A month and a half has passed since Yonatan Alon was appointed as the professional manager of Hapoel Jerusalem and he returned to his youth club after serving in a similar position at Hapoel Galil Iliyon.
Now, in a special and exclusive interview with "Israel Hayom" just before the intriguing top-flight meeting against Hapoel Tel Aviv, Alon took the time to tell about the decision to leave the Galilee in the middle of the season, the vision for the future, satisfaction with the coach, the European qualifiers and the status of the Israeli player in the team.
Jonathan, how do you summarize the first month and a half in the position?
"First of all, it's a lot of fun. Hapoel Jerusalem is not a new place for me, I know and love the people here very much. I didn't come to save the homeland, I came to fill a function that was missing and little by little I hope I will."
How is the Hapoel Jerusalem you entered today different from the Hapoel Jerusalem you knew two years ago?
"The lack of humanity in the administrative avenue. Guy Harel who left left behind a big void and so did David Bassan, Hapoel Jerusalem without both of them is not the same."
Your team will host Hapoel Tel Aviv tonight at the Arena in Jerusalem for an intriguing encounter, what do you think of the relationship of forces?
"We respect them and come to win. I think this is the best Hapoel Tel Aviv there has ever been, I don't remember that they had a stronger team than this in the past. The signings they made this year and the money they invested this year makes them and this game especially interesting."
Let's go back a little, how did things unfold and you returned to Jerusalem?
"They contacted me already in the summer, but from a professional and family point of view, it didn't work out. After a few months, Jerusalem turned to the Galilee again, and this time the conditions and the economic situation of the Galilee, which also had to save the money, led to the move happening."
Alon: "If the Galilee didn't want it, it wouldn't have happened", photo: Liron Moldovan
In the past you had offers in the middle of the season but did not agree to leave, why was it different this time?
"I finished building the team and it was already running well, so I felt that I was not leaving them alone in this respect. At the end of the day, even in Galilee, they wanted it to happen, otherwise it would not have been possible."
What was the first thing you set as a goal to accomplish in your role?
"There were lacks of knowledge caused by the departure of Guy and David and above all it was important to me to solve them. I wanted to give peace and stabilize the system a little so that we know how to solve specific problems that are caused and will happen in the future."
What do you think a professional manager should do in his role?
"A professional manager should be like a business development manager in a company. My goal is to create a professional culture and vision here, to build a club, not a team. Sign players and coaches who fit the spirit of the club and create something that will see its impact in a few years."
Over the years, we see professional managers coming down the ranks to replace fired coaches, what do you think of such a situation?
"I came here to be a professional manager and nothing else. If things are going right, a dismissal is a mistake, good professional management should not result in the dismissal of coaches. You should look at the dismissal of coaches as a malfunction of the system that should not happen."
Alon and Halperin.
"Firing a coach - a mistake", photo: Liron Moldovan
"It is possible that we will do everything right and the team will win the title only after five years"
What are Hapoel Jerusalem's goals for the current season and what are the goals for the coming years?
"This year, I'm more helping something that already exists. For the coming years, my key word is continuity, to take the good things that are here and preserve them for several years. To maintain a nucleus of players who will run here for years and create identification with the audience and an organizational culture here."
As someone who grew up in the youth departments of Hapoel Jerusalem as a coach, how will the department that knows how to produce players also manage to integrate them into the club's senior team and not lose them?
"Our youth department is great and knows how to produce players, we need to give the graduates the tools to succeed with us. My relationship with the department is great, but I do not intend to interfere in its activities in the near future. The secret, in my opinion, is to create cooperation and a common language between the team and the department."
In recent years, the team has not been able to win titles, how do you change that?
"Titles are not the only thing. I think that not winning a title or a season without a title is not a failure. If we do the right way, the titles will come. It is possible that we do everything right and the team will win the title only after five years, there are things in decisive games that do not always depend on you. I I don't agree that a year that ended without a title is a failure, it requires bringing patience and calm to the club and that's one of the most important things I have to do here."
What is the division of labor between you and Yotam Halperin?
"Today I deal with things that are not only related to net basketball, among other things managing the medical and professional staff or building work procedures. Yotam calls the basketball part. Among other things, we sit together and go over players on the market who we think can fit the club in the coming years, Israelis or foreigners. As for basketball, Yotam is involved and gives his opinion. He is a high-level basketball player who is very important to the system."
Alon and Halperin.
"A high level professional", photo: Liron Moldovan
This year we see the teams debating the issue of the European factories and where to play. In your vision, Hapoel Jerusalem should return to the Eurocup or stay in the Champions League?
"It's a decision we'll have to make as a system. I really like the Champions League and believe in this league, it's a quality enterprise that's managed in an exceptional way, it's a league with a vision."
In the past, the best Israelis played in Hapoel Jerusalem, how will you return the situation to the way it was?
"First of all, you have to want it and understand the importance of it. In fact, Hapoel was good that it had good Israelis. We want the best Israeli players to play for Hapoel Jerusalem, it doesn't have to be the ones who score the most points, we want those who will also fit our system And they want to be here."
How is your collaboration with coach Aleksandar Džikić going?
"I see myself as an assistant for him, my job is to make sure he gets all the tools to succeed."
He is successful in his role so far, would you like to continue the contract with him for several years?
"I really want Džikić to continue here for several years, he is a professional at a very high level who is upgrading us as a club."
Finally, are you tickled in what way to return to the lines as a head coach?
"I really loved coaching and that's what I've done most of my life, now I'm completely focused on my role as a professional manager. It's a job that I see long-term effects so I'm not looking at anything else at the moment."
Dzikic.
Much appreciated, photo: Danny Maron
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us
