- Title: ISRAEL: Israel and England prepare for their Euro2008 qualifier
- Date: 24th March 2007
- Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (MARCH 23, 2007) (REUTERS) WIDE OF SPORTEK PARK CLOSE OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL FAN WEARING A TOWEL READING 'ENGLAND FOOTBALL' ENGLISH FANS WALKING WITH THE ENGLAND FLAG FOOTBALL FANS BUYING T-SHIRTS POLICEMEN LOOKING AROUND YOUNG FOOTBALL FAN WEARING THE ENGLAND FLAG WIDE OF PEOPLE ENJOYING THE SUN IN THE SPORTEK PARK ENGLISH FOOTBALL FANS WEARING SCARFS (SOUN
- Embargoed: 8th April 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAPR2N8YIYLR68A7C33NRQSWOG
- Story Text: Under pressure England coach Steve McClaren got some welcome support from Israel captain Yossi Benayoun as the teams prepare for their vital Euro 2008 qualifying match. Israel captain Yossi Benayoun thinks England manager Steve McClaren needs to be given more time to prove his abilities as England manager and that the English press was being too harsh on him.
"I know what is going on in England and all the pressure that everyone is putting on him. I think he is a very good manager," Benayoun said
The Israeli star was speaking at Israel's final news conference before Saturday's (March 23) high profile Euro 2008 qualifying match against England in Tel Aviv.
He said it was more a case of bad luck than anything that England had fared poorly recently.
Benayoun added that the loss in Croatia was not unexpected as it is one of the most difficult places to play. He wished McClaren success in future matches, but only after Saturday.
Israel coach Dror Kashtan said at the news conference that he had formulated his starting lineup for the match, although he would only tell his players on Saturday morning.
McClaren said he wants the players to put in a performance to make the fans proud.
"We'll see what the result is at the end of the game but for me the performance for me is the most important," McClaren told a news conference.
"We've got to perform, we've got to put in a good English performance and make sure that each and every one of us gets to the level we're capable of doing, because we need to do that to win here," he said.
England have dropped to third in Group E and have lost two and drawn two of their last four games, including friendlies.
The team were booed off the pitch at the end of their last match, a 1-0 friendly defeat to Spain in February.
England lost 2-0 in Croatia in their previous Euro 2008 qualifier but captain John Terry said he was looking forward to Saturday's match in order to prove the team had put the disappointing results behind them.
"We're coming here and we're going to be a threat to them as well as they are to us. We need to control the game and play well but obviously realising that they're a threat as well," Terry said.
England and Israel both have seven points from four games. Croatia top Group E with 10 points and Russia are second with eight. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Audio restrictions: please see Business Notes for more information.