Even though it is only a friendly match for training purposes, tonight (Wednesday) Alon Hazan will not get used to the clear team ahead of the meeting tomorrow (Thursday, 20:30) against Zambia which will be held at Shlomo Insurance Stadium in Petah Tikva. Hazan got a little time with the players this week and he is still undecided about who will send in his eleven tomorrow and who will come up as substitutes.
The coach of the national team changed a lot, especially in regards to the attacking link and the wings. The defensive quartet should be the same as it was in the previous games when Eli Desa and Doron Leidner will play as defenders and Miguel Vitor and Shawn Goldberg will play in the center of the defense. Neta Lavi and Beavers Natcho, who are in excellent form since the beginning of the season, are supposed to start, with Ramsey Spori possibly next to them as a liaison with the offensive orientation.
Shagib Yehezkel, who has recently been assigned as a right back in Hapoel Be’er Sheva, and Dean David are candidates to open on the wings and cells in Ribo as the central striker. The issue of the goalkeeper who will start was also not resolved in tonight’s training, and in any case Omri Glazer and Daniel Peretz will share the pair of games, as mentioned tomorrow against Zambia and on Sunday against Cyprus.
Hazan talked to the players about Zambia and described a strong and fast team with technical players. The team said this evening: “Our first match in the Euro qualifiers will be against Kosovo, and tomorrow against Zambia is one of the last two games that serve as a test. Most of the players who will be on the squad against Kosovo are now in the national team, so every minute a player gets in these two games is a key for him towards the Euro qualifiers.” .
Estimated composition: Omri Glazer, Eli Desa, Miguel Vitor, Shawn Goldberg, Doron Leidner, Neta Lavi, Beavers Natcho, Ramzi Spuri, Shagib Yehezkel, Dean David, Thai Bribo.
Even earlier, the team held a press conference with the participation of Hazan and captain Beavers Natcho.
The captain of the national team spoke about how the importance of the games is the same in the eyes of the players and the professional staff, even if they are preparatory games: “In such games there is a desire for fans to come. In the game against Albania it worked, we want it to work here as well. If it was a club and not a national team we would say that the important games are Four more months, but this is a team. Our next match in the Euro qualifiers is still a long time away, but we may have four days to prepare for it. For the new campaign, it is important for us to come after a victory.”
Natcho commented on the incident between Zahavi and the professional team under all the criticism of the national team from the retirement of Atzil and Davor: “Every story today makes noise. Unlike before, anyone can write on social media about it and something big is created. When I come here during the break, I don’t feel or hear noise We only deal with the professional aspect, and that’s what interests us.”
On the current form: “I’m here because I’m enjoying myself and I feel good, I can still contribute. As long as I feel like this, I’ll be here. Without the evil eye, I have a good season with good numbers. My body reacts well, even in 90-minute games. It’s hard for everyone even when it’s a break and the World Cup, but this is a game that’s important to us as a team and our goal is to come out with victories. To be last in the midfield? Sometimes I’m more comfortable playing as a midfielder, sometimes as a creative midfielder, I adapt myself to what’s needed.”
Alon Hazan compared the warm-up games to the team’s official qualifying games: “The preparation is similar between a friendly match and an official match. It’s not the same tension, the adrenaline is different, but as the coach of the Israel national team, the preparation is at the highest level there is like in every game. It’s not a training game, it’s a preparation game For the next games in a few months. We demand a lot from the players and ourselves.”
Hazan added: “The goal in these games is to assimilate the things we demand. It’s hard to come every few months and try new things every time. There are several new players who join every time and it’s important to us that they adopt our ways and approach to the games. Who will stand in the goal? We have goalkeepers Very good. Marciano is not here because he asked, but he is also an excellent goalkeeper.”
On the load of the players and the distribution of minutes: “I will divide the loads between the players. If there was a half-injured player here, he would not be here. We would not take a risk on any player, even if it was very important to us. We will sit down and hear what the medical condition of each A player to know who needs rest and who needs more minutes. We are in direct contact with the teams about what the players go through until they get to us, we follow them.”
The coach finished with his dream for his work as a commentator in the World Cup: “I don’t imagine just going to the World Championship as a commentator, I want to be there as a coach as well.”