Barda and Morgan ahead of the match against Hapoel Be’er Sheva: “We must put things aside and make the fans happy again”
Hapoel will host Hapoel Be’er Sheva tomorrow (Monday, 20:00) at Bloomfield Stadium in Matchday 19 of the Winner League. Head coach Elyaniv Barda and Ziv Morgan shared their thoughts ahead of the clash.
The coach opened by addressing the derby loss: “We were knocked out of the cup in the cruelest way possible, but this is something that should only make us stronger and help us grow from it. We were in the game throughout, we needed to do things better after the red card, the balls whistled past the opponent’s goal and we didn’t manage to put them in the net. We’re a strong club and a strong team. The players took their time after this big disappointment. We don’t have time to cry - what’s done is done, and we need to look ahead to the next match”.
On the mental recovery ahead of tomorrow: “We have no other choice. Tomorrow’s match is no less important and we have to arrive as prepared as possible. We’ll need to put things aside, with all the pain and sorrow, and try to make the fans happy again”.
“The things we’ve done over the past year have made the players and the fans believe that we can compete with any team in the league - and we must not forget that”, he added. “We were there even in matches where the results didn’t go our way, but we were missing small things, which we need to learn from and improve. I’m sure this belief will remain and the club will be where it needs to be”.
Asked about the opponent, he replied: “I’m not dealing with Be’er Sheva - not personally and not in terms of the pressure they arrive with. Hapoel Tel Aviv interests me. We need to arrive focused and concentrated against a team we’ve faced twice this season and had a very hard time against. We’ll come to win, and I hope we do so to create a safety margin toward securing a top-playoff spot”.
On captain Fernand Mayembo, who will be sidelined for the coming period: “Mayembo did something heroic - playing with a broken shoulder so as not to leave his teammates with ten men. I don’t know many who would do that. He came back for his teammates, for the fans, and for the entire club. He’ll be out for a long period and we’ll need to fill his place with other players. Whoever plays will need to do the job in the best possible way”.
Ziv Morgan said: “The cup loss was very painful, and I think you could see it on all the players at the end of the match. As a player, the only thing I want is to get back on the pitch and fix it - that’s all I’m thinking about”.
“We have a match we need to come into in the best possible way and do everything to win it,” he added. “We are Hapoel Tel Aviv, we are at home, and any team that comes here will see what Hapoel Tel Aviv at Bloomfield is all about”.
