There is probably no bigger cliché than the phrase “Why do they need it?”: the wondering ones continue to wonder – how is it that sane businessmen are still willing to put their hands into the complicated business called Israeli football? And yet, somehow, there is still someone to manage the groups. So for the upcoming season, and after everyone makes it clear why this shouldn’t happen – here are five reasons why it should.
Of money
True, directly the team owners lose. The investment often does not cover itself. And yet, for some at least – this can be a springboard for profits in other areas. The classic example is Yaakov Shahar, who was a not very well known businessman, and thanks to the great success of Maccabi Haifa he reached the top in his field. In soccer terms, it’s a “relegation for an elevation,” and sometimes that can be significant. The bad news: sometimes it can also take the whole ship down. These examples also exist.
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A soccer team in Israel undoubtedly brings you spotlights, if it succeeds – and even if it doesn’t. It is likely that without football, names like Yoav Katz, Barak Abramov and even Izzy Sheretzky – would not have reached the homes of hundreds of thousands of people. (Even if it’s through skits on “Night Doll”) A team in the Premier League can turn you, in one go, from anonymous to famous, and that also opens doors. The bad news: sometimes the spotlight can burn. Moshe celebrates.
victories
If you’re into soccer, you’re probably the competitive type. One who is looking for the thrill that comes with victory, the ecstasy at the moment of scoring the goal. Sports, and football in particular, are the perfect elixir of life – the most addictive thing, which allows some owners to play “manager” in reality. The bad news: Sometimes it’s game over, and if you push yourself too hard and don’t delegate (or let the coach do the work), it can end very badly. By Eli Taviv.
Contributing to the Community
Sometimes, we all have the need to give back to the society that raised us. to do something for the common good. And football can be one of the biggest generators of change – it attracts the masses to the field, and through it you can produce quite a few messages of brotherhood and social advancement. Izzy Sharetzky started in football, became a strong figure in Kiryat Shmona – and in the end came away with the Israel Prize. The bad news: sometimes, those people who are shouting your name outside, will add curse words in the second part of the sentence.
effect
And that is probably the biggest thing of all. Every human being seeks to leave a mark on the world, to be someone who will be remembered for what he did in his life – even after he is gone. Sometimes, football can also be a springboard to try and lead people (quite a few future politicians started their careers on the football fields – Ruby Rivlin, later president, and Roni Bar-On, later minister of finance, are two well-remembered examples), perhaps also to gain power in real life . The bad news: there was one Jew who thought like that, and his name was Arkady Gaydmak. You probably remember how it ended.
