In recent weeks, the professional team of Maccabi Haifa decided to work with the team's striker, Dean David, in a slightly different way regarding the fact that he was caught quite a bit in a different position during games.
David watches video of the greatest strikers in the world, such as Arling Holland or Robert Lewandowski, who may also be sometimes beyond the defensive line, but there is no debate about their timing and ability to reach the ball at the right time.
The work with David follows his exceptional data in the last year.
The 26-year-old striker was caught 72 times last season.
This is a high number on a global scale.
In fact, he is fourth in the world in this category, although he made up for it with 25 goals in all competitions, 15 of them in the league.
"Dean's qualities are indisputable," said the club, "Barek Becher always tells him that he does 80 percent of his job by getting into situations. Not many strikers succeed or know how to reach so many scoring situations in a game. With a little more concentration, his numbers can be much better."
Dean David. Will the evening come out different?, Photo: Alan Shiver
Against Olympiakos and Apollon, David was disqualified for 5 goals due to a difference (4 of them his own, 1 by Franzadi Piero).
Only one player in all the qualifiers managed to find the back of the net 5 times - the Belgian midfielder of Union Saint Gilois, Victor Boniface, who already had time to fly from the factory.
David came from MS Ashdod, where he grew up.
In recent weeks, he received reinforcements from players who played with him in the south and from his former coach Ran Ben Shimon, who made it clear to him: "You are one of the best strikers in the country, sometimes the dedication to you comes too late."
David does need reinforcements.
Behind the scenes he is going through one of the hardest times in his life.
About two months ago, the striker was orphaned by his late mother Orly, to whom he was very attached. Since then, his father accompanies him to all the games to be as close to him as possible.
He even came to the away game against Apollon Limassol, knowing that his son was supposed to start the game on the bench.
In the end, an injury to Charon Sherry meant that he started in Barak Becher's lineup.
can make a difference
"In terms of character, Dean David is a gift player for a soccer team," his friends told the dressing room, "Quiet, modest, a sitter from the south. Sometimes you don't even notice he's there. He does his job and leaves. Everyone likes him very much."
Dean David.
Special work with the professional team, photo: Oded Karni
Beyond that, the club is very pleased with him.
Within a year, he turned from a great potential to one who realized his ability.
Barak Becher insisted on signing him for 1.1 million euros.
"There are not many Israeli players who came from a small team, and within a year scored a double-digit number of goals in Maccabi Haifa," said the club, "coming from Ashdod to Maccabi Haifa is a difficult task in itself."
A lot of shares in the championship of Haifa.
Dean David, photo: Maor Alxalsi
If something unexpected doesn't happen, David will also start tonight against the Red Star alongside Piero.
Along with the goals he already recorded in the qualifiers, David's goals in Haifa are marked as those that can make the difference on the way to the group stage.
He had three of these in the qualifiers last year, tonight the greens crave a small one.
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