Maccabi keeper Juan Pablo is already looking ahead: "We will try in the next game to get the three points"
The morning after their dramatic 3-3 draw at Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Tel Aviv are already preparing for Wednesday night's Israeli State Cup first leg quarter final against title rivals Ironi Kiryat Shmona. Tomorrow the squad will enjoy a day off and Wednesday morning board the team coach that will take them to the northernmost football stadium in the country. Last night after the match, head coach Pako Ayestaran gave his take on the evening's events: "I think we had the second half under control with a third to win in the second half. We didn't allow them to be close to our goal. It was again another silly mistake and even when we had a second chance to recover the mistake we didn't drop quick enough when the players were behind us and they finished in front of us, especially the one who scored. These are the type of mistakes that as a professional player you shouldn't allow yourself. You can make technical mistakes, even tactical mistakes, but these effort mistakes cost you points".
The Spaniard continued: "I think the question today was more about the chances we allowed to them than the ones they really created. I think we gave away the ball too easily and from there on they created the chances. Especially in the first half I think our centre backs were too wide. In the second half they were closer, closer to one another, and we had less problems. If you are in the wrong position even a slower player can carry fast. He's fast (Netanya striker Olarenwaju Kayode), but you see especially the second goal, when (defender) Carlos (Garcia) lost the ball, the players were in between the two centre backs and both of them were far from the players. In this case you can have positional advantage and he had it, and it's because we were not in the right position". Asked if he thought it might have been better to replace Garcia, the coach replied: "Yes, he made a couple of mistakes and from these mistakes on he was quite shaky. But I've got total confidence in him and it's not the point to still drop his confidence down even more, taking him off of the pitch. I think the way of building your confidence is to continue doing the things you were doing but try to do it well".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIH5_MASCSQ
Pako was also asked why tonight he chose to leave some regular starters like midfielders Eran Zahavi and Nosa Igiebor on the bench. He responded: "I think we've got a good enough squad to tinker a little with them and because the season is long. As I mentioned many times, I want to arrive to April in the right way but not with only eleven players, with sixteen, seventeen or eighteen players any of whom can play. And when you have a game mid-week, you always take the game in consideration. And of course there were a few reasons, a few decisions not only thinking about this game but thinking about the Cup tie as well".
After going seven league outings without conceding, Juan Pablo last night saw three opposition balls go into his net. But the veteran keeper is already looking ahead: "Normally we don't concede three goals, it's not normal for Maccabi. But we have one point more and that's okay. The last ball I think was my mistake but we have to continue working. We have many games in front to play and we hope that finally we can have a chance to win the championship". He was reminded that the first two goals were down to defender Carlos Garcia and that perhaps a word with his fellow countryman might have helped. Juan Pablo: "Carlos is a player with a lot of experience. He didn't know anything special about me or the other players. Mistakes are part of football and in this case, in this game, Netanya scored two goals with our mistakes. We will try in the next game to do our best again and try to get the three points. I think most of the balls were when we made mistakes in the build-up. They have fast players in front and we need to improve these things. We know that many of the teams, when they play against us, they try to play on the counter attack. So today was not our best day, but we have one point".
