Last update - 00:00 23/03/2007
Kashtan plays a waiting game over team
By Moshe Boker
Dror Kashtan will have a lot to sleep on to night - if he sleeps at all that is - as he tries to figure out his starting eleven for tomorrow's make-or-break Euro 2008 qualifier against England.
The Israel coach revealed yesterday that eight players are certain of a place and added that he would only decide on the remaining three after a late night consultation with his assistant Moshe Sinai. Either way, he will only announce his starting eleven tomorrow afternoon, a few hours before the game.
Judging by the team's training sessions this week, Kashtan has already decided on the back line that will try and stop England striker Wayne Rooney. Bolton Wanderer's center-back Tal Ben Haim is the only one of Kashtan's defensive foursome to retain his place after the 4-3 defeat in Israel's previous qualifier against Croatia last November which ended a 13-match unbeaten run in European and World Cup qualifiers.
Maccabi Tel Aviv's Yuval Spungin plays at right-back with Beitar Jerusalem's Yoav Ziv on the left and Shimon Gershon, another Beitar player, at full back.
Deportivo La Coruna's Dudu Awat opens in goal.
Yet another Jerusalem player, Arik Benado, will play in defensive midfield alongside Kashtan's long-time favorite Walid Badir of Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Hapoel players Elyaniv Barda and Salim Tuama are expected to play on the wings, although Kashtan played Beitar's Amit Ben-Shushan in place of Tuama on the left in practice yesterday.
Despite doubts over his fitness, West Ham's Yossi Benayoun will play behind a lone striker, whose identity has yet to be decided.
Kashtan tried out both Chelsea youngster Ben Sahar and Sivasspor's Pini Balili, who looked the sharper of the two. Beitar's Toto Tamuz will start off the bench.
"England is a better team than us," Kashtan said at a press conference yesterday. "There is no need to remind you all of the quality of its players, but we can win on Saturday if everything comes together. If the players play to the best of their ability and with discipline we can get a good result out of the game."
The Israel coach called on the Jewish genius and patriotism to get the desired result tomorrow night.
"The Jewish people has a lot of intelligence and the players need to express that against England," Kashtan said. "The honor of the country is at stake and I believe that when the players take to the field and hear the national anthem they will understand just how important it is to succeed.
"The atmosphere in the team is good and I can see by the players' body language that they are ready. If they carry out my instructions on Saturday night we will be smiling from ear to ear."
Croatia leads the group with 10 points with Russia in second, while England and Israel are third and fourth respectively with seven points.
All four teams have played four matches. The three other teams in the group are Macedonia, Estonia and Andorra.