Jose Rodriguez: "I only want to play for Maccabi Haifa. I refused to hear other teams in Israel"

"I will never quarrel with the club, it is mutual love. I have rejected offers 3 times higher than other leagues. I would also love to play for the team."

Jose Rodriguez for the connection to Haifa and Israel, Bachar ("the best coach in the history of Israeli football"), the term at Maccabi Tel Aviv and also sends a sting to Beer Sheva.

Exclusive interview

Shlomo Weiss and Sasha Vargas

01/06/2022

Wednesday, June 01, 2022, 12:00 p.m.

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Maccabi Haifa Championship Celebrations (Photo: Shlomi Gabay Video Editing: Aviad Balili)

Last week, when Maccabi Haifa celebrated its 14th championship in front of about 20,000 fans, the announcer Yossi Peretz Ari called on the players to take the stage one after the other.

When it was Jose Rodriguez's turn, the cries were with a clear message: "Stay, stay."

One of the favorite players in the green crowd ended a contract with Maccabi Haifa and it is still unclear whether he will stay.

He has now vacated his seat in Spain for an exclusive interview and in fact the first since arriving in Israel.

Rodriguez revealed everything he went through this season, the connection to Maccabi Haifa and the country, the Israeli singer he likes to hear, his opinion of coach Barak Bachar, the fall at the end of the season, the offers he received and finally also sent a message to all teams in the country.

The gesture from the fans moved.

Jose Rodriguez at the championship celebrations (Photo: Maor Elkelsi)

"I've never been a brake either, I always played as number 6 or 8 and even on the wing. But I had a conversation with Barak and he told me I could play well as a defender, and I trust Barak so much that I know everything he says is in my favor."

Jose, how do you sum up the season?

"It's easy to sum up for me. We showed clear superiority over all the teams. People will remember the end, that we did not look so good, but it's because we won the championship while showing clear superiority - and then we calmed down."

"No one is bigger than the other, both are considered a great achievement for the club. It is true that last year I came to the club under construction, which passed a whole decade without winning anything, and always harder in a situation like this. This year we had the best foreigners and best Israelis. We have the best coach in the history of Israeli football, or one of the best. The two titles are very important, but it is clear that the first was more difficult because the team was in the process "

"The truth is I never played on defense. I also never had a brake, I always played as number 6 or 8 and even on the wing. But I had a conversation with Barak and he told me I can play well as a defender, and I trust Barak so much, that I know everything he is It's in my favor. "

"No, I'm most comfortable as number 6, where I've always played."

"The most important thing was that we had the best coach in the history of Israeli football."

Barak Bachar (Photo: Berni Ardov)

"I finished a contract, I rejected offers three times bigger than what they offered me in Haifa, because I want to play in Haifa. Now the ball is in their feet."

Can you say that Maccabi Tel Aviv missed you?

"When I was at Maccabi Tel Aviv, I did not adapt so well to the club. At Maccabi Haifa, I felt committed to everyone, to the crowd. And everything worked out for me from day one. I am grateful."

"No, it did not surprise me. As in my situation, there are clubs that you do not adapt to properly, and that does not mean that you are not a good player. And there are clubs that you integrate very well, and things work great for you from the first moment. That's all. I think Maccabi "Haifa is the best club in Israel, they are very patient with players and Barak knows how to take advantage of the best players there are. Even if you are in a bad time, he continues to trust you and that gives you confidence to play even better."

"I'm asked a lot, on Instagram and everywhere. Honestly, I do not know. The fans know I love the club and I am grateful to him, because they received me at a very complex and bad time in my career. And also think I gave everything from my side as well. I'm waiting for an offer. "We will see what offer comes and we will consider it. I finished a contract, I rejected offers three times bigger than what they offered me in Haifa, because I want to play in Haifa. Now the ball is in their feet, we need to talk and see what happens."

"I did not adapt so well to the club."

Jose Rodriguez in Maccabi Tel Aviv uniform (Photo: Berni Ardov)

"I will not get into a conflict with Maccabi Haifa, ever. When both sides love each other, no harm can be done. Will they meet my demand? Excellent, I will sign. They will not meet? Everything is fine, we will remain in a good relationship."

It is said that other groups in the country are already waiting to kidnap you.

"There is no other team. A month before the end of the season, teams approached me, not officially but asked me about my status. I immediately said no. I do not want to hear offers or anything. If I play in Israel, it will only be in Maccabi Haifa."

"True I insisted, I do not deny. I think the club expressed appreciation for me when he let me become a free agent and did not insist on me. That means the club understands me. Two years ago I signed a contract that did not match my qualities as a player because I came from a situation I had not played before. "I have official offers, as I said, three or four times more than what Maccabi Haifa paid me. It is clear to me that Maccabi Haifa will not meet these amounts, but I think I deserve a little more than I have received so far."

"No, I understand Maccabi Haifa. What I ask for, I think Maccabi Haifa can stand. I have a lot of respect for the club and I will not ask for what they offered me in Thailand, because it is impossible and Maccabi Haifa does not reach these amounts. I also understand that it will be Disrespect towards the club to ask for such sums. We have not yet sat down for negotiations, they more or less know what my expectation is and I know about what they offer me, but I understand that if Maccabi Haifa values ​​me as it proved me it values ​​- the contacts will not be complicated. For me there will not be too big a problem regarding money. If we reach an agreement, everyone will be happy. And if not, nothing happened. Sometimes you have to leave. I will not get into a conflict with Maccabi Haifa, ever. Because they proved to me that they love me, "

"He also explains abroad that I support the Israeli people."

Jose Rodriguez's Twitter during Operation The Guardian of the Walls (Photo: screenshot, from Twitter)

"I'm only three days off and I miss Israel. I want to go back, go train with my teammates and I feel like a citizen for everything. If I stay, I would be happy to even play for the team."

We are not used to seeing foreigners who are so supportive of the country.

You made sure to express support for Israel and to go out against terrorism.

What made you connect so much?

"I felt at home. Understand: it is very difficult to live outside your country without knowing anyone, without a language. And we from the first moment felt at home. I even talk about it with my wife: I miss Israel. I am only on vacation for three days and I miss. I want to return "I go to train with my teammates and I feel like a citizen for everything. If I stay, I would even be happy to play for the team. And because I feel that way, I also explain it outside, that terrorism does not move me and I support the Israeli people."

"If I stay in Israel, I will be happy. I feel like this is my country. My children know Hebrew, go to school there, so I will have no problem."

"I really like Eyal Golan and hear him here in Spain as well. I do not understand what he is saying, but I love it and know a few songs. Now I'm trying to learn the anthem. We love Israel and my wife wants to stay there, we 'fight' about it "Now that our children have adapted. But if I continue - it will only be at Maccabi Haifa. Like I said, there were inquiries from other clubs and you usually always listen to offers, but I said from the beginning that I am not interested in talking to other teams in Israel."

"If I continue in Israel - it will only be at Maccabi Haifa."

Jose Rodriguez (Photo: Bernie Ardov)

"You know we had significant injuries. I do not know if Be'er Sheva would have been able to hold on to the penalties if it had injuries like ours, I think not."

How do you see the chances of winning a third consecutive championship?

The crowd probably also expects you to qualify for the Champions League.

"The answer is with Barak. If he gets what he asks for, it will be possible. You have to give him what he asks for, without him it will be more difficult. It is difficult to win year after year, but if they give him what he asks for, Maccabi Haifa will fight for all the titles. Maccabi "Haifa is committed to fighting for all the titles every season. You can lose, but you have to compete to the end in the league, in the cup, in everything. As happened to us in the cup, we lost, but we fought for it until the penalties."

"I do not agree with that at all. You know we had significant injuries. I do not know if Be'er Sheva would have managed to hold on to the penalties if it had injuries like ours, I think not. Beyond that, Be'er Sheva had the only chance for the title. We came with a goal "Forever, but when you win everything it gets harder. See it on the pitch. We also had bad luck, it was a 50:50 game and their goalkeeper did the job on penalties."

"Yeah, because I grew up there and I also have members on the current squad. I'm very happy for them, I think it's the biggest club in the history of football and they proved it once again. So I celebrated like the last of the fans, because I have friends there."

"Maccabi Haifa, without a doubt. I have been a professional for 12 years and this is the club where I received the greatest love and felt most identified with him. The club leaders were with me and helped me in everything, Gal Alberman from day one found me a home. He does an excellent job in this regard. "It never happened to me, on my first day in Israel I already had my own house. I always had to stay in hotels for 15-20 days, and all this is very significant for a foreign player and his family."

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