Bitton is determined to upset friends who are foes in play-offs
RESTORED to a first-choice pick for his country, Nir Bitton is thankful an undercover role as an Israeli special agent was short-lived. Scotland should be grateful it was so spectacularly hapless.
Invited to snitch on his Celtic colleagues last year when injured ahead of the Nations League qualifiers, Bitton’s bulletin featured inside knowledge on winger James Forrest.
‘Well, I gave them information about Jamesie — and he scored a hat-trick!’ confesses the Parkhead midfielder.
Forrest’s heroics at Hampden last November paved the way for Scotland to top the Nations League section and secure a home tie in the upcoming semi-final of the Euro 2020 play-offs.
Alex McLeish’s team prevailed 3-2 at home that night, a month after losing 2-1 in Haifa.
Hostilities will resume in March with the UEFA draw sending Israel back to Glasgow and Bitton, who missed a year with a serious knee injury, is set to play a pivotal role.
The 28-year-old has already been front and centre of the Lennoxtown banter with Hatem Abd Elhamed against Scottish colleagues Ryan Christie, Callum McGregor and Forrest.
Although Israel’s results in Euro 2020 qualifying were nothing to boast about, Bitton is convinced his nation enjoys an equal chance with Scotland of progressing to face either Norway or Serbia in the final stage.
His Celtic team-mates will, therefore, hope that Bitton’s predictions turn out as wayward as the spying advice given to Israel coach Andreas Herzog just over a year ago.
‘The two games we played against each other in 2018 could have gone either way,’ stressed Bitton. ‘The match in March, I believe, will be the same. So we have nothing to lose. It is just one game.
‘Obviously, it won’t be easy but we have beaten Scotland already. So, for me, it is a 50-50 match. We just need to face the battle.
‘I told Jamesie to watch himself — because me and Hatem were coming for him! But it is not just about me and Hatem, or about Jamesie. It is about Scotland as a team and Israel as a team.
‘It is a going to be a tough match. March is still cold in Glasgow, probably rainy as well... windy too! But we need to be prepared and make sure that we are ready for a battle. After the draw, there was a lot of chat at Celtic. I can’t wait for the game.’
Israel’s Austrian coach Herzog was new to the job when finishing runners-up behind Scotland in the Nations League section.
They fared worse in Euro 2020 qualifying, finishing fifth behind Poland, Austria, North Macedonia and Slovenia — and recording only one win in their final seven group games, at home to minnows Latvia.
‘We failed to qualify from the group so we are lucky that we still have this chance,’ said Bitton. ‘For us, it doesn’t matter if we play in Israel or away. It’s just another game.
‘It is a one-off and because of that you know you have to be at your best if you are to go to the final.
‘Last October when we played Scotland, our coach was new. It was the first two months of his time in charge. He was just taking stock of what we had.
‘Now, after one-and-a-half years working with him, hopefully we will be better and will get a result at Hampden.’
To accompany the negativity surrounding Herzog’s squad, there is desperation. Of those nations to have reached a finals, Israel are the only country in UEFA with a longer gap than Scotland back to their last appearance at an international tournament — the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
Bitton said: ‘You all talk here about not having qualified since 1998 but our wait has been 28 years longer still!
‘Everyone is choking for it. Because we have not qualified for a major tournament for a such a long time, there is a bit of negativity around everyone.
‘But it is our job to do what we need to do on the pitch and try to get us to a tournament. I am feeling good to help.
‘I have played the last four games for Israel since missing two months with injury and it was good for me to get some game time. ‘At Celtic, it is difficult to get in the team because the team is playing so well now and winning. So it is tough for the team to change.’