Ohana pumped for national coaching debut in Romania friendly

By ALLON SINAI
Interim Israel coach Eli Ohana called for his players to relax and enjoy Wednesday’s international friendly match in Romania.
The national team held its first training session in Timisoara on Monday night after landing in Romania earlier in the day and Ohana, the under-19 Israel coach who is filling in for the outgoing Dror Kashtan while the Israel Football Association continues its search for a permanent replacement, is hoping to have fun in what could well prove to be his one and only match as Israel boss.
“This is a situation which was forced on me and I am honored to coachthis match,” Ohana said. “I’m going to enjoy the moment regardless ofthe outcome. I hope the players enjoy themselves as well. It doesn’treally matter if we win or lose this match, but the players mustremember that they need to try and show their best so that the nextcoach will give them a place in the team.”
Ohana said he will use all six of his substitutions and one player whois certain to play is Maccabi Haifa striker Shlomi Arbeitman.
Arbeitman, who scored a hat-trick as an 18-year-old in his debut forthe national team in 2004, hasn’t played for the side since August2006, but has scored 19 goals in the Premier League so far this seasonand hopes to find the back of the net once more on Wednesday.
“Ohana is a great coach and I hope to score a goal for him because hedeserves to guide the team,” Arbeitman said. “I want to become afixture in the national team and I will do my best to prove I deserveto be here.”