Jerusalem Coach Unhappy Despite Hard-Fought Win
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Hapoel Jerusalem defeated Hapoel HaEmek 65-59, but coach Sasha Obradovic was deeply unhappy with his team's unfocused performance, stating they didn't deserve to win. Hapoel HaEmek's interim coach, Golan Yablonovsky, felt his team missed an opportunity despite a strong defensive effort. Yablonovsky also confirmed he has the full backing of the club's management.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Jerusalem coach Sasha Obradovic stated his team did not deserve to win despite a 65-59 victory.
- Obradovic criticized his players for a lack of focus and intensity in their home game.
- Hapoel HaEmek's interim coach Golan Yablonovsky expressed a "big sense of missed opportunity."
- Yablonovsky praised his team's fighting spirit but noted offensive shortcomings.
- Yablonovsky confirmed he has full backing from the club's management.
Hapoel Jerusalem secured a narrow 65-59 victory over Hapoel HaEmek on Sunday, maintaining their undefeated 5-0 league record. However, Jerusalem's coach, Sasha Obradovic, expressed significant dissatisfaction with his team's performance, stating, "I am not happy with the win at all. I don't think we deserved to win, no matter what." He criticized the team's lack of focus and intensity, particularly at home, contrasting it with their more combative away performances. Obradovic attributed the win to luck and emphasized the need for the team to play at 100% capacity consistently, as their structure demands. He noted that poor starts lead to poor decisions and a struggle to find rhythm.
Obradovic absolved the referees of any blame, stating they did not influence the game. He stressed that the key takeaway from the match is the team's attitude, emphasizing the importance of respecting the game, the opponent, and oneself to overcome future challenges. The coach also mentioned that the team needs to learn from this experience, despite the difficulty of learning from a win where they did not perform well.
Golan Yablonovsky, the interim coach for Hapoel HaEmek, expressed a "big sense of missed opportunity." He praised his team's fighting spirit and unity during a difficult period, noting their resilience. However, he acknowledged shortcomings in their offensive execution, particularly in converting offensive rebounds and their static play against Jerusalem's aggression. Yablonovsky highlighted that the team needs to improve offensively and is working hard to overcome their current complex situation, including the departure of a previous coach.
Regarding his own position, Yablonovsky stated he feels full backing from the club's management, including owner and professional manager Yontan Alon. He confirmed there is no official appointment for his role or others currently. Yablonovsky believes in himself and the team's potential to advance to the next level but is focused on immediate coaching tasks rather than his official title.
