Pini Gershon has arrived in Israel and will attend his first practice with the team this afternoon (Tuesday). “I was asked to enter the country on the right foot, but I didn’t pay attention to which foot I used… I’ve come back to do what I do best… I believe in the players, with maybe a small change.” (Photos by Noam Galai).
By Amy Samin
Pini Gershon has arrived in Israel and will attend his first practice with the team this afternoon (Tuesday).
Gershon, who arrived from Athens, was welcomed at the airport by dozens of fans and photographers.
Like a flashback from half a decade ago, he mesmerized them all.
“Why come back? To make people happy.
First of all, to make my mother happy.
There’s no shame in coming back.
Let’s say that until yesterday it wasn’t in my plans, but I’m very happy and excited about being back.”
“I’ve come back to do what I do best, and I hope it will work out well.
I know that a lot of people are happy I’ve come back.
My daughter told me to enter the country on the right foot, but I didn’t pay attention to which foot I used.
I can’t tell you things were bad for me there, and I can’t say that if you’d asked me these questions yesterday morning whether I would have given you the same answers.”
“I can tell you that Eric Crane is smarter than I am, and than Maccabi.
I have no idea how he did it.
Yesterday in Athens I bought enough food for three weeks; I guess someone else will be eating that food.
My mother was very happy; she barely saw me during the last two years.
Honoring your father and mother is part of the morning prayer service.
I don’t have a father, so I do everything I can to honor my mother.”
Gershon briefly addressed professional matters: “Maccabi Tel Aviv has players who can score 200 points, but there’s not enough time or enough basketballs.
I believe that with those players, with maybe a small change, it’s possible to change something, to cook something up.
We’ll try to make the changes in the best possible way, if they’re necessary.
We’ll know more about that within the next ten days or so.
It depends on the circumstances and on the financial situation.”
“I’m sorry that Maccabi lost in the derby.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to see the game; but it’s better I didn’t see it.
After what I saw yesterday, if I can make some of the Maccabi fans happy at least in those moments, then I’m happy to return their smiles.
I hope that the results of my return to Yad Eliyahu will be like the results from the last time.”
