At the traditional pre-match press conference, head coach Paulo Sousa confirmed the general notion that the entire Israeli Premier League are keen on seeing Maccabi Tel Aviv slip up at Kiryat Shmona
This morning the Maccabi Tel Aviv squad held a final practice ahead of tomorrow's away encounter at Ironi Kiryat Shmona, the last of the Israeli Premier League matchweek 17 fixtures. Before the practice, head coach Paulo Sousa and ex-Kiryat Shmona midfielder Dan Einbinder held a traditional pre-match press conference. "I'm sure it will be a difficult match", Sousa began, "Kiryat Shmona are a dangerous opponent who have yet to be beaten at home, which is exactly what we aim to do. From what I've been able to discern, it's not only Kiryat Shmona that are hoping to beat us, the rest of the league and all their supporters are all hoping to see us slip up tomorrow as well. It's just another opportunity for our players to demonstrate their maturity".
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"True, last time out in what was looking to be a difficult tie we beat them 3-0 at home, but Kiryat Shmona are a very strong and well organised opponent. Don't forget they haven't lost at home all season but I'd be delighted to see my players achieve another first, just as we've done before this season. I'd like to see them play their best game to get this important result for us. But I anticipate it will be no easy encounter".
Sousa was asked for his reaction to second-placed Hapoel Beer Sheva's dramatic injury time victory at Bnei Yehuda on Saturday: "I know it's the task of the media to play up the results in the rest of the league and highlight the pressure on us from clubs below us in the table like Beer Sheva. But our motivation remains the same, we're always out to play according to our game principles, to continue to play consistently, as regards our mentality as well. We're not unbeaten this season and that's why we have to carry on improving. But at the same time we're out to get the same result as we have in the last seven league matches".
Sousa concluded by answering a question concerning how he felt about becoming a role model for other head coaches in Israel: "I remember a very well-known coach who once said coaches are always stealing ideas from their colleagues. Now, that may not be the most accurate description of affairs, but still he meant it in a positive way, because quite simply that's our job, to analyse the work of our opponents, what their coaches are doing, and to try to react in the best possible way with the resources at our disposal".
MTA's Dan Einbinder, who joined Maccabi in last summer's transfer window after playing the midfielder's position last season at Kiryat Shmona, seemed well placed to conjecture about Kiryat Shmona's preparations for the forthcoming encounter: "From what I know of my ex-teammates, they'll be very energised and motivated for this game. The champions and league leaders are coming to town and the playing staff and the players will be well primed and badly wanting to get all three points. I don't know if they'll be making any special preparations, but I can say with absolute certainty that they'll be out to win this one more than other games. That's how every team steel themselves up for a shot at the champions".
Regarding his playing a different position at Maccabi than at Kiryat Shmona, Einbinder added: "At all the other clubs I played at I was one of the top players, always a leader. That's what I'm like, it's part of my personality. Here at Maccabi I also try to express these qualities on the pitch. But I'm here at the biggest club in Israel, the best club in the country, a champion out to retain the title, a team that's playing in Europe, so there are many objectives to achieve. There are a lot of good players and everyone wants to play. So far I'm concerned, I just want to carry on working hard so I can prove to the coach every day and at every practice that my place is on the pitch. But the coach makes the decisions, and he does it very well so right now I'm happy".
Einbinder was also asked for his reaction to Hapoel Beer Sheva's victory on Saturday and to the fact that they now have more points at this stage of the season than Maccabi had at the same stage in last year's championship season: "I have no way of comparing their situation this year to Maccabi's last year because I wasn't at Maccabi last season. I can only say that so far we're concerned we have our own path to follow and that does not include keeping track of Beer Sheva. So far we've done very well with that path and we're working hard to keep it that way going forward. True, right now it's only three points that separate us in the table but I'm hoping it'll be back to six by the end of tomorrow night's match".
