It is doubtful whether Dror Kashtan would have succeeded as a coach in recent years. In a world where packaging matters and PR plays a role, he would probably have been sidelined, because what did he have to show besides six championships and six trophies? Great, but what else does he know how to do? What is the philosophy? Tell us some gossip? No thank you.
Shmuel Buchris
Kashtan, perhaps the greatest coach who grew up here, was a blue-collar man. He comes to the office in the morning, changes into work clothes and carves arrays and exercises in the rock. The man who seemed the most meticulous and conservative was one of the most daring professionals who passed through the industry. He wasn't looking to steal a spot outside, nor did he consider whether the chair was stable enough. He came to win.
I covered Maccabi Tel Aviv in the '90s. I remember that in Kiryat Shalom they did not believe that they would survive the earthquake when Avraham Grant left for Hapoel Haifa in 1995. Grant transformed the team, connected the players and won two impressive championships. What about the introverted Kashtan versus the text wizard?
Kashtan won the double that season with the help of spectacular football, topped with his clear signature. In the big game against Maccabi Haifa, in Kiryat Eliezer, Haifa led 0:1 at the break, thanks to a goal by Roni Levy. The second half of the yellows was one of the best I've seen from an Israeli team. Ended 1-3 to Kashtan's boys.
Dror was a tough man on the outside, but he knew how to get into his players' heads and focus them on the goal. From Yitzhak Shum in Kfar Saba, through Eli Ohana in Beitar to Salim Toama in Hapoel Tel Aviv. He knew how to mold Shimon Gershon into a huge defender, and take a shy guy like Haim Hajaj and turn him into one of Maccabi Tel Aviv's stars.
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There are countries where professionals like Kashtan would have attained the same status as Ferguson in the British Isles, but Dror never liked the spotlight or a man of elbows. Don't want - don't need to. A few years ago, I passed through Hod Hasharon and remembered that he sits in the mornings in the regular café. I went in, we talked a bit, and as we were about to say goodbye, I asked, 'What about an interview?' Kashtan raised his eyebrows and smiled: "What is it good for?" May his memory be blessed.
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