Kinstlich: "Everyone can be calm, we will stand behind Maccabi Rishon LeZion also in Leumit" | Israel Today

The municipality of Rishon Lezion is the one behind the Maccabi Rishon LeZion basketball team, and is its main source of financial support. For the future of the club.

 The basketball team is perhaps the city's flagship team, how do you see its relegation to the second division?

"All the city teams are the city's flagship teams - handball, women's basketball that won the trophy. We see the sport as one whole, but there is no doubt that the team provided the city with pride almost every season. It is also important for me to say , And the association is the one that manages.That's how it is in all the sports teams in the city.

"I see the relegation as a big disappointment. I grew up in a house of sports, and my father taught me that we need to know how to lose, and unfortunately this season we lost. We need to know how to get down with our heads held high.

I hope this will be a passing episode and that we will return in one season. "

 What are the significant mistakes in the conduct that led to the relegation of the league?

"I do not come to visit the principals, and I do not pretend to understand more than them. They did good years, and sometimes there are things that do not stick. The foreigners who came were probably not good enough and tried to replace them, and unfortunately it did not work. I do not look for the culprits, I "A basketball fan and he loves the industry, so I'm not pointing to anyone in particular - it was just a weak team. We went down, and I'm sure we'll get up quickly."

Rishon LeZion players in a typical pose this season, Photo: Alan Shiver

What do you think about the departure of Yitzhak Perry in the middle of the season?

"I told Perry in private what I think of him leaving, and it will remain between us."

As the person behind the group, what will you do to prevent such mistakes from happening again?

“Finally, at all the sports associations we check the financial reports.

It's not that we bring in a budget and let the nonprofits run as they please.

We see that there are no financial anomalies, but we really do not bet on which player will come.

I am sure that the managers of the team will build a good team, which will rise with the help of the name within one season. "

Rishon LeZion fans. Can be calm according to the mayor,

Can you reassure the fans, and say there will be a high enough budget to return to the league within a season?

"The municipality will give a proper budget to return to the Premier League within a season. Everyone can be calm, we stand behind the team and we will not abandon it. What is certain is that next season you will see me coming to the games in the second league as well."

Would you like to see the team get back to being based on young players, alumni of the youth department?

"Absolutely. In the exams of our sport, whoever participates more young players and youth department graduates gets more money. There are about 1,500 young players in the youth department who aspire to reach the senior team, that's all for me. That's also why I'm going to see the women's team. "

Yossi Moldavsky was recently appointed chairman, and he also has a new management.

"There is a new, good and hungry management that wants the success of the team. A lack of interest, young and dominant management that will know how to get the team back to where it was. Our ambition is not only to return to the league, but also to win titles.

Would you like to see that in the coming years the club will be based more on revenue from sponsorships, tickets and subscriptions, and less on municipal budgets?

"Absolutely, that's part of the talks with the new chairman.

This is a goal we have both set, to bring in more sponsors and be less dependent on the local authority.

That's one of the chairman's goals, and he's leading it. "

Where do things stand regarding a new hall?

"We recently passed a permit to build in the eastern part of the city, and we expect that there we will build the basketball arena. This is the plan to have a new basketball house. The plan has already received the permits from the district committee, and it will happen faster than you think."

There are many reviews of municipalities' support for professional graduate groups.

What do you think about it?

"In the end, the boy and girl in the youth department look to the horizon, and when there is a good adult team - it pulls the youngsters up and allows them to dream of becoming professional athletes. It's one structure as a whole - youth and adults together, and no reason to separate. Helps youth.

"This criticism has always been, but residents come and see the team, and usually also enjoy it, so I think it is legitimate for a local authority to support its competitive teams. It is in our interest to have good teams that play in Europe, win national titles and respect the city."

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