Israel Football Coach Tasked With Top-Two Nations League Finish
The chairman of the Israel Football Association, Shino Zuarz, has set a clear goal for national team coach Ran Ben Shimon: to finish in one of the top two spots in their Nations League group. The team is set to begin their campaign on Thursday against Austria in front of a sold-out stadium in Linz. The Israeli team faces an Austria missing key players, a Kosovo preoccupied with player revolts, and an Ireland focused on relocating its home game from Dublin to Belgrade. Zuarz's directive follows the team's failure in the recent World Cup qualifiers, where they conceded 17 goals against Norway and Italy alone.
This ambitious target is driven by two main factors. Firstly, achieving a top finish offers a pathway to the Euro playoffs, a route previously taken by former coaches like Willy Ruttensteiner and Alon Hazan, who ultimately lost their playoff matches. Secondly, there is a significant concern that failing to secure one of the top two positions will result in Israel being demoted to a lower seeding for the Euro qualifiers. A drop to the fourth tier could be detrimental to Israel's chances of qualifying for major tournaments.
"This is one of the best national teams Israel has ever had, and with the experience they've gained, this is a team that must be at the Euros; anything else is a failure," stated sources within the team. The squad will hold its final training session in Linz on Wednesday. Players arriving from the United States, including Dor Turgeman, Tai Baribo, Idan Toklomati, and Liel Abada, joined the team for the first time on Wednesday. Sayed Abu Farchi from Colorado arrived earlier and is expected to start against Austria.
Historically, Israel has struggled against Austria, never having won in their five previous encounters in Austria. Their record includes one draw and four losses, with a goal difference of 7 scored and 18 conceded. However, the coaching staff believes this is an opportune moment to secure a victory, noting that "Austria will arrive without some of its best players, like Alaba or Sabitzer, so this is our time to beat them and advance towards the Euros."
