For almost 11 years in a row, Slobodan Drapic worked as a coach.
Then, after the dismissal from Betar Jerusalem, the coach sat at home for six months, until yesterday the phone call came from Izzy Shretzky and the offer to coach Urbani Kash.
After several hours of negotiations, white smoke came out and Drapich signed until the end of the season through his agents, Shimon Abuhatzira and Tzachi Shelti.
"It's fun to come back after a six-month rest and better seasons," Drapich told Israel Today, adding: "I rested, I feel good about myself and it was enough for me to watch football from the living room and the armchair, you feel like you want to be a part of this celebration again."
Suddenly you saw things from the side, were not you strange?
"One coach once said that if you are not fired - you are probably not a coach at all. You need time to miss, to think a little, because you are just working. You need to see where you went wrong, what you did, and see from the side is good for the soul. You can move on to see 'the singer in a mask' instead of thinking about what needs to be done in the second half. "
For that matter, you have a group that has a lot to fix. Were you promised a purchase in January to strengthen it?
"We have three weeks until the next game and until January there is a lot of time. I will take the time to get to know the guys. Sometimes you see things on TV, and in reality everything is completely different. You know how many times I saw a player on TV and thought he was not good enough, and then I found a nice man "In the locker room? So I'll take the time, clean up a training camp this coming Sunday, get to know the players closely, formulate a method and get going."
KS players in a typical pose, Photo: Maor Elkelsi
Owner Izzy Shretzky is a very direct person. What did he ask of you?
"First of all he told me he's glad I got to KS and then he doesn't want to see me until the end of the season or hear from me.
I forcibly persuaded him to meet as early as Sunday. "
He is a real person of black or white, for better or worse.
"We talk all the time about homeowners in Israeli football. This is our football and we have to get along with everyone. A lot of things were said about some of the team owners and I knew how to get along with everyone I worked with. To this day I've been in touch with people I worked with. White, and they ask you what you see? So obviously they will say black dot, but what, the whole white background people do not see ?! I heard about Izzy a lot of good things, about his contributions to the city and the club, so I want to see the good things and I wish I had a system "Relationships with him like I had with the previous landlords I worked with."
"We have to manage on our own"
Working at KS will be challenging for Drapich (56) also since he arrives this time without his well-known assistant, Shai Barda, who set out independently after working together for 11 years. Drapich will move to live in the north to be close to the team, one of the conditions that was important to Izzy Shretzky. "I'm moving north and everything's fine," Drapich said, "I have no problem with that.
I'm a professional.
I wanted to come, they wanted me and there is a wedding.
Now let's see what I know to cook.
On the other hand, without good ingredients I would have a very hard time.
I was promised that what I want - I will also get. "
What would it be like to work without Shai Barda, who said of you that you are the best defensive coach he has ever met and a great man of football?
"We spend a lot of time together and it's fun to hear it. There will no doubt be longings, but like any child who grows up and leaves home, then probably an old man like me should get along on his own. That's how I was with my wife at home with the kids. ".