The Hapoel Haifa coach was interviewed on Israel’s sports program on 102FM and spoke very openly about his current team from the Carmel, working with owner Yoav Katz, his goals and continuing his career, including reference to his exes, Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Beer Sheva.
What is it like to work at Hapoel Haifa as one who is affiliated with Maccabi Haifa?
“Many years have passed and we are finally professionals. I had great years at Maccabi Haifa, but now I’m at Hapoel Haifa and I’m happy about it.”
What do you say about the success of your replacement in Be’er Sheva, Eliniv Barda?
“I am happy about his success. He is a charming guy and he is a great professional.”
Are you a professional?
“I have been working for many years with great success. There are those who love more and those who love less. I am 56 years old and already at the age of 35-36 I coached the senior team of Maccabi Haifa. I am the grandfather of two granddaughters and I have been in a different place since the beginning of my career.”
You made Yoav Katz make many changes that he did not make in all his years in Hapoel Haifa, how did this happen?
“Even before I arrived, Yoav told me that they had failed in building the staff and that he wanted to replace the staff. To Yoav’s credit, he went above and beyond his promises. In the three months I’ve been here, I must say that he does everything for the benefit of the team. He can sometimes waste unnecessary funds and make failed investments, but he invests a lot of time and money and he gives me professional freedom to do what I want.”
Do you need a professional manager?
“It’s fun to have a professional manager, for example in Beitar I had Yossi Benyon, which was a very blessed thing. Yossi is a great professional manager and even though he is opinionated we managed to get along great. Every club has its own style and so does the professional manager, every club also has its own world view and its own way, but I don’t think that is necessary in Hapoel Haifa.”
At Maccabi Haifa you didn’t get along with the professional manager at the time, what happened?
“Bring in a professional manager who has not worked anywhere before, and there is also a big difference between a professional manager and a manager and I will elaborate. A manager is one who determines everything, who will train, who will play and what the formation will be, a professional manager can help choose the coach and the foreigners, but he does not interfere with the coach and he does not decide for him. You can’t bring in a senior coach and decide for him unless he agrees, that’s not true and acceptable.”
When you came you said you were in danger of relegation and it passed, now you can make a top playoff?
“I came to the team in a catastrophe. I told my associates that this was a recipe for relegation and I did not sleep at night. We made the changes and Yoav gave a lot. Things take time to change and I’m not asking for favors or anything, but even within the short period we manage to get good results despite a difficult month of a wave of injuries to significant players.”
What are the goals of Hapoel Haifa?
“The goal is a top playoff in the current situation. We saw what Beitar looks like and we have a difficult task and Sami Ofer can do it.”
What happened between you and goalkeeper coach Finny Avraham? He is Yoav Katz’s man, isn’t he?
“As a coach, I want to choose my team, and it didn’t suit me that Finney would work for me. To Yoav’s credit, it can be said that he is loyal to all his employees and he loves them all equally. Sometimes while moving there are changes that must be made and this was a necessary change.”
Did it cause you problems?
“I didn’t have any problem because of his departure.”
Is your career in a good direction?
“When I was at Beitar we finished third and took the Toto Cup and tried to create an image as if Beitar could run for the championship, which was not true. The same thing happened to me at Hapoel Be’er Sheva when they tried to achieve things that were beyond the team’s ability.”
On the one hand you say there are results and on the other hand the media says otherwise, what is the problem here?
“I’m probably not presenting things in a good and correct way. When I was in Hapoel BS I avoided being interviewed and presenting my opinion and telling the truth and it could be a mistake.”
Could it be that the championships came at too young an age?
“Everywhere I go and I say this modestly, those who know me know that on the one hand I am a professional and come to work hard and make no concessions, but on the other hand I can be friendly and easy-going and flowing. Can say that throughout my career all my teams were serious and full of players progressed after I coached them. Not everything is a championship or a cup because there are many goals along the way.”