Eli Tabiv, the former owner of Hapoel Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem, was interviewed today (Tuesday) by Israel’s sports program on 102FM and talked regarding a variety of topics, including of course the complex situation of the Reds, both professionally and regarding the club’s management problems.
What does it sound like to me? Where do we catch you?
“Fine. I’m in Miami.”
When are you coming back to Hapoel Tel Aviv?
“Good question”.
You no longer rule out coming back.
“I didn’t say yes and I didn’t say no, but I don’t rule it out, right.”
Hapoel Tel Aviv players (Radad Jabara)
How do you see the conduct there and what is happening?
“It was expected, we also talked regarding it at the beginning of the season according to the purchases they made and the building of the team, we saw that they are building a team not to compete even in the top playoffs.”
Yossi Abouxis with seven games and without one right goal.
“I didn’t believe it, but you can’t blame him. He did not build the team, these are not players he brought, he came ready for something. He didn’t change anything in the team, it’s the same team that was there before Yossi.”
The ability is even weaker.
“True, it’s not that something different happened and that before that Hapoel Tel Aviv played well. It remains more or less the same, same players, same ability, no change. Sometimes they say that a coach comes and can make a difference. In Beitar they are playing better, there were those who raised an eyebrow regarding Barak Itzhaki and I said that he can be successful, I am a little biased because I like him, but the fact is that he changed the method of the game, playing more attacking football and we see it today. Nothing has changed in Hapoel Tel Aviv, the same capacity, nothing has changed.”
Barak Itzhaki. Turned Beitar into a different team (Hagi Michaeli)
If Aboxis doesn’t win the next round, would you keep him?
“I wouldn’t make a shock, I would leave him, this is not a coach who just started coaching, the player cadre is not good enough. There are many young people without experience who sometimes play and sometimes don’t, they don’t have enough confidence and as a result the ability is like that. If he had come and believed in the players and went with them to the end then it would have been something else, but there is a turnover because following one bad game you see different strikers and a different link, maybe it is also due to the necessity of the circumstances.”
The downfall started when they let Jose Rodriguez leave in the middle of the season. He gave balance to the team.
“I agree. They had players and might have kept him, but they wanted money, and this is the result because they did not strengthen the team and did not bring a replacement for those who left. The lineup is not stable at the moment, there is a lot of turnover and you see that there is no confidence in the players, there is another striker, Mavis Chibuta, who sometimes plays and sometimes doesn’t. Barak Itzhaki believes in his players.”
Mavis Chibuta (Radad Jabara)
He said to Micah, ‘You don’t leave the team with me.’
“Today he is a completely different player.”
Did you talk to David Mintzberg?
“I don’t know him”.
Maybe I’ll call you?
“If he had called, believe me, I would have advised him.”
What is the first piece of advice you would give him?
“There is a landlord in Hapoel Tel Aviv who does not know Israeli football. Need a landlord who keeps the dressing room? No, but a certain idea is needed, he is an American who does not know the Israeli mentality.”
David Mintzberg (Haggai Michaeli)
At Maccabi Tel Aviv, Mitch Goldhar did not know Israeli football, but he brought in Jordi Cruyff, who is a football cannon. In Hapoel Tel Aviv they brought in Chen Sol who has no experience in anything.
“You forget that Mitch Goldhar invests a lot of money in Maccabi Tel Aviv, so it’s easier.”
Who like you knows that money can be poured in the wrong places too.
“I agree, but now Maccabi Tel Aviv has the highest budget. When there is a bigger budget, it is easier to achieve achievements.”
Based on your familiarity with the league, will Hapoel Tel Aviv stay in the league?
“I hope so, but in light of what I see, they are in a very big problem.”
Will you take the team from the national league?
“I didn’t say regarding the Premier League either, I haven’t said yes yet.”
Dana approved for you?
“When they offer me, I will consider it.”
Eli Tabiv (Oren Ben Hakon)
Is it cheaper in the national league?
“Obviously the stock is going down”.
How much should be put on Hapoel Tel Aviv today to buy it?
“Those who buy a football team should know that this is not a profitable business, those who come do it to invest. I didn’t want to make money, it was out of necessity. When I was in Hapoel Tel Aviv and also in Beitar, I did everything to have a team and if I had to put my hand deep in my pocket, I did it.”
All your years, Kfar Saba, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Beitar, what is the bottom line in profits and losses?
“Stop getting into it. I didn’t get into football to make money. I would have stayed in Hapoel if what happened with the fans hadn’t happened. Hapoel Tel Aviv has many good fans, don’t take a handful. I have many friends who are Hapoel Tel Aviv fans, not all of them. There are a handful, whether it’s in Beitar or whether it’s in Hapoel, who give the club a bad name, but overall there are good fans in both teams.”
A final and nagging question, if both Betar and Hapoel are on the shelf, what intrigues you more?
“At the moment, none is on the shelf, so I can’t answer.”
In Hapoel Tel Aviv it seems they don’t understand her situation