This morning I received the news of Dror Kashtan's passing and was filled with sadness. I have been in contact with him over the past few years and have gained great respect for him. He shaped me as an actor and as a person, a very central figure in my career.
Our time at Hapoel Tel Aviv was magical, it was impossible not to follow Dror, everyone, including everyone, players, staff and management, a one-man show who knew how to get what was needed for the team's success.
Shavit Elimelech stops Hasselbaink, photo: Phil Cole
I take away from him the slow speech at meetings, remember it well. Despite his toughness, Dror was also a paternal figure. As far as I'm concerned, he's the biggest of them all. Dror Kashtan was a coach who doesn't give up, doesn't make assumptions, but on the other hand embraces and it's a winning combination.
We made a magical journey in Europe, winning titles, championships and trophies, but I take the big moment with him after a league game against Maccabi Haifa. I fended off a penalty in the 90th minute, we won, he came, hugged and kissed me. The tough Dror knew how to come to me in a personal moment and that moved me very much.
For me, Dror symbolizes a time when the coach was everything, he had respect that today cannot be seen in Israeli football. Today the players are in control, there used to be one coach who controlled everything. There are no such coaches, probably there won't be either. The late Dror Kashtan, our greatest coach.
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Kashtan. The most decorated coach in Israel's history, photo: Alan Shaver
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