Alona Barkat's departure: "It may be that she realized it was time to make room for someone else." Hapoel Hashem, speaking
Assy mercy. "It's a complex time"
Photo:
Audio citation
A few minutes into the interview, Assi Mercy stops the call and answers the phone from his wife Hagit. "I have to answer it," he explains, checking the messages in between. The nerve-racking wait for the results of Niv Zaryan's corona test also makes it difficult for him, although he seems to be the patient man on earth. "This is Pike," he replies to another troubled fan about Zerihan, in a never-ending list of unanswered messages on Wetsap.
In addition to day-to-day affairs, Mercy also deals with the players' new contracts in the shadow of the severe cuts that were raised by owner Alona Barkat's sudden departure. And in the end, it's all on one table, even if there are other names like fresh chairman Itai Ben Ze'ev and trustee Yitzhak Younger.
"This is one of my complex periods," admits Rahamim, "I have gone through some complex periods, successes and failures during this decade, but in terms of complexity there is everything here. Global crisis, economic crisis, owner leaving and uncertainty about the future of the industry. All this when you do not know the The answers to all the questions.
"And you also have to plan for the next season without knowing if there will be a crowd on the lots, broadcasting rights and so forth. It's hard to plan things ahead and it's the uniqueness of this complexity. There are challenges in this era and we will do everything to get them through."
You remain the CEO of Hapoel Bash next season after you have already announced your departure, what changed your mind?
"I said I wouldn't be either because I was leaving or I didn't want to be here. I'll stay for the next few months until the system gets on its feet next season. Some things have happened that made me say I will end the 2020/21 season and then vacate. There is pressure from Ben-Ze'ev asking me to stay , Barkat, who is still registered as the owner and wants me to stay.
"Adv. Younger also said that my stay is important, the audience of course, but most important is the difficulty facing the players. Once things have done well, the players want to be part of the club and a competitive team can be placed, that's the thing that has tilted the balance. There are those who go to war, even if there are disagreements on the way. "
You say there are those who go to war, just the opposite of what Alona said when she decided to leave.
"These are feelings that are true to that very short period of time. After that, the actors came to her house and signed exactly what she asked for. Maybe the players needed more time to digest things. If you asked Alona - after she made the decision, even though the actors expressed their willingness to sign , She was already somewhere else. "
Maybe she announced her departure too soon?
"She has to ask that. She has been on the team since 2007/08 and has made tremendous changes to the club.
Vittor, Joshua, Jupiter and Levita have already signed a new contract, so what will be different next season besides the budget?
"Most of the skeleton will be preserved and anyone who wants to be in the WC will be. Of course, we want to bring in two or three strangers. It looks like a group here no less than we have seen in recent years. Believe we will also see Taha, Varan, Ganem and others. "
Justice, who previously refused to cut back, was the first to step under the stretcher. Have you been surprised?
"Most not surprised. A song experienced with the club very happy moments, but also moments that are the bottom slump. We hit the situation one bright day and the player was very difficult to contain what fell on him, but we also had a hard time. So I did not surprise me on a personal level Very difficult, unpleasant conversations to say the least, and perhaps this is where he put some clever insights into his career, he realized at a time when he was thinking about leaving what he had here at the club I will tell you something, throughout this period the eyes of a song gleamed twice: when Yossi Aboxis asked if possible Share it and we told him he could stop looking for another club, and when he told him he had an agreement for another year. He proved maturity and I wish he would continue with us for many more years. "
Some players say you are too good, too soft as CEO.
"I may be too good. Some see it as an advantage and some think it is a disadvantage. There are currently disagreements with some of the players and everyone said they would not sign immediately, take the time and make a whole-hearted decision. Not everyone would act that way, but I feel kind of committed To everyone. In the end, I believe the majority will sign. "
Until further notice
In his 10 years as CEO, the team has won three championships, but mercy and HSS have been intertwined for the last three decades (in the 1990s he stood at the team's gate and immediately upon retirement came into professional and managerial roles), and at 48 he seems The club has always been.
When he announced he was leaving, fans in the city flooded him and some came to the office demanding he stay. He, for his part, witnessed the pressure on Barkat to change her decision and stay, but then she issued the final stamp that ended the era of the Negev capital.
"Alona's second post was my most difficult moment in the BS," revealing pity, "We all hoped things would change. Until this announcement, there was a moment of anticipation and I had a kind of break, so it took me two days to get back up. I had hope that this period would end differently, in the way that Alona deserves much more. "
So until when do we see you as CEO of HSS?
"After my previous statement, I'm careful. I don't know who will head the club for the next two years. The most important thing right now is to finish the consultation process, then we'll see which team will be here and what the future will be. As long as I'm here, I'll do everything to be Here's a good team and a stable system. "
What would you do if he wanted to buy the club a businessman who thinks he is not worthy of owning? There have already been some in the history of Israeli football.
"This is a question that needs to be referred to Elona, she is the one to decide. Sure I have something to say, but Alona has built a life here and it will be very important to pass the club on to someone worthy. I have no doubt that she will."
Eliniv Barda and Maor Malixon are also part of your stay. Tell a little about the relationship with the two.
"They are huge assets for HSS. I work hand in hand with them, meet with fans, future sponsors, whatever. They are also management, professional staff, fans too - they are everything. On both the professional and the human level we have won extraordinary people. In times like these, when you need support, these are the people you want on your side. "
