Hapoel Beer Sheva were eliminated from UEFA Champions League contention after falling to Sabah 5-2 (6-4 on aggregate) and will drop down to play in the league stage of the Europa League. Following the match, Head Coach Ran Kozuk reflected on the defeat as well as a myriad of topics about the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for everything, including this. We learn from things like this and grow stronger. I\u2019ll say two things: I know an Israeli coach who lost a championship title, so I\u2019m in a better place. Second, I\u2019m certain that Hapoel Beer Sheva as a club will return to these places. As for me, everything my staff and I have achieved came after we had initially failed to achieve it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we all wanted to reach the Champions League. We knew we had to be worthy of it, and we weren\u2019t. Sabah deserved it; they played a great game. We are a developing team with challenges in the Europa League and the Premier League. I\u2019m very proud of the players. It wasn\u2019t an easy game, but this is our profession. Everything is part of the journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Central defender Djibril Diop was sent off after a second yellow card in the overtime period in what was a controversial call by the referee and Kozuk wanted to be clear that this was not something he was upset about.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngry at Diop? I don\u2019t even know what we received the yellow cards for. I\u2019m more angry about the second red card (to Eliel Peretz near the end of the match). The substitutions? They asked to come off and felt they couldn\u2019t continue and I\u2019m happy with their maturity. I had to respond with substitutions and a change in formation. In the end, we conceded a goal half a minute before the end. I think we made good decisions and there were other factors beyond that. Everyone made a huge effort, and I appreciate it. We have good days ahead of us together.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think that Diop was irresponsible with the first yellow card. I\u2019m not sure whether the ball was out or in. Even if it was out, that was one incorrect decision among many things that we did well. As for the fans not wanting a player like Diop, I know a coach who wasn\u2019t wanted either (referring to himself).\u201d<\/p>\n
Striker Igor Zlatanovic had to be substituted off at halftime after an injury which caused a real headache for Kozuk, \u201cZlatanovi\u0107\u2019s substitution caused us tactical problems. When I saw that we weren\u2019t able to create pressure and that it was forcing us to drop too deep, I decided to drop back. I think it worked and that it was the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for getting over such a dramatic defeat, Kozuk knows that it may take a couple of days but there is plenty of football ahead, \u201cWe go to sleep, rest and understand that we have two competitions: the Europa League and the Premier League, which is our bread and butter. Luck is a thousand correct things that you do. I thank God for everything. We will become a better team and I will become a better coach.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll say again that I appreciate this moment and am grateful for it. I think that just as Beer Sheva reached this stage once and then again, they will do it again. It won\u2019t be easy, but it will happen. In the end, we didn\u2019t play a good game; we have to tell the truth. We talked a lot about the things Sabah do very well, and we really managed to stop their transitions, but we failed on set pieces. That\u2019s part of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
The entire qualification process was a journey and one that expectations grew as each game went by, \u201cAt first, we dreamed about the Conference League. Then the results led us to dream about the Europa League, and then the Champions League. The players need to be proud of themselves and understand how we can do it again, become Israeli champions. We\u2019ll have to do our best, together with doing our best in the Europa League.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the injuries and substitutions he added \u201cFirst of all, our substitutions were forced. On the one hand, that makes it very difficult for you as a coach to manage the game, but on the other hand, it makes things easier because you don\u2019t have any alternatives. I think we need to understand how we can remain at the same level even when key players are forced to leave the game. I can\u2019t say anything about the injuries yet. We need to check on Miguel and Igor. I need to speak with the medical staff. Miguel came off on medical instructions.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the balance between pride and disappointment, Kozuk said, \u201cI think those who don\u2019t dare, don\u2019t gain anything and I\u2019m happy that we have a club and people here who dare. I said earlier that my staff and I achieved everything in our careers only after failing to achieve it initially. I didn\u2019t win the State Cup with Netanya and won it with Petach Tikva. We didn\u2019t win the championship with Beer Sheva; we won it with Beer Sheva. We didn\u2019t manage to reach the Champions League with Beer Sheva, and I hope we will achieve it. I think that, in the end, we put a lot of thought into our recruitment, and I don\u2019t think this will change anything regarding the players we bring in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think we are looking for consolation. I think both Alona Barkat (owner) and I are very realistic people, and we understand that the game is over, this Champions League campaign is over, and other things are coming. We wanted this, but we understand that this is the reality.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hapoel Beer Sheva were eliminated from UEFA Champions League contention after falling to Sabah 5-2 (6-4 on aggregate) and will drop down to play in the league stage of the Europa League. Following the match, Head Coach Ran Kozuk reflected on the defeat as well as a myriad of topics about the club. \u201cThank you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":186387,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[21,7320],"class_list":["post-189269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football-israel-2","tag-hapoel-beer-sheva","tag-ran-kozuk","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n