Sheran Yeini on tomorrow's State Cup tie against Kiryat Shmona: "We'll be a tougher opponent for them than them for us"
Two weeks have passed since Maccabi Tel Aviv's State Cup quarter-final first leg tie against Ironi Kiryat Shmona was postponed due to bad weather. Tomorrow the squad will once again make the trip north and hope that this time conditions will be kinder and the encounter with their closest title rivals will finally take place. At the pre-match press conference, attended by head coach Pako Ayestaran and team captain Sheran Yeini, the former first responded to a question about how the team will recover from the last three disappointing performances, and ways for improving them: "Training, and trying to change the things we are doing wrong and go back to the moment we were playing well".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlgkHHlbPA0
The coach also approached the question from the point of view of luck: "It was Thomas Jefferson who said 'I really believe in luck but I found that the harder I work', and I would add the better I work,' the better the luck'. In this case I can tell you one tale. You know that each tale starts 'Once upon a time', I met a coach who was sacked four or five times and this is true. And after four or five times being sacked, he was still thinking about luck. He said 'I have been unlucky'. When the luck or lack of luck repeats, you have to find the reason, not only luck".
"All of us make mistakes, and I am the first one. I am not perfect, I make mistakes", the Spaniard continued. "And the same with the players. In this end the main role in football are these guys, and you won't hear from me 'No, I am the one that is making this team big'. I am part of this, and I've got something to say when we win and when we lose. And they know, I am the first one to lift my hand and say maybe I have not been right sometimes. I always try to think to make changes, and especially with something that doesn't work. But even when it works, sometimes you have to be creative and creativity is something that is so important for improvement. You continue doing the same and sometimes when you are doing well you try to change something and maybe sometimes it doesn't work. But sometimes you have to change and of course I will have to change things".
Asked if he thought the players were taking enough responsibility for the less than satisfactory results of late, Pako responded: "I think they're responsible and I think they know the things they're doing right and doing wrong and I am sure that they will change. They have shown that they are playing and that they are convinced about the way we are approaching the game, because this is crucial. If you are not able to convince them of the way you can get results you cannot get the support of the players. I think they have shown that they really have enjoyed and that they really have believed in the way we are doing things. For many reasons we are not performing at the moment. They will have to change this".
Maccabi team captain Sheran Yeini began by expressing solidarity with the players at Maccabi Netanya, who have not received their salaries for the past three months: "It's important to talk about this because before you know it it will become a routine at other clubs as well. We fully support the lads at Maccabi Netanya and if there's any way we can help them, we will".
Yeini expressed full confidence in the coach and the team ahead of tomorrow night's Cup clash against Kiryat Shmona: "If I remember correctly in our last outing against them we played very well. We created a lot of chances and if you ask me we should have won. They're a very tough side but I think we'll be a tougher opponent for them than them for us".
As for the atmosphere in the dressing room after the team's disappointing run of form, the team skipper related: "I can tell you without hesitation that we players fully believe in our coach, believe in his approach, in his style of play, in how he conducts the trainings. Our trainings are the best in the country. I don't know of another coach in Israel that tells his players to take chances, because we're a charismatic team and we want to dominate the game. The atmosphere in the dressing room is excellent, we all support one another. We're working hard on things like character and determination and you'll be seeing the effects sooner than you think".
"I think that for both sides it's important to get a result in the first match that more or less settles the tie, that will make the return leg that much easier. For us that means winning and going into the match at Bloomfield with an advantage that will force Kiryat Shmona to open up their game".
