Jordi Cruyff, the Yellow & Blue Head Coach spoke ahead of the club’s contest versus Hapoel Ashkelon on Matchday 19 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’ and looked back to the last time the two side’s met at Sela Stadium:
“We for sure remember, it was a very unpleasant loss of points. For 60 minutes we controlled the game and then tiredness set in. Ashkelon scored 2 goals in 3 minutes and we missed a 90’ penalty. They don’t concede a lot goals and they are difficult to beat. They are always very well organized and have a very good coach. It’s one of the toughest matches.”
The loss of Jean-Sylvain Babin and Nick Blackman due to yellow cards for the match and the competition to get into the lineup:
“The team has been looking better and we all know how football works. There are chances and the players always have the opportunity to show their worth. There are players who have had good careers and have shown what they can do. They are the two players who have played the most, Blackman and Babin. There is no A or B team and there will be times when they will play more and play less.”
Having played Yuval Shpungin over Tal Ben Haim last week:
“Tal’s position is a central position. Shpungin played 70% of the game on the right back against Rukavytsya. That’s not Tal’s position.”
The transfer window:
“That’s just how it works. You want to have your homework down early in the window. We have 6 foreigners and until there is no movement there who be any moves.”
Changes in the lineup:
“I don’t feel that we have main guys, the whole team is equal. Many of those main guys as you call them are not in the top ten in minutes and it’s another game that’s important for us. Every time we lift our nose up, we get slapped in the face. I believe that Ashkelon is one of the most difficult games we can have. When people start to talk too much that’s not good and we don’t like that.”
Status of Eli Dasa:
“Eli wasn’t feeling 100% and played a lot in a short period of time after not playing for a very long time. We can play with 4 defenders or 3 defenders depending on the situation.”
Tough games:
“We played Ashkelon away with 4 and lost points and we did so against Raanana which was one of our worst games and ended the game with 5 out of necessity. Most games are tough for all of the teams and that’s why it’s close at the top of the table.”
