This was a great 2020 for Manor Solomon. If in previous years, he was defined as a potential or a “prospect” – this year he proved that he is due to be the real thing: in the Champions League, in the Israeli team, and especially in the media of Shakhtar Donetsk – where he took a significant place in the squad this year. Today (Thursday), Solomon took the time to summarize a year in an interview with “Open Ground” – about the excitement, the challenges, and the new-old friend Liel worked.
First, Solomon addressed the topicality: around the January transfer window, quite a few rumors are swirling around him about the possibility of him moving to a new team (when Roma were mentioned as a prominent candidate). The Israeli wanted to clarify: “Even if I move, it will probably be in the summer. There is interest from several groups, not necessarily Rome, but in any case I am not burning to leave.”
“I want to move on and it will happen sometime too, but I’m in a great place. I’m having fun, I’m getting better, I’m learning. I’m only 21 and maybe jumping into a huge club will not do well. “And also because I prefer to stay.”
Another issue in the headlines is another member of Maccabi Petah Tikva, the team he grew up with, who is close to signing in Ukraine: Liel Abda, who is on the verge of signing at Dynamo Kiev, Shakhtar’s rival. I expect he will already come and live with me in Kiev. I wish him all the best in the world, he is an amazing child with huge potential. “
How are the differences between them reflected? “Liel more plays as a ‘second striker’, someone who shoots is looking for movement towards free space. I am more of a dribbler, and love when I have the ball on foot. But we are both fast, we are both talented when we have the ball, so there is room for comparison. “From the side – but we come from the same place, maybe we will play in the same league. It will be interesting.”
Solomon also made a comparison between his club – and the club he went to work for. “Dynamo and Shakhtar are different clubs,” he noted, “Shakhtar is a club that now wins more titles, Dynamo is a more historic club. We have more Brazilians, they have a lot of Ukrainians and Europeans – which we do not have. Dynamo is a huge club with a crazy crowd, and you can make huge progress there. “
Then, he summed up the year that was – the year that, by all accounts, erupted: “I became a better known person and a better known actor,” Solomon admitted, “It was a year in which I progressed a lot, and I had some amazing moments. I wish myself that. 2021 will be even better. ” And what about the exiles against Real Madrid? “I prefer the goal in the first game because we led 0: 3 at the half. It was amazing and crazy.”
The question also arises, what does a star do when success falls on him with such extremism? “Obviously we enjoy the road, but it’s also a bit difficult, because every three or four days there is a game. If you get confused for a second, you can lose ability. We have to be good in every game. But it’s good to have the break now, it allows us all to digest.” Manor is currently in Israel, saying: “We are on winter break, I will return to Ukraine on January 15 for the rest of the season.”
Solomon also addressed the issue of national team coach Willie Rotensteiner, who will continue in office for another two years. “We were pleased because we felt a very big improvement since he was appointed. There is order. In all the games we did not fall from the teams we met, in every game we could win. That’s why we wanted him to continue, and I’m glad it happened.”
Later, he also addressed the trend – which was reflected with him and Danny Abdia in basketball: Is there a shift change here? “I’m happy to see Abdia, see him play and I was happy to see him at Maccabi Tel Aviv. I don’t know if there is a change of shifts here, but I see that the young people get more on stage. I just hope to be as significant as possible in the team, and help as much as possible.”
