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After joining his squad in hoisting the league trophy, head coach Paulo Sousa looked back at his team's achievements: "It's always difficult to repeat being champions"
The celebrations for Maccabi Tel Aviv's second consecutive Israeli Premier Legaue title began last week in Beer Sheva, but after last night's 3-1 home victory against Ironi Kiryat Shmona the big moment finally arrived: Captain Sheran Yeini and injured star striker Barak Itzhaki hoisted the club's 21st all-time championship trophy. In short order followed the players' traditional championship sprint around the stadium, revelling with adoring fans as they went along. Did we say just players? Head coach Paulo Sousa was also a massive presence in the celebrations, even climbing into the terraces to mingle with his many devoted supporters: "I feel good because it was a tribute to them. From day one they expressed themselves, not only behind the goal but in the whole stadium by selling out the season tickets, by always being close to us and supporting us, also at the away games and the international games, to make us feel like we were playing at home. This was a tribute to them, not just from myself but from my staff and all the players, because they are important, and they were important during the season, they were amazing and for that they deserve this tribute".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rQT7HbrOgk
Somewhat surprisingly, Sousa engaged in the championship celebrations on the pitch and with the fans draped in the national flag of his native Portugal: "It's my country. I'm proud of them. I'm looking to represent my country as best I can. Also my club and the country where I am at this moment. It's something I always try to show because since day one I have been very well received by all of you guys. That's why I always make sure to make a good impression, through the football that we want to have and to present, and also personally with the people I know, to show and to say and to express my gratitude for what I see in this lovely country Israel".
Sousa, for whom this was his first time winning a league title in his coaching career, was asked afterwards if from the very start he was confident his team would be celebrating the championship at the end of the season: "Always. I have confidence in myself. It's always difficult to repeat being champions, to promote different football and to demand from our players what I demand. We never predicted it, but I'm a coach and a person with a lot of confidence, all the time, in everything I propose because I work a lot, me and my staff. I make sure that all the details are accurate in order to deliver good work to our players, after that to transfer it onto the pitch and to get the results".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tukbw5uwMcQ&list=UU-oWQqnf8B8a_TsmVi0mTUg
The coach also had a word to say about the process the team underwent this season and their future goals: "I think one of the ways I progressed the team was the way I approached the game in the attacking organisation, to create different dynamics, different systems and to back the players of course because when we propose new things we always want to feel whether we have transferred that knowledge or not, to guide our players to perform the best they can. But especially I think I progressed the team a lot in their approach to the game with regard to promoting positive football and winning football, because it's all about that, about results, but also about proposing football with a lot of courage and ambition, and we showed it in the domestic league and we showed it also internationally".
Asked if he felt the team had a chance of reaching the group stage of the Champions League, Sousa replied: "Everybody has a chance for that. Of course we have to be realistic. What this club have done is to make sure we could dream and we could compete for it. I know, and I've already spoken about it, it's not easy in this country to compete with other countries and to do it with consistency. It could happen, we are progressing in the right direction. We showed this season in Europe what we've accomplished. We've made a big step, especially mentally in our approach to the games. Don't forget, in Bordeaux we were losing but the players had the capacity to change systems. We had the right ambition to get the result and we got an important result. Of course repeating is always difficult. We want to make sure we can compete all the time with the same courage and the same ambitions to achieve that dream".
Midfielder Dan Einbinder, who tonight celebrated his first goal in Maccabi kit, told of how he felt when team captain Sheran Yeini invited injured star midfielder Barak Itzhaki to join him in lifting the trophy: "Throughout that whole part of the season that Barak's been sidelined we've all felt as sad as he has. All the emotions and the happiness of the championship we've shared with him too, because it's as much his as it is ours, maybe even more. He's a very important part of our team, both on and off the pitch, and I think Sheran did a very noble thing tonight and it was very moving for all of us".
Barak himself was as emotional as anyone about the gesture: "I had absolutely no idea whatsoever and I was really surprised. I was really moved. I've been waiting a long time for this moment and, well, here it is, and all I can say is thanks a lot to everyone". The striker also talked about his return to action, a very happy one so far he's concerned: "I still have a long way to go, but I'm working very hard at it". Then with a little smile he added: "This is a night I'll never forget. And not just because of the championship. That championship sprint? That's the first time I've run since I got injured".
