In the midst of a storm, Beitar Jerusalem is trying to prepare for one of its most important games: on Sunday, it will meet Hapoel Jerusalem in Teddi, for the second derby of the capital city of the season. This will be its first game since the dramatic resignation of Yossi Abouxis, and Gal Cohen – who was his assistant coach , and apparently also the coach of the team until the end of the season, spoke in detail.
In the first meeting as the head coach, Gal Cohen said: “I have been here since the days of Hogge, Erwin Koman and Eli Ohana. We have gone through revolutions. There were virtuous individuals like Ofir Kariaf, Oral Daghani and Jordan Shua who were here at these moments, this is not the situation. This is a good team, a team with Security. A team that plays with players who are progressing, not a team in crisis. A team that gained points and is now in fifth place if it weren’t for the drop in points, fourth in the league in goals. There are players who will get a chance, there are players who will get backing from the system and from me.”
“At the end of the day, a football coach and players are tested by the last game, nothing will help. We have a derby on Sunday, and I’m looking up. In this league this year you can beat any team, we have a crowd that will come with us and a good atmosphere. We don’t have much time to prepare, We have today and tomorrow. We have goals to look forward and upward and I need you with me. Just as this is my opportunity, the opportunity is also yours.”
Later, Cohen spoke at the press conference: “First of all, this is an unusual situation,” Cohen admitted. “Usually when a coach doesn’t continue, it’s because there is a bad period, a crisis and bad results. I think in terms of points, the team scored 26 points and is in fifth place in the league without our minus four.”
“This is a team with confidence and players who improve from game to game. We need the element of luck and know how to kill games in which we are leading. We are judged by the last game and our next game is the derby and that’s where we will be judged, we need to get the points there.”
Regarding the urgent need for points, the coach added: “The hourglass is running out, we are 7 games into the playoffs and each game is a world in its own right. A derby is a derby and it has enormous importance in terms of the audience and in terms of the standings, we will do everything to win it, make the fans happy and continue the good times we are having are in it despite the storm in the last two days.”
