ONE System | 21/02/2021 19:16
Yossi Benyon (Hagai Michaeli)
Even after retiring, Yossi Benyon is without a doubt one of the most intriguing figures in Israeli football, and tonight (Sunday) he provided some very interesting statements on Israel’s sports program on 102FM radio, concerning his departure from Betar Jerusalem, his professional future and the championship battle between the Maccabi exes Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Where did you disappear?
“I am at home with the children, enjoying every moment. I really do not miss football at the moment, I had some options and suggestions. I have decided that at the moment it is not appropriate. This is the first time in my career that I have freedom and I enjoy it. I’m fine, we’ll wait a few more months and decide. “
What’s your direction?
“I had some suggestions for the artist but right now that is not the right thing for me. I see myself as a professional manager, even during the season I was in Betar I feel it suits me better. It may not be appropriate here in the country. I must be real, in the contract I had Moshiko celebrating gave me all the professional responsibility, he gave me all the choice. I was a season and a bit in Betar, in the full season no one interfered with me and every player who came or left was my decision. I had such and such reasons for things I did not like and that is why I decided to leave. The relationship was excellent, I did not want to get to less good places and that’s why I left. “
So I did not understand why you left?
I saw that things could change. I did not think it was right to fire Roni Levy and of course I went with him. His dismissal was the first time they had challenged my decision, even two weeks earlier I had gotten into fights and spent energies on things that should not be dealt with. Regardless of Ronnie, I preferred at that moment to leave. I decided this was the right thing for me. I wanted the relationship to stay good. “
Nir Levin has finished his contract, are you interested?
“One of the things that will bother me is my appointment to the team. Oren Hasson said there were talks and it did not work out. There was a will on both sides and it did not work out. I am no longer on the list of candidates I will not be on the team, as it seems in the coming years. I thought of a certain way, they thought and it didn’t work out together. “
You in your position should have full powers, but after that the senior team gets off the chapter is that something else?
“You have your information. I want to be in a role that I can influence from the bottom up. I do not pursue one job or another, I will not go to any position. I will go to a position that I think is right for me and I can succeed. I do not chase a team or any team. “When it suits both sides, it will happen and if not then I will be out of football.”
People like you must be in football, politics cannot win.
“Maybe, my hope that past players will always fit in. I will not chase after anyone, but it is always a loss for the other side. “
Are you interested in Europe?
“I am very interested. I have no problem taking the family. Not only will I agree, it’s my main goal. My dream is like I was an actor abroad, it is also to be a professional manager abroad. If I had wanted to in the last two years I would have been abroad. But I felt I needed to learn more. I thought I would be in Betar for at least another season and then I would advance to the position on the team and build myself, but not everything goes as planned at your request. I’ll rest, I’ll see until the summer and if there is something interesting I will get into it.
Was the job at Betar a mistake?
I enjoyed every moment. The work was hard and not easy. It’s not a few hours in the morning, it’s non-stop and I was busy with a lot of things. But I enjoyed, I like to work hard. I really say wholeheartedly, I think I met expectations and succeeded, it’s not a huge success but I think I had a conversation with you (Eyal Berkowitz) before I came to Betar. You told me if you finish in the first four it’s fine, if you finish third it’s already a success. If I have a fourth or fifth budget in the league and I finished there, it is to meet expectations. I brought peace to the club and it is not easy at Betar. Obviously being 30 points from first place is wrong, but I think it’s a success because I played in Betar and we almost went down in the league. If we had not beaten Hapoel Tel Aviv away, we would have gone down. There was a lot of mess. I switched over 12 or 13 players. We went into the process and not everything succeeds in one year. I sat with Moshe celebrating and the goal was as we achieved. I came in with a fourth or fifth budget in the league and after a season the team crashed in the league and almost went down. I brought in a new team, players and started a process. I did not tell stories to the fans and did not go out to the media and said that the goal is the place for Europe. I promised Moshe Hughes that I would make Europe and we did it. “
How do you see the league? Who will win the championship?
The league has weakened a bit this year, there is no real struggle at the top and there are 2-3 more teams in the top playoffs and everyone else is at the same level. It’s nice to see Maccabi Haifa back, but I think Maccabi Tel Aviv has the strongest staff in the league. Will be interesting”.
Finally, were you offended by Oren Hasson?
“The most important thing is to be valued by your family. Everyone makes their own decisions, if someone thinks someone else is more suitable then they will have success. I did not get into it, to me it did not fit the way they wanted. If I come back, it will be in a role I can influence and if not it’s fine. For the first time in my life, I understand that being out of football is not that terrible. “
