When you look at Israeli football and the players who have played in it throughout history, there have been quite a few players who impressed and forever entered the consciousness, but it is doubtful if any of those people have a career as glorious and special as that of Yossi Benyon. The former soccer player who became a professional manager went through almost everything you can go through as a player, for better or for worse, and tonight (Monday), he arrived For Ben Ben Baruch’s podcast to talk about everything from everything.
- For Yossi Benyon’s full podcast at Ben Ben Baruch, click here
When I was in Beitar, I did not agree to bring Atzili to the team,” Benyon began, referring to the hot topic, “because the prosecutor’s office had not yet made a decision at the time, there were still accusations against them. That is why I did not agree to accept players about whom there is such a thing going on. I would also repeat it a million more Once. Regarding the team, they dealt with Atzili before I was appointed, they made an arrangement and returned him to the team, so as far as the team was concerned, the matter was closed long before I came. When I arrived, and as soon as the story was cleared, then I conducted myself in the most professional manner and when I had to summon him. Of course, the story developed in other directions and Omar decided to retire, We wish him luck from here.”
Banyon went on to refer to another saga that was in the team during his time – the saga of Eran Zahavi and the room: “We have our conduct and no player will change it. We do not do it on purpose to hurt the players, we conduct ourselves in a way that we believe we will succeed with. Ego? I can tell you that I am Eran Over the years, very good friends, and for me even now. I think that in Zahavi’s case, a mistake was made on his side, he chose a certain path. Besides, even in a less good time, I think he deserves to be in the national team. However, there is a way and conduct for everyone. I understand that he really I believe in certain principles, but you have to understand that in the end there is a team and a team and it doesn’t matter if it’s a room today, a private plane tomorrow or an early wake-up call. There is a way and everyone has to align according to it.”
“I sat with Eran three or four hours before Albania and no one knows that we met,” revealed Bennion on Ben Ben Baruch’s podcast, “I sat with him and his agent. He said everything he felt, I said everything too. I was less interested in being professional, I said “A player like you can’t end up like this in the national team. I will do everything to make you feel good.” But he chose not to move an inch, I told him that was unacceptable. There was a long and initially unpleasant conversation, but we closed the story and agreed that we would be in touch later. Tomorrow another player will come and tell me ‘I can’t get up at 9, I’ll come at 12’. This is not a market, you are in a workplace, you have to adapt yourself to a workplace. If Eran chooses to align, then I have no doubt that he will be with us in the national team. If not, we will move on, there are enough good players to choose from.”
“I’ll give you an example,” Benyon continued, referring to his current job, “at the beginning of my career, I entered the national team’s dining room and my eyes went dark. I saw a table of players from the sector and a table of Jewish players. Throughout my years, there was nothing like this in the national team. I called Beavers Natcho and said to him, ‘What Is he going here?’, he told me, ‘This is how we have been used to it for the past three years.’ Everyone has the same way and conduct.”
Banyon also referred to today’s hot star, when he spoke about Oskar Gloch’s move to Austria: “It’s too early to determine, everyone is a bit carried away. I think Oskar is very talented and he still has a long and difficult way to reach the high levels. But he is in the right direction, he made an excellent decision to move to Austria If he had jumped to England or Spain, it would have been more difficult for him. This is an amazing club that knows how to praise players. Don’t forget that there were cases in the past of players who expected from them and got nothing. Guy Assouline I saw when he was 12-13 years old, he was amazing. And unfortunately You saw what was happening, it came to almost nothing. You never know, it’s not easy.”
The team’s professional manager continued and after talking about the move to Santander and the jump to West Ham, he also referred to his biggest move – to Liverpool: “The conditions at Liverpool are incredible. You have a pool complex, fields from here until further notice. There is a person responsible for helping the players’ families. He shows them houses There is someone accompanying you. When I understood the meaning of the transition, it was when I entered the dressing room and suddenly I saw Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano. At first I was shy and slowly I connected with people and enjoyed every moment. Every time the greatest excitement I used to be in the tunnel and the ground was shaking, the whole crowd outside was singing “You’ll never walk alone”, I’d get on the field with chills and thank God for every second I got to be there.”
Finally, Benion also referred to the elephant in the room – his complex relationship with Maccabi Haifa fans: “I can understand that people were hurt by me, I can’t understand those who curse or think that I did it on purpose. There is a huge crowd of Maccabi Haifa that I love and they love me, there is a certain handful who don’t like it and their right, but they cursed me when I was there and certainly now when I’m not there. Those who were hurt by me, I never did anything to hurt them. I think they understand that in the last months in Haifa I suffered and received threats against me, “If you brief Sami Ofer, we will remove your The legs”, but I ignored it and concentrated on one thing – to bring a trophy to Haifa. I think most of the audience was with me, many of the audience know that I did a lot of good for Haifa. Those who were hurt, were mainly hurt because I left for Maccabi Tel Aviv.”
“Many of the Haifa audience asked me not to leave there,” the former star continued, “but I did not do it on purpose to hurt Haifa. In the end, I am a private person, I wanted to make the best decisions for my career, for my family. They expected me to retire, but why am I Will I retire? They cursed me for a whole year, they hurt me. I had difficult months before I left, because the very fact that I knew I was leaving Haifa, which is my home, I had tears in my eyes. It was hard to digest the departure. After I arrived at Maccabi, I concentrated only on football and I think Thanks to that I continued to play until the age of 39. I went to Beitar, to Maccabi Pat and had a lot of fun there, as much as there are reviews of this and that, I can tell you that those who work with Avi Luzon enjoy themselves. He will do anything for the club. In the end I saw an opportunity to return to Beitar and finish the career and I did it. With BS, for example, I had a breakup, because the previous owners sued me. Alona offered me twice the money to return there, but I told her it wouldn’t help, I always knew in my heart that if I returned to Israel it would only be to Maccabi Haifa.”
