His name is not in the headlines, he is not mentioned as one of the architects of the comeback to the championship fight and since then he went behind the scenes at Maccabi Tel Aviv he has not been interviewed even once, but in the short time since he retired (May will be three years). “A. This fact became more tangible with the appointment of one of the people closest to him at the club, Patrick Van Leven, as coach.
Back three months back. The criticism voiced from the locker room of Yorgos Donis, along with the poor results in the league, seeped into the yellow management who decided to part ways with the coach after about six months. Patrick van Leven was appointed, but at the time it was not clear whether this was a permanent or temporary appointment, until a permanent Greek replacement arrived.
Van Leven’s first test: a home game against Kiryat Shmona. For more than 90 minutes, the Yellows spat blood before a dubious Pendel arranged a victory for them and prevented Maccabi Haifa from escaping even further at the top of the table. Although the team was not convincing, Yitzhaki looked happy after the game and said to his surroundings: “I am not surprised if Van Leven will continue here at least until the end of the season.”
At the time, as mentioned, it would not have looked the direction and no one knew either, including Yitzhaki himself, that Van Leven would accumulate a balance of 40 points out of 42 possible and add two more victories in the cup. Maccabi Tel Aviv still looked insecure, reminiscent of Donis’ short tenure. But Barak Yitzhaki pushed for this move from the beginning, including talks with Jack Anglidis and also with Mitch Goldhaar to approve it and make Van Leven’s appointment a permanent one.
Yitzhaki knows Van Leven well. He was involved in all the work in the youth departments, does not miss a Betar Bat / Bat Yam game and continuously monitors all the loanees. In the last year, the connection became very strong while Donis coached the team and Van Leven, who prepared it in the summer and stood on the lines of the Champions Remains on the professional team and comes to the alumni training.
Even before games you can see the two exchanging recent impressions in private before games. In many respects, Yitzhaki serves as a professional manager at Maccabi Tel Aviv, even though he does not officially hold a title. He negotiates with players, receives tapes, monitors players abroad and addresses them. You could say that Yitzhaki has many hours with Van Levon and everything passes. Through him on the professional side.
Therefore, it is not surprising that he was the one who pushed to make Van Leven head coach. For him, it should be noted, the appointment was not temporary. Maccabi Tel Aviv was not looking for another coach. A source close to Maccabi Tel Aviv says: “Professionally, Barak is today the dominant figure in the club. He implements the policy, sits with players on contracts and addresses players abroad. He has great power. He fulfills the function of a professional manager and his hand in everything, from the youth through the loaned to the graduates. He is involved in everything, down to the smallest details. “
The best example of his dominance comes from one of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s significant signings in the transfer window, that of Andre Geralds. Throughout the period, Yitzhaki conducted the talks and negotiations with the defender alone, persuaded him to return, closed the terms and finally also asked. From him keep quiet until the official announcement comes out.
Yitzhaki, as you already understand, maintains the club’s media line. Nothing should come out. He is not willing to volunteer even current information about injuries. Goldhaar and Anglidis are very pleased with his performance, and it seems that even if he does not officially hold the position, at just 36 years old he will continue to run forward as one of the top professionals at the leading club in recent years, which is no mean feat.
