Shahar Piven has signed a new four-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv and showed the pleasure of the announcement at Thursday’s pre-match news conference alongside coach Vladimir Ivic.
“I think it’s the dream of every player who grows up at Maccabi to be a member of the team and I am very happy,” he said after posing with a Maccabi shirt that had his name and 2024, the date when his current contract expires.
“I am pleased at the confidence the club has shown in me, it’s an honour to be offered a long-term contract. I am honoured to be a member of this club,” he said.
Piven warned of the consequences of taking opponents lightly in the cup. Maccabi are away to Hapoel Umm El Fahm on Saturday in Afula. They are a second division club but the player warned that they will be a threat.
“Any team can lose at any stage of the cup, no matter how big or how small. They have a good coach and we won’t be underestimating any opponents from any league, certainly not from the second division.”
Piven agreed with others that there was still work to be done at the club and that the team has not yet reached its full potential.
“I’m very happy we broke the record but there is no way you can go through a season without conceding a goal. Any club can score against us and we take all our opponents seriously. The record is in the past now and we have to work on our game. There is lots to improve and we must get back to doing our best.”
