After the disappointing draw against Bnei Sakhnin and a week before the meeting with Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv is preparing for the game against the table lock Maccabi Petah Tikva tomorrow (Monday, 20:30). Mladen Krestic is looking for a debut victory as the Yellows’ coach, and hopes that his players will not stumble even against the last in the table. At a press conference prior to the game, the Serb referred to the team’s situation in the table, his working method and also the beginning of his work as the Israeli runner-up. In addition, the Serb provided an embarrassing-funny mistake when he called his team “Maccabi Haifa”, but corrected immediately.
The coach was first asked about the ability shown by Maccabi Haifa, which defeated Bnei Sakhnin 0: 6 last night, with which his team finished 1: 1: “In the game against us, the Sakhnin players invested most of their energies, energies that they could not show again a few days later.” The coach added: “In the last week we have concentrated most of our efforts in training on the extension and our ability 30 meters from the goal. We will be strengthened in January. Since I came here I have mainly been working and investing efforts in improving the team.”
On his expectations of the players: “There is no doubt that this team has qualities, but we have to work very hard. We have to play in a more organized way. In the near future we will put most effort into it. The players need to understand that they are at Maccabi and behave accordingly.”
On his coaching philosophy: “I demand hard work in training. All the players will have to understand what club they are in and do their best at any given moment. I expect them to show hunger. We want titles. The players will have to understand that we are all together, we are one team “We have to show that we are the best, because Maccabi Tel Aviv is the biggest club in Israel. It is clear that there is pressure, but it is normal in such clubs.”
On the squad: “After two weeks here, we have a clearer picture of the squad. We have ideas about how Maccabi Tel Aviv should look and how it should play. We have similar players in different positions. Some are stronger, some are more technical. What? It is important that the players know how to play under pressure and in an away game. “
The goalkeeper Daniel Peretz: “First of all we are aware of our situation, that it is not warning and we expect a lot more from ourselves. We do everything to change it and work very hard. We do not think too far, but look at the next game, then the one after and so on. Before each game “We talk about how much we do not want to absorb and that we need to improve our defensive game. It’s no secret. It’s not just the back four or me, it’s the team defensive game.”
On Maccabi Haifa and Beer Sheva: “We are currently concentrating only on the upcoming game against Maccabi Petah Tikva, and then we will think about the next games.”