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Cinderella: The surprising success of Patrick Van Leven as the coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv
Expanded the rotation, restored the smile, improved the preparation, restored the confidence of the veterans.
Until a few months ago, even Patrick Van Leven himself would not have believed that in mid-February he would be after 10 games as head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv and would hold an extraordinary balance sheet.
So what's the secret?
In one word: simplicity
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Maccabi Tel Aviv in football
Patrick Van Leven
Yaniv Tuchman
Thursday, February 18, 2021, 1:00 p.m.
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Maccabi Tel Aviv player Oz Blazer
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"This is a really good question," Patrick van Leven asked when asked yesterday (Wednesday) at the press conference how he would have reacted had he been told a year ago that he would be today after 10 games as Maccabi Tel Aviv coach, just before such a prestigious meeting against Shakhtar Donetsk in Europe (Thursday, 22:00, Sports 1).
Van Leven smiled as he answered.
Although in every interview since his appointment, he tries to put aside any personal interest, inside he knows that in the meantime he is a classic Cinderella story.
He never coached, the coaches next to him did not like him, but tonight at midnight he may actually be the king of the party.
Even if he leads Maccabi Tel Aviv to victory, he will not go out of his way because he remembers that there is a reciprocity in Ukraine.
But after the dizzying success in the league here with 28 points out of 30, tonight's game is also a test for the man who worked in Ukraine and knows Shakhtar Donetsk well.
So far they are enthusiastic here about what he is doing in the league, but mention that Georgios Donis has succeeded in Europe.
Van Leven can make it go away tonight, too.
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Ukraine warns: "Patrick Van Leven knows all the weaknesses of our football"
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"With Van Leven, everything is according to the book" (Photo: Ariel Shalom, Ariel Shalom)
Van Leven does no magic in Kiryat Shalom.
He does the right thing without trying to be clever.
"You know that everything is in advance with him. Everything is organized and organized," says a player on the team.
"We know the method and it will not change. There are no transitions from two brakes to three brakes and no rear link to two. You will also not see Tal Ben Haim come in at 85 minutes to play defensive. Everything is always according to the book."
Van Leven expanded the cadre and opened the fight for the lineup to much closer.
"Really every player feels he can start in the squad or enter significant minutes. The competition today is more real and healthier than at Donis, if he had 13 players he believed in. This is reflected in a higher pace in training. Tal Ben Haim is back smiling, Itai Schechter feels "Better, Avi Rikan is back to being the player who can give you an important goal. Patrick also understood the importance of the veterans in the locker room and gave them more respect and weight."
Another matter that the players claim has improved is in preparation for the games.
"It's mostly noticeable in the league but even now towards Shakhtar feeling the difference," said one of the players, "we feel more prepared. Know the rivalry better. Get effective keys on the opponent to win every game."
Van Leven got Andre Geralds who added a lot of strength to the back line of Maccabi Tel Aviv, but he also managed against Maccabi Haifa without Yonatan Cohen and Dor Peretz.
"He does not complain or cry that he lacks players," the team says.
"It's something that makes a lot of impression on the players. A coach who doesn't whine but is convinced that his staff is the strongest - it's an element that transmits power and motivates every player."
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Dan Glazer: "Solomon is a huge player. Ever since Xuan Leven arrived we have been enjoying football"
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Almost slipped away from Donis and came back to life under Van Leven.
Ben Haim and Rikan (Photo: Danny Maron)
More than 93 percent success for Patrick Van Leven.
He could have been 100 percent perfect had it not been for the unnecessary draw against Bnei Yehuda.
But with all due respect to the Premier League, the Dutchman also wants to present receipts in Europe and tonight is an extraordinary opportunity.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has entered a good momentum.
Her defense is strong again and on the other hand Shakhtar comes after a very long break and with less enthusiasm than the madness he was in when she recently played in the Champions League against Real Madrid.
"That no one will be surprised if we win this game. Sometimes a coach needs to know not to interfere and so far this is Patrick's hallmark. He gave his touch and that was enough for the big change that happened in the team," a player testified yesterday.
"In fact, the transfers back from Europe also to the cup against Hapoel Beer Sheva this coming Sunday and the league against MS Ashdod a week later, will have to teach whether we managed to make the change and draw conclusions from our failures in the home stage."
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