Maccabi will try and return to winning ways as they travel to Netanya and face the 6th placed team on Saturday (20:00) for a match which will open the second round of the Playoffs. This morning the team held their final practice session which was attended by club owner Mitch Goldhar who will also set to attend the match in Netanya.
Maor Kandil who was left out of the squad in the previous two matches but is set to return against a side which caused Maccabi problems earlier this season, said at the pre-match press conference: “The coach prepares us for the game in the best possible way to match our style. The previous match against Netanya wasn’t good enough. We are working to do things better and know what we will be facing. Netanya are a good team that weren’t in good form but have recently began to settle. Regardless, we will still come to do our best.”
With the State Cup semi Final scheduled to be played after the next two league matches against Netanya and Hapoel Jerusalem, Kandil added: “At this club you must be at your best in every match. People here would like to prove themselves as you must take every chance you are given. There are players here with contracts, those whose contracts are set to run out and everyone fights for their place. Every match is important to every player and we would like to create a positive momentum in these two matches so that we are arrive prepared for the Cup tie.”
On his season so far, the 29-year-old full-back added: “Every players wishes to play and I am trying to prove myself in every training session. I started the season well, but there is a coach who in the end takes the decisions. I have been at Maccabi for five seasons now and I have always been fighting for my place. There are ups and downs in football as you always tend to move between being in the starting line-up or being out of it. I always had tough competition from good players and always tried to do my best and wait for my chance.”
