The Israel National Team is readying to play France in Nations League action on Thursday night in what is going to be a home game in Hungary due to the security situation. The blue-and-white will face Les Bleus at the Bozsik Arena in Budapest just as they did against Italy last month in what was a home game due to the security situation in the Holy Land while Israel will travel to Udine for a date with Gli Azzurri on Monday October 14th.

While there are a number of players out due to injury including Manor Solomon and Eli Dasa, Head Coach Ran Ben Shimon will get back Dolev Haziza who had been on the shelf for sometime as well after having suffered an injury quite some time ago.

“After a year, it’s always exciting to put on the national team uniform again,” Dolev Haziza began. “It’s a very special moment for me after the serious injury I suffered last year and it’s always important to be part of the Israel National Team – it’s a status that represents commitment and respect, certainly after the year we’ve been through. It brings me happiness to be able to wear this special symbol.”

Haziza continued, “After you go through such a serious injury, there are pains that appear in other places which are not necessarily the injury itself. People don’t know what you really go through behind the scenes. I also spoke with Ran Ben Shimon prior to the previous window and he said that it is very important to him that I come and that he wants me to always be part of the team as long as I’m healthy and able to play. Last time I didn’t feel like it was time because I didn’t think I could contribute to the team. I preferred that another player who was healthy could help the team more than me. Now I ma able to deal with the pain and God willing I’m here, I want to be a significant part and influence the team and show my positive side and introduce that to the players.”

The winger commented on the attitude he thinks the national team should have in preparation for the match against France, “I played in several big matches in my career, in the Champions League as well and I think the best way to deal with France and this is not a cliché, is to believe that you can play good football. No matter what the result be, play good and positive football that at the end of the game everyone will look at themselves and say that they gave their 100%, that they were good. I believe that we can get a good result, although of course it may not turn out that way, but I have wholeheartedly believe that the game is starting at 0:0 and we will do everything to try to win the game. Ran has shown us that in the day and a half we have been here.”

On the positive identity that the team is building so far in the campaign, “I wasn’t here in the previous window, but I supported the team watching on TV and really enjoyed what I saw. I think we had a lot of good moments in those games, there were also some rough times as well which is going to happen with a new team with a new coach. I think we actually showed a lot that I really liked that wasn’t there before, so I really enjoyed watching the team against Italy and Belgium and if we continue to play at this level things will be fine.”

“The fans? I think it’s very exciting that there will be fans supporting us in Hungary, certainly now in the week that leads up to Yom Kippur. It’s fun and exciting and I hope we give them some moments of pride, not only for the 2,000 who will be here, but to all the people of Israel. I really hope we can succeed in doing this,” concluded Haziza.