Heavy heat is hitting parts of the country today (Monday), but that did not cause the Football Association to postpone the Youth Premier League games which were played at 11-12 noon, at the height of the heat. Apart from the game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Beer Sheva that was postponed for several hours, the rest were played as usual.
Hapoel Tel Aviv’s youth coach who finished 1-1 with Bnei Sakhnin, Michael Zandberg, Referred in a conversation with ONE to the heavy heat: “Regardless of the result, I have been saying this for several years in every possible forum, it is impossible to play in such conditions. We asked the association to postpone the game for a more convenient hour but that did not happen. “You don’t think about the players or the spectators, you take away the enjoyment of football because it’s a crime to play at a time like this and in this heat, players suffer and everyone suffers.”
When asked how the players reacted to the weather, he said: “We suffered in the game, I stood on the lines and suffered so the players must have suffered. I know what it does to the players body because I too was one of them once and what it looked like. We contacted the association and were told “Meteo-Tech, who said that in case of heavy heat loads they would postpone the game. I guess they did not get on the broadcast schedule and wanted to make games early and everyone has their considerations.”
On other games being postponed, he said: “I do not claim that anything was against us, just that no one should play under these conditions. Not Ness Ziona, not Maccabi Tel Aviv, not Maccabi Haifa and not anyone. You have to pay attention to that. There is no pleasure in playing in this heat. “
In one of the games, despite the bad weather, we got 3: 3 between MS Ashdod and Maccabi Haifa. The team coach from the port city, Eli Levy, Said about the result: “Unpleasant feelings because I do not think Pendel came to Haifa. We were much better, we got back in the game and we did great, but mistakes are part of the game. I am so proud of the guys, they came and invested after 120 minutes against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the cup, came here and turned the result around. We will continue to believe and fight to the end. “
On the second half and the late substitutions, Levy said: “We used tactics. Haifa played the first half so we created a 5 on 4 player advantage. I did not see fit to make further exchanges until the 85th minute, and at the end I made exchanges of fatigue. Once again, the guys made a tremendous effort. Proud of them. “
Maccabi Haifa coach, Alon Harazi, He said: “Mixed feelings. We have a less good season, it started in the Cup and also continued in the league with five games without a win, there is fatigue and it is noticeable. Every time we try to refresh and sometimes it comes at a price, our defense changed a month and a half ago. In the long run, we see light. “
Hezri referred to the second half and the exchanges that helped Haifa return to the game: “We knew we had to lift the players following the easy goals we conceded and for that we have to pay attention, learn from the less good moments. The gates we absorbed are too light, should give it added value. In the end in football if you do not give added value then talent is not worth anything. The players had to wet their heads from most of the heavy heat that was today, it was hard to play in such weather. We are looking forward. “
