Yossi Benayoun Aired today (Monday) on the ONE program live during the press conference of the owners of Betar Jerusalem, Moshe Hogg. The person who served as the professional manager and resigned spoke about his time in the capital, the opportunity he missed to be the technical manager of the Israeli national teams, his future, the championship fight and more.
Hi Yossi, did you hear what Celebrate said about you?
“I did not get it.”
How are you these days?
“I’m fine, God willing, all day in football but with my kids, and enjoying every moment.”
Does it surprise you that Beitar is not in the playoffs?
“I got a lot of love and a job there as a professional manager, I wanted them to be in the playoffs and all the good teams to be there, but that’s part of football.”
What did not work at Betar?
“I do not know, I was not in this season, I saw some of the games, not all of them, I saw the results, can say about the time I was there, although people like to ignore, that it was Moshe Hogg’s best season since coming to Betar, we finished a season Regular with 49 points, people are pumping in the media about failure, but we were third and we secured a playoff early. The process stopped and I moved on, it’s part of football.
Is celebrating wrong with you in your opinion?
“He had no impatience with me, from the day I retired and got the job the relationship was excellent, he gave me a free hand for all the professional decisions, budgetary each club has its budget, we were light years away from the big ones, but it’s okay, every club has the budget His, but in the end should be remembered that he is the one who put the money, and within budget limits he built a team that fought for relegation last season, and the season after they won the Toto Cup and finished third season, a process started there, if I continued the process would continue to be positive and look better, but At the beginning of the second season there were things I disliked and I decided to get up and go to end the relationship well. There were all sorts of things I had to deal with and expend energies that I did not have to expend and waste, and also the matter of dismissing the coach that I did not agree with, I saw that it was going in a less good direction and that I believed less, and I could not go against my way and faith.
Do you have a part in Betar’s failure this season?
“I don’t think there is anyone who can say that, like if they took a championship or a trophy they wouldn’t say I have a part. There have been a lot of changes this season, the staff has changed completely, over 10 players who came and left the team. “
Did the name of Dor Micha come up in Betar?
Dor Micha’s name never came up in Beitar Jerusalem, it was never discussed whether to bring it or not, in the matter of Noble I have expressed myself several times, I make decisions according to what I think is the best of the club, and I decided at that point in time that it is not true To bring Noble, and I do not apologize for the decision and I would repeat it another million times, it was the right decision for that moment, and before that his name also came up in Maccabi Haifa, which did not take him at first either. “
Was there pressure from his house to seal the noble?
No, no pressure from my wife, not from anyone in this matter, not at all, I make professional decisions for the club, I build the locker room, Betar Jerusalem is a club that has a lot of noise around, in the season I was as a professional manager, this is the quietest season That was Betar and that is also the opinion of all the players who were, and even when I left I was told that they felt there was a back, and this is for me the biggest success, the players’ praise. I made decisions that I think would be good for the club. I did not want to add noise and I thought it was not right to bring Omar and I am behind the decision. “
“For many people it was convenient to drop it just on me, there were others who objected, it is convenient, but I am not afraid of responsibility. It does not bother me because if I believe in something I go with it to the end. I agree with all the decisions, I would repeat it and it doesn’t matter. “
How did you see the decision to break up with Dan Einbinder?
“Dan is a very positive guy, it doesn’t matter if you could say one bad word about him, he always behaved properly and added a lot to the locker room, even if you want to finish with one player or another, there is a way. Even if separated, the whole conduct had to look different. I think it was up to both sides to finish better. “
If you had stayed Dan would have stayed too?
“It is impossible to know, or we would take a championship or go down in the league, it is impossible to answer the questions of mother and mother.”
What do you think of what Celebrate said about the role of the professional manager?
“Husbands like to be involved and maybe a little hard for them, but I saw that celebrating always cheered me on and said I did a good job.”
Why is Yossi Benyon not the professional manager of the team?
“I see such and other publications that there were meetings, Oren also said that he met with me several times, there is nothing to hide, there were meetings, there was a great desire on both sides but slowly things flowed less, everyone saw the role differently and that’s fine. I wish the team good luck, today I am not there but it is impossible to know what will happen in the future. “
Do you think there is anyone who influences the sturdy?
“I do not know, I do not want to hurt anyone, there were lots of other things, maybe at first they thought and wanted and decided in the end that others are more suitable. What did we shake hands with? I do not know, I do not remember a handshake, there were some meetings. “
Are you disappointed with Hasson?
“I learned not to be disappointed with Israeli football, really not, continuing on my way as I do, and if I come back it’s okay and even if not then everything is fine.”
What do you think about the appointments in the team, Willy Rotensteiner as head coach, etc.?
“In the end there is nothing to do, everyone will be judged by results. Decided to go a certain line now, decided on a stranger and I do not know him and do not know what his experience but wish him success. There is a lot of work, the decision made is that he will continue, were probably satisfied with what they saw, he and I are in a good relationship, he is great and there is an excellent relationship, he gave me the course coaches. Why am I not his assistant? Can offer anything else tomorrow, but I decide in the end what I want to be and currently do not think it’s right for me. There is Marco who is an excellent assistant and a footballer and I wish him success. “
“If there is something difficult and challenging we will return”
Do you have anything to look for in Israeli football?
We came from here, despite what I did abroad, it’s true that they are angry with me but that’s my character, I can not change it. I started in Betar, the plan was to be there for a few years and move abroad and that is still the ambition. It is easy to say that there is nothing in Israeli football, it is clear that everyone wants to work in the best clubs, but it is not always like that. It is possible to work in clubs with a small budget and slowly succeed. “Being an owner is not something that interests and attracts me, but if there is a challenge as a professional coach I would be happy and if not it is also fine, I enjoy being outside of football.”
When you look from the outside, what are the main problems in football?
“It starts with the kids, I walked around the pitches a lot, it’s no secret that the facilities and coaches and the level I saw on a lot of pitches is underestimated under any criticism, and it starts from there and there are many problems, but one of my kids at Maccabi Petah Tikva, and training there Of more ages, and working amazingly. ”
So Avi Luzon will exit you?
“I wish, I wish, that people work there at a high level, even at Maccabi Haifa I imagine that they work correctly, some bring in coaches and then they do not come to promote the children but to keep the job.”
How do you see the start of the team’s campaign?
“As a player we were very excited, there is always an expectation that maybe this time we will do it, but it is clear to everyone that the team is not a favorite at home, and as already said we want to aim for third place, and if above then it will be a great success. We have talented players, I really hope that things will connect and flow, a little luck and make good results. ”
What do you think about the squad?
“I can not express an opinion and criticize, it is difficult for me, I do not want to get into it and should respect every decision of the coach.”
Which do you think of the Israeli players do you see him with a player who will have a good future abroad?
“I enjoy seeing what Manor does, of course also Zehavi and Davor, who are next in line? For me, the most prominent player who does not play abroad is Dor Peretz, who I think has made an amazing leap and has all the data and abilities to play in Europe, I wish him and many more, there is Golsa, Desa who already plays abroad, wishes that as many as possible will get there and succeed.
What do you think about the championship fight between Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv?
“Glad there are two clubs struggling, it will be interesting in the remaining games, what will be determined is probably the meetings between the two, I always said that the staff of Maccabi Tel Aviv is wider and with more possibilities and on paper is a stronger staff. Maccabi Haifa has more creativity and the game looks better and offensive, but the strength and stability is the staff of Maccabi Tel Aviv, I thought they would go all the way, but Maccabi Haifa shows character and does not enter a black period, will be close and interesting, hard to see the two big ones win all The rest of the games, believing will still fall here and there, the two games will prevail. If Maccabi Haifa wins 4, the difference will be very significant. “
If you must vote who will take the championship?
“Whatever I say I will come out not good, I wish the best would win and I wish there would be good football to the end.”
When will we see you in football again?
“A difficult question, I do not know, I have fun with the children, if there will be something difficult and challenging we will return, if not – not by force. I have had offers to coach in the Premier League in recent months, we will rest until the summer, we will think, I enjoyed every moment in Betar, I feel I see things excellently, from my short experience the role of professional manager is more suitable for me at the moment and that’s the direction in mind. There, we will wait patiently. “