Live Forever: What is behind Eran Zehavi's comeback and what can be expected of him

The obsession with the legacy he will leave, the real circle closing he seeks and the rest he still needs.

Why did the star that draws the most fire choose to return to Maccabi Tel Aviv right now, what awaits Eran Zehavi under Ivica and what will the rivalry with Maccabi Haifa look like now?

Inbal Manor

27/06/2022

Monday, 27 June 2022, 20:00

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The ten most beautiful goals by Eran Zehavi in ​​the PSV Eindhoven uniform (sports)

1.

Maccabi Tel Aviv has officially become "Tim to Beat".

The effect of Vladan Ivic's appointment was completed with the return of Eran Zehavi.

The Yellows regained a deterrent they had lacked in two years with inferiority in the staff and in the coaching position.

This is the main effect of golden horseradish.

Is an actor who gives an edge.

It does not guarantee professional success, of course, but dictates an agenda, produces discourse and changes power relations.

Zehavi is worth a lot to Maccabi Tel Aviv, both professionally and marketing-wise.

It promises huge buzz, subscription sales and t-shirt sales.

Professionally, he is a professional, a winner and a leader who was missing.

Zahavi's return to the big transition of a superstar in the NBA can be likened.

Suddenly there is a new talk group, and more stars who may not have thought it want to be part of the project and collaborate with it.

This is worth a lot to Maccabi Tel Aviv, much more than Zehavi's salary.

When there is an option to bring in a player like Zahavi, you first jump at the opportunity and then ask questions.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will build itself around Zehavi and difficult professional decisions may come later, but these are problems for another day.

Zehavi is the best Israeli player willing to play in the Israeli league.

Beyond being who he is and what he has been here for, Legionnaire returns in free transfer more financially than buying at an exorbitant price within the league.

That was Jordi Cruyff's way.

This rule is also true for Eli Desa and Nir Bitton.

More on Walla!

Nir Bitton, Desa and Belem: Maccabi Tel Aviv encourages, and does not stop

To the full article

Built from superstar material.

Eran Zehavi (Photo: Yotam Ronen)

2

.

Gold is made of superstar material.

This has led him in making his own decisions in recent years.

He thinks, sometimes in a somewhat obsessive way, about his legacy.

What will they say, what will be left the day after.

He lived off the challenges he set for himself, chased after them and achieved them one after the other.

The record for goals for the season in Israel, the record for goals for the season in China, the king of foreign goals in China, the king of goals for the national team of all time, a title with a senior European club.

It is understandable why Zahavi was drawn to a last professional and economic challenge.

Conquering America Zlatan Style is something you will sew on.

Being a king in a crazy football country like Brazil could have been huge for him, but everything that happened on the way to Zahavi's decision is canceled for him as soon as he took it.

Zehavi's great challenge begins with realizing with himself that he is a sign of what thoughts will be thought of.

The biggest question in history will not be decided in light of what will happen next even if Zahavi had starred in Brazil.

This debate will never be decided because there will always be those who claim that Zahavi did not reach the peaks of Berkowitz, Benyon and others.

It is also not so relevant and even quite unnecessary.

Zehavi's place in the history of Israeli football is guaranteed.

He did not come here to score 30 goals a season nor to obsessively chase the record of Alon Mizrahi (for him he will have to score over 20 goals in the next four years).

He came for a career closure, he came for team titles, perhaps an unforgettable European journey.

10 expatriates with a championship equals more than 30 without.

That should be the difference between the 2016 gold and the 2022 gold.

Completed 90 minutes in just one league game last season.

Eran Zehavi (Photo: GettyImages, Photo Prestige / Soccrates)

Zahavi

played 46 games last season in all competitions.

In 39 of them he opened, but in only three he finished 90 minutes without being replaced.

It is very rare for him and also did not always have a part in his throat.

Zahavi, as is well known, is one who is capable of deciding a game at any moment.

One you always want on the field.

Players of his kind are not used to being replaced and do not like it.

In his last season in Israel, Zehavi started in all league games and was substituted once - 20 minutes to end with 0: 6 against Maccabi Haifa in the last round of the season when the game was over.

In the two seasons before that he had missed four games in a row and started in 64 of the 68 league games in which he has been a partner.

Throughout the years in China he has been replaced in five league games together.

At Eindhoven, he was relegated last year from 12 full league games to just one.

Maccabi Tel Aviv aims to fight for all the titles plus as long a European season as possible.

It means an introduction to 60 games a season with a crazy schedule until the World Cup. It means, especially under one like Ivica, quite a bit of rotation and rest to distribute loads. Even finding himself resting in the stands.He will not play 50 games a season.He will need to know to contain it and understand that it is in his favor.

Made it clear to him that he must rest.

Zidane with Ronaldo (Photo: GettyImages, Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno)

A few years ago Zinedine Zidane took Cristiano Ronaldo for a chat and made it clear to him that he must learn to get rest.

"Cristiano is Cristiano. He scores 50 goals a season. It is true that no one does that, but we have more players who can score. It is better for us that he is with us, so we must let him rest," Zidane explained.

"It's a decision we made together after conversations. We are smart and understand that sometimes he will have to play less and not because he is not qualified, but because he wants to reach the crucial stages of the season in the best shape. It is necessary for him and it makes him better."

Cristiano understood.

In recent years, both at Juventus and Manchester United, he has rested.

And when he rested, he did not play.

That is, he may have lowered the amount of games per season, but still barely replaced and certainly has not stepped off the bench.

In this context, the insane wealth that Maccabi Tel Aviv has up front should alleviate.

The obvious question for Ivica is how to combine Zehavi, Fritza, Juvanovic, Parfa, Oscar, Kanikovsky, Bitton, Kubas (or another winger) and Almog.

There may be more "cuts", but there will surely be a wide rotation.

Make no mistake.

Zahavi was brought in to be the heart of the team and she will adapt herself to him in terms of method, style and also minutes.

Zahavi would rather rest once in three games than leave at 70 minutes each game.

Will adapt itself to gold.

Vladan Ivic (Photo: Kobi Eliyahu)

4.

The main element that "crushed" most of the big stars who returned to the league at least in the initial stage is the gap between expectations and reality.

It's back into chaos.

A small bubble full of self-importance that never stops making headlines.

You are expected to be big on the league and if that does not happen right away, doubts and criticisms begin.

Zahavi has qualities that may help him deal with the phenomenon more easily.

First of all, he has returned here in the past from Europe, though not in the same class, but knows the feeling.

Nor has he had a bad season or a decline in ability in the years he has not been here.

And besides, as one who leads a shimmering Instagram lifestyle he is used to and likes to be the center of attention.

He even enjoys a bit of seeing the eyes around him open and everyone running around.

Zehavi has been at the forefront of the team in recent years and has attracted most of the fire.

As a Maccabi Tel Aviv player, many more hitters will be waiting around the corner.

In this context, Zehavi's starting point is similar to that of Ivica.

There is euphoria, fantasy and memories.

Just as it would not be right to examine Ivica compared to the 2018/19 season, it is not right to expect a 35-year-old player to recreate peak seasons he gave at the age of 28-29.

Zahavi is a pro, he will be dominant because he does not know how to be anything else, he will attract fire and make headlines, and on paper he can and should definitely dominate the league, but his challenge will be to beat the comparisons.

Past cases of returning senior legionnaires have created an unhealthy situation where players do not want to return here for the retirement season.

Did we talk about heritage?

Zahavi's success can send a welcome message to players of the type that it can survive.

The past cases of the returning legionnaires have created a situation where players do not want to return here for the retirement season (Photo: Berni Ardov)

5.

Did Zehavi really ask Botafogo to sign Noble Omar?

Those involved deny.

But what, was or was not, admit that this is a cool tralla.

Weakening the direct opponent.

Straight the number of Jordy moves.

The truth is, in the world we live in it doesn't really matter how much truth there is in knowing.

It was published in Brazil, ie for someone it was important that it came out.

I would like to say that the struggle for control of Israeli football, which has long since gone beyond the boundaries of the field, has now received a new key player - and not just on the field.

A little more mind games, a little more trolling, a lot more interest.

The cunning and sophisticated Maccabi Tel Aviv (armed with the symbol of the Cruyff days and the successful coach in the Goldhar era) against the crappy and powerful Maccabi Haifa (armed with the Goldhar era antagonist and last season's player).

Welcome to the new era.

When does the season start?

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