So how does it feel to finally celebrate a holiday in Israel?
“To be honest – strange. I haven’t had a holiday in Israel for many years I think. Even when we had the chance to, when I was here, then I was always out somewhere with the national team or something like that – so I believe it should be fun”.
“The end of PSV Eindhoven’s match against Maccabi was amazing, emotional…I can tell you that the players and the coaching staff at PSV were shocked. They knew me at PSV but never knew the level of support I receive here in Israel and especially at Maccabi Tel Aviv. All of a sudden they saw all this love I receive before and during the match which is something not every player gets shall we say. This also played a part in my ultimate decision to return.
This is not the point: I said at the time that there was some sort of agreement, there were talks in January and we had very positive talks. Both sides understood that it could happen. The significant decision was where would I like to end my playing career? How would I like to end my playing career? And what picture do you visualise in your head? This is also some sort of a choice…”Like where would you like to die?”. In the end I will tell you: “Tomorrow you are set to die, where would you like to die?”…You would like to die where the closest people to you are and those who love you most. This is in some ways a metaphor I see in my head. Because at the end of the day this is football. The most significant part of my life at the moment, or at least in the past 35 years. So you need to make a choice and this is how I took the decision”.
The first time he met his new teammates at Meirlo: “The meeting with the rest of the team and players in Mierlo: Listen, it was strange. You have this feeling of a déjà vu but things are not the same. You are not at the same place, or the same status, you are not the same player and not the same age.
Suddenly I am the oldest player in the squad besides Sheran Yeini. You need to make a connection with the new players, you need to rebuild your status, even when you are coming from a some sort of a high status. You still need to prove what you are worth on the pitch, but at the same time do that off the pitch as well. It is not simple”.
On the dressing room he discovered on his return: “To be honest, I told them during the training camp that I feel as if the dressing room is a bit held back. I don’t know whether this is because the return of Vladimir Ivic as I heard that during his first two-year-tenure he was really tough and people were scared to breath. So his presence must have had its’ effect. But I remember a dressing room which was a bit more relaxed and how should I call it… a bit more vibrant, and how shall I call it ‘messier’. And suddenly you realise, there are very good lads and can feel their fear. I told them: “Lads, one has to relax as we are not at war in any way”.
On Ivic and the tribute he received after the first game: “It was a very nice compliment. To be perfectly honest it even took me by surprise. We did have a chat before I signed as it was important for me to hear how sees things and whether he knows me and what he had heard about me. At the end of the day I don’t want to define myself as some sort of a star because I can’t stand this definition as my behaviour is the exact opposite of a star. It was important for me to know that he knows that. And whether he understands that, or to know that he is not afraid to deal with a player who is a bit stronger from the ones he was used to see here at Maccabi Tel Aviv over the past couple of years he was here. Because there wasn’t such a dominant figure. There were dominant players but there wasn’t anyone who was really dominant and wanted to know whether it fits. As far as he is concerned, he told me: “Eran, I am not scared of any player, I am strong and to the contrary – I love players who work hard, run for the team and are not only thinking about themselves. He said he knew I was like that and said he believes we shouldn’t have a problem”. As far as I was concerned that was all I needed to here from a coach.
On his renewed debut for Maccabi: “I was stressed before the game and I was stressed after the match against Aris Thessaloniki. I was still not fully fit and still don’t trust myself a 100% as I know I haven’t reached the level of fitness I should be to play European football at this stage. The agreement was that I will play around 15 minutes maximum. I don’t know if you remember the game, but after around quarter of an hour I was already huffing and puffing, because to be honest it was extremely hot and I wasn’t on the pitch for a long time.
On the goal he scored: “It was an explosion of emotions because everyone waited for that which is something I have a difficulty explaining. It was an amazing feeling. Everyone waited for that moment and I made people happy which gave me a feeling of relief.
At the club, I think that I have slightly different targets than scoring goals and breaking this record or the other. Because in the end I think I must represent something different and bring something else to the team. Obviously I will be happy to do so and did that on many occasions in the past, but there are other good players here who can score goals and know how to take responsibility. This club managed for six years without me and won 2 league titles in the process. I can add a lot, but I am not the only player on the pitch. In some ways it hurts my character and I wouldn’t like to damage my killer instinct so I will keep my killer instinct and try score as many goals as I possibly can. If one could add another player then I will try do that because if I scored a goal or two and see a player in a better position I will try let him score and get him involved in the action as well”.
On the Maccabi he found in comparison to the Maccabi he found: “Look, there are things that changed at Maccabi Tel Aviv since I left, but I think there are other things which remained the same. You know, today I am here, 10 years ago it was Avi Nimni and before that there was someone else. Coaches come and go and somewhere you believe that Maccabi Tel Aviv is something beyond that.
The thing we missed most was the family and friends you could meet whenever you wanted. During the holidays when everyone are together and there is a feeling of a holiday – nothing can match that. We had very good friends abroad and we met loads of good people, but it is not the family you grew up around, it is not your roots you remember or even the same smell of the holidays. Things you remember from your childhood and things that bring back the memories – nostalgic stuff. But let us see how it all pans out as I hope we will enjoy ourselves”.
