part of something special, that's why I came here ".
Everyone is talking this season about the young men of Maccabi Haifa and especially Halaili.
what do you think about them
"They are amazing and they are so humble. I played in Italy, this is something very unusual for football players and they are all so humble and high quality. They want to listen, learn and just work hard, I have only good things to say about all our young people - about Anan, Feingold, Hajj, Sharif and everyone else. There are so many talented actors in Israel."
Do you give them tips?
"I talk a lot with Anan and Feingold and I'm here for them if needed. They show me that they appreciate it."
"From what I see now, we are the best defense in the league and the best attack in the league and the best team in the league."
Shimich/Shlomi Gabai
How did you feel when the war broke out?
"The war in Croatia happened before I was born, so this is the first time I've encountered a war situation. I was much more worried about my wife than myself. I think it also affected us a little as a team, but it's something that happens and needs to continue."
Were the parents worried?
"Of course, like any normal person, but I explained the situation to them and calmed them down."
What do you think is more difficult - keeping the top or coming back from a ten point deficit?
"Obviously it will be difficult, Hapoel Haifa lost but they are a great team, Beer Sheva has great momentum and of course there is Maccabi Tel Aviv."
Do you believe you will be champions at the end of the season?
"It will be a hard fight and we need to prove ourselves. I believe we will, but we need to achieve it and not talk."
More on the same topic:
Lorenzo Shimich
Maccabi Haifa