Israel Captain Dor Peretz Urges Irish Players to Visit, Read About Country

Ahead of a highly anticipated match against Ireland, Israel's national football team captain Dor Peretz addressed challenging questions from Irish journalists during a press conference on Saturday. Peretz stated that his team's focus is on representing Israel and playing football, expressing indifference to whether the Irish team would shake their hands.

When asked for a message to the Irish players, Peretz suggested that outsiders cannot fully grasp the complexities of the situation in Israel. He recommended that they "read more" and "visit Israel to see the country" before forming judgments. Peretz acknowledged that many non-football related issues are currently being discussed but emphasized the team's mission to succeed in their sport.

He credited coach Ran and the staff for keeping the team focused on football. Reflecting on a previous match against Austria, Peretz noted the importance of conceding fewer goals and hoped for increased creativity and offensive output, while also stressing the need for a clean sheet. He described the honor of captaining the team.

Regarding the upcoming game, Peretz characterized Ireland's style as aggressive with long balls, contrasting it with Israel's more technical, short-passing game. He believes that if Israel can execute their passing game, they will enjoy the match and achieve their objectives. Peretz acknowledged the importance of the game, especially after losing points in the first match, but stressed the need to remain grounded and focused on football.