Head Coach Shota Arveladze addressed the media at the prematch press conference prior to Maccabi’s Matchday 14 contest against Hapoel Kfar Saba. The Georgian boss discussed the upcoming transfer window, Dor Peretz and the early hour of Saturday’s match:
“We have been training at about 17:00 so it won’t be a big change. It’s the earliest we played and we have been playing at all different times this season. The main thing is that it’s an important game.”
Playing many games:
“We had a hard time playing 32 games in a short period of time. Now we have a bit more time to think and more time to prepare better sessions and address the problems. For the players, it’s still a physical and mental competition. The Cup games will start in January and we will have more games once again after a few weeks of just one match a week.”
Recent performance:
“We have had some good runs and we can play against anyone in Europe. We played well and could stand up against anyone. But then we had some problems and we couldn’t play well against anyone. We had some bad luck at the end of the Europa League campaign and we could have had an extra point to make it to the Round of 32 but now we are back to the league. I wasn’t happy with the second half, but we also had a tough game against the Irish club just three days earlier. We knew we had to win but our performance was not enough.”
Still in the championship race:
“It’s only December 15th. We need to unite and use our spirit to do so. It’s not an individual game and we have to come together. We need everyone’s quality to unite and to just do it.”
Clubs frightened to play Maccabi:
“Everyone still comes to play with ten men behind the ball.”
January changes:
“It’s a choice. If someone wants to leave it means that they didn’t connect with the club and doesn’t see his future with the team. They may have gotten chances but they just didn’t have the best opportunities. If they go, I just wish them luck and I hope that the don’t make the same mistakes as they made here.”
About Dor Peretz:
“He was the best player in the first two months but didn’t play his best position. He played defensive back and I was so happy with his performance. Occasionally it happens with the younger guys, they have to come back after playing very hard. We may not agree on everything after talking with him. He needs to come back again and I believe that he has a very good future. I have to give credit to his parents as he was raised so well, but this is football. He has played right back, center back but he prefers playing the number 6 position which he has barely played this season. I hope to see him back soon.”
Do you have the green light to make changes in January:
“It’s green. There will be some changes and we have spoken about it. No coach wants to have 35 players and we won’t have that many here. We will have an amount of players that will be good enough for each player to fight for their position.”
