History in green: Maccabi Haifa has signed a cooperation agreement with El Ein, one of the most prestigious clubs in the Emirates. A moment after the agreement, Yaakov Shachar Break the silence in a special interview with “5 in the Air”. The owner explained what was behind the agreement, referred to the season of Maccabi Haifa and how the new agreement will affect the future of the Greens.
“We were supposed to go to the peace game with them on January 26, and we scheduled a game on April 4 with us,” Shahar said of the agreement that creamed more and more tendons before the official announcement, “because of the closures, it went wrong. In the Intercontinental Cup and they played against Real Madrid. It is an orderly club whose owner is the ruling family there … “.
“The agreement is not for another week and two weeks,” Shahar continued, “it does not oblige the parties to do things immediately. We should have been there already. In terms of net football, we have good players who can go to them and to Europe and good places. When we put content into daily cooperation, You will all hear. “
When asked about the comparison between the deal with al-Ein and that of Moshe Hogg with Hamad bin Khalifa, he sent a sting: “The connection between the two clubs was not made just to get headlines. They learned who we are and what we are, and we also heard from them. Their DNA fits. “Ours. We made a joint decision that the first game will be there, and the second game will be there. The relationship is open to all kinds of joint business. What will develop, will develop. We have created a relationship with a respectable body, and they too.”
“The victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv will also come”
After delving into the historic deal with El Ein, Shachar also took the opportunity to talk about Maccabi Haifa’s season. “We are better than last year, we started to show some of our abilities,” the owner noted, “We are leading the league, thanks to the fact that we play positive football, fun football. I hope we will continue like this.”
“What is similar to the years we won championships is our level of play, the atmosphere in the locker room, what is not similar is that the stadium is empty. The amount of fans, and the average in all games, and also in home games, but in home games especially, when football is higher “You can’t see it. When there is a stadium roaring with a crowd, it’s a different atmosphere. It’s a football celebration.”
Despite Haifa’s excellent season, Maccabi Tel Aviv is still on track and is only five points away. Shahar is not worried: “The victory over them will also come. The last loss was due to a moment of distraction. I can also count the ten years of Maccabi Tel Aviv. I was very pleased with how we looked in the first half against Maccabi Tel Aviv. I did not like that we were not sharp enough in front of the gate. In the first half, we played a game that another team does not play at such a level. “
During the last transfer window, Shahar made one of the most difficult decisions since he became the owner of Maccabi Haifa – the addition of Noble Omar. The midfielder was released from Maccabi Tel Aviv after being involved in an affair in which he was accused of consenting to a minor. But in the end it was decided not to file an indictment for innocence, and after half a season in Apoel Nicosia he joined Maccabi Haifa. Running all day to the media to tell what I do. What I need to do at Maccabi Haifa, I do. Not always the results on the field accordingly. It’s a sport, no one has a monopoly. This season we are better and this is reflected in the results. I never set the lineups and training. I get an account of what is happening, and when asked for my opinion I express it. I’m not one to intervene. “
“Obviously the decision was mine, otherwise he would not have come, and that’s all,” Shahar added, “The decision to bring Noble has nothing to do with the situation in the table, but with the next seasons in mind. I did not want to lose the opportunity to bring such a player … “… that in the summer I would like him and I will not be able to bring him in. I took him now with a long-term vision. Now we have another good player on the roster.
“Rokavica? We are not sitting on his vein, Lavi the most important player”
Much of the credit for Maccabi Haifa’s excellent ability this season can be attributed to its and the league’s top scorer, Nikita Rokavica. The problem? The Israeli-Australian striker does not have a contract for next season: “He does not have many years left to play football, and if he has the opportunity to make his home significantly bigger from here, we will not stand in his way. It is obvious. In the meantime he is with us.”
“Everything is done so that he stays at Maccabi Haifa this season and also the following season, because he lives a very sporty life. We need to see how he treats … with self-discipline and guarding during the corona. Only an athlete of his level behaves in this way so I am sure he can play more “A year or two at the level he is playing today. We will not put pressure on anyone, we will sit together and talk. We will not sit on his vein. There was one meeting and we will continue to deal with it … We are currently busy maintaining first place from game to game.”
But despite Rokavica’s excellent data, another player is the most important in Haifa’s squad at dawn, and the same player recently received an offer from CSKA Moscow, but the owner refused to release him: “In my opinion, our captain is the main player of Maccabi Haifa. He’s on the field and off the field … Haifa’s pillar is planted. I can not give it up in a year like this year. After many years without achievements … that we are on the road … my duty to the club, to the fans … that is why I made this decision. “
“I know it’s not easy, because it’s very tempting when you are offered such an offer. We did not receive an official offer. If there are concrete offers for this or that player in the summer, we will sit down. I just made a decision that it is not appropriate so I replied in the negative. I understood him. It was not easy to tell him … because I too never stood in the way of players who received offers from abroad.
Although Shahar stated that he does not interfere with the coach, he expressed his opinion emphatically about one player: “I brought Haziza to Maccabi Haifa. Not any coach, and no one. I received recommendations from him from Nes Ziona. That was one of the important things. So I also saw “In one game or another. Our coach wanted Ashkenazi, so I said they would both come. He was the first one I wanted. I saw him not give up. These are players I like. They give their soul on the field. I’m glad he’s in good shape.”
Finally, Shahar also referred to the coach, Barak Bachar, and the fact that he does not have a contract for next season either: “I appreciate the work. We are still busy this season and are not talking about next season. If he has anything more, I will not stand in his way.”
