Coach of Israel Premier League club Hapoel Tel Aviv FC, Michael Valkanis, has shared his experience fleeing the country alongside his 16-year-old son, following the terror attack by Hamas.

Speaking with gazetta.gr, from Athens, the Greek Australian relived the morning of the attack, where he was awoken to alarms and sirens, but to no concern given they’re a regular occurrence.

“People here are used to them, when I heard the sirens on Saturday, I was calm,” he said.

“I made my coffee and read the sports news – I turned on the TV to see what they were saying and realised that things were serious.

“I went out on the balcony, saw the people terrified and watched the rockets in the sky. I had extra fear because I had 16-year-old John with me. It’s horrible.”

Valkanis said that this was something you’re told to expect when going to Israel but he never thought he would see it to this extent.

He shared that they even have emergency rooms in all homes in case of bombings.

The former South Melbourne player also took to LinkedIn to send his love to Israel and the people he’s met there, particularly his club.

In another interview with SBS Greek, Valkanis spoke on the effort Hapoel Tel Aviv made to aid foreign football players and the non-Israeli coaching staff in leaving the country – with he and his son fleeing to Greece just an hour and a half before a no-fly zone was declared.

“We managed to leave around 4:30, at that time we could hear bombing. When we left we felt safer and we found out at 6pm all other flights were cancelled,” the former Adelaide United and Melbourne City coach said.

“Once we got to Athens then we realised what we had been through all day. We hadn’t thought about what was happening because we were trying to leave, to pack our bags, to find a plane.

“With the adrenaline rush we had, we didn’t think about what was happening and what the situation was.”

Having joined the club this year, the Melbourne born Greek-Aussie hasn’t given thought about departing a team he has quickly grown love for.

“At the moment I haven’t thought about wanting to leave, because I have become very attached to the team.”

“We made a start to change everything, not only the team but also the culture. It’s a project that I love very much, because I can leave my stamp on it.

“I don’t think at all that I won’t go back again. Especially with the friendships I’ve made, with new partners that I feel like I’ve worked with all my life and with the people who have embraced me in Israel and love me, it’s very hard to think that I don’t want to go back.”