Israel national team head coach Ran Ben Shimon addressed the controversial red card issued to his player, Abu Farchi, defending the goal celebration that triggered the dismissal and accepting the blame for failing to curb the habit earlier.
The incident occurred during a match when Abu Farchi celebrated a goal, drawing a straight red card from the officiating crew. Speaking after the fixture, Ben Shimon defended the player’s routine. “Every time he scores a goal, he celebrates exactly like this,” Ben Shimon stated. “He has never received a yellow card for it. This is his way of celebrating goals.”
Interpretation and Uncertainty Surrounding the Gesture
The exact nature of the gesture performed by Abu Farchi remains a subject of wide interpretation among officials and observers. Reports and onlookers noted that the movement ranged in perception from a simulated billiard stroke to a weapon-related motion, leaving the referee little hesitation in issuing a disciplinary exit.
When pressed on what the player intended to communicate through the physical motion, Ben Shimon offered no clarification. “You have to ask him,” the coach said.
Coach Accepts Blame for the Dismissal
Rather than casting sole blame on the officiating crew or the player, Ben Shimon shouldered the responsibility for the team playing down a man. The manager admitted he was fully aware of Abu Farchi’s trademark celebration prior to the match but failed to intervene.
“I blame myself for not stopping him despite knowing about the goal celebration,” Ben Shimon remarked. “He does it over and over again, it’s my fault that I didn’t stop it.”
Impact on Match Momentum
The timing of the ejection proved devastating for Israel’s tactical control on the pitch. According to Ben Shimon, the red card arrived at the worst possible juncture of the contest—immediately following a successful offensive strike when momentum typically favors the scoring side.
“The red card happened at the worst moment in football: after a goal,” Ben Shimon explained. “You have confidence, while the other team might get stressed.”
The manager concluded with a bitter assessment of the final outcome, noting that the squad left points on the table and should have secured a significantly better result from the fixture.
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