Abraham Grant Was today (Monday) the first guest on ONE’s new interview program and passed quite a bit of criticism on the decision-making processes in the Football Association regarding the selection of the coach of the Israeli national team, a position he wanted, before the playoff semifinals for Euro 2020. In addition, the former coach The Persian is staying there these days, for the championship fight between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa and for the survival struggles of his youth team, Hapoel Petah Tikva, in the national league.
“I am currently in Dubai, I was a bit in Bahrain and traveling in the area. I’m back to my place right now. I came for a few days and stayed for two weeks in the end, I got an offer from the sports ministry to come and help them, ”Grant said of the circumstances that led him to the UAE. “I stayed here also because of the corona. Israel, England and Europe are closed, the United States and the East are also closed. The peace agreement has made things much simpler for me. “
His professional work there: “I was sure that money would have great significance, they do not spend money unnecessarily but work with long-term plans. They want improvement for the young players, they called it ‘career is your future’, and they wanted me to help them with that. I help them with suggestions and clear rules. For example they have decided that each group will have a professional manager and we sit together to decide what the rights of the professional manager will be. I see right thinking. “
The championship fight in the Premier League: “It reminds me of oblivion, I had struggles on the lines of both teams. It’s good and gets the most out of each one. Maccabi Tel Aviv did not start the season well but is back to itself, Maccabi Haifa has also been back to itself in the last two years, it wants to jump a step. This is good and will also carry the other groups along with them. “I guess everyone is talking about Maccabi Tel Aviv as a favorite at this point, but I would not bet on it at the moment.”
The advantages and disadvantages of each: “Both are good and balanced. Do not think there are too many vulnerabilities. The struggle will be decided professionally but also mentally. I have been in a head-to-head struggle most of my life and it is mentally difficult. Yankele was also happy last season. Maccabi Haifa returned to the top after being away from it. “After signing Marco Belbul, they decided to upgrade, bring in players and bring in an excellent coach.”
Could Marco Confusion have made the change ?: “I’m sure yes, he upgraded all the time, both personally and upgraded the team and in Haifa they know that. Sometimes decisions are made to do other things. Barak Bachar has an excellent team and he knows that he received a ready-made team and not the dismantled team that Marco received. “
Why he is not the national team coach: “I state a lot of things but not in that. This is not the time to do earthquakes. I will say one thing – personally I wanted to coach the team, it was not in my mind, there was a recurring opportunity, I repeat it over and over again, there are those who take it personally, but those who made this wrong appointment need to improve. I had a meeting with Willy Rotensteiner and he said to me ‘why do you want to coach the team?’, I told him ‘because I am Israeli’. As a result of a certain combination Israel came to a decisive game against Scotland, there was an unusual opportunity to do so.
We were against a team equal to us, and if we were playing against Serbia after that there was also an opportunity to come up. I said I wanted to come for a short time because I felt obligated to the country I came from, but I came across hallucinatory things. With Willie there was an excellent and professional conversation, but there was a process that is not a process. It was not right to give Willie a sense of lack of choice. As for the current lottery this is a good lottery, but I regret that Willie, who started a good job as a professional manager, does not continue it and has to go back again. That people will not take it personally. “
The decision-making process: “I did not sit down for coffee with Stern Haluba, but I have nothing personal against him, he has been in football for a long time. People will judge what everyone has contributed and not contributed. One has to respect the decision, it is not right, it is a huge miss in a one-time opportunity. Just as we demand professionalism from the players, so should the decision makers. We have to examine ourselves to see if we are making progress. ”
His impression of Willy Rotensteiner as a coach: “Do a good job, when you are on the side you say you can do better but he did not do a bad job. To change football requires a change of mind. I was with the Minister of Sports of Dubai and Bahrain and I also sat with Hili Trooper, want to really change things here, in the country want to change but need to change the mindset. I have no half claim to Willy, even in conversations with him everything was professional, matter-of-fact and of a high standard. I think this is the right thing to do – there should be footballers, with Willie I can disagree. What is he doing right? In terms of football, he does things from the perspective of a professional manager. “
Was involved in the appointment of Confusion as assistant coach: “Rotensteiner knows what I think. We had two conversations, one of three hours about what football needs, he listened attentively and I listened to him, we took ideas, but that was when he was a professional manager. ”
The situation of Hapoel Petah Tikva: “It’s a big club, I started there and I have a feeling for this club. I do not want to see him in the third division, things have rolled. It’s a process that started a good few years ago and it’s a shame because it’s a huge club with wonderful people. I hope they will win and stay in the league and it will be possible to embark on a new path. “