A day after the Israeli national team returned from Switzerland, the soccer association also addressed the criticism and the fact that the national team scored only one point out of six in the opening of the Euro qualifying tournament. “Only those who were in Switzerland understand who we played against. This is a team that can easily reach the semi-finals of the Euros. The level differences are huge,” said the chairman of the football association, Shino Zoertz and his deputy Moran Meiri on the plane on the way back to Israel.
The delegation received messages that Belarus may soon be kicked out of the tournament in light of its support for Russia, in which case the victory of Switzerland and especially Romania over the opponent will not count.
In any case, the association knows that the month of June is critical for the continuation of the road and for the chances of immigration. “If we achieve less than 6 points in June, it will be possible to understand the criticisms and also agree with them,” said the same sources.
Zoertz does not intend to try and mediate again between the professional team – Yossi Benyon and Alon Hazan – and Eran Zahavi after he tried it not long ago and realized that neither side is willing to be flexible. As you may remember, the national team’s all-time top scorer was not invited to the first pair of games in the Euro qualifiers, following the room affair.
At the same time, there are other factors that are trying to find a way, at least to create a conversation between the parties with the aim of ‘clearing the table’ even if in the end it is decided not to make a change.