Sheran Yeini announced today (Monday) of his retirement at the age of 37 after an outstanding playing career at Maccabi. The captain decided to hang up his boots and held an emotional press conference at Bloomfield stadium where he revealed his decision to retire and answered questions from the media.
Maccabi’s CEO, Ben Mansford opened the press conference when he said: “Today is a special day for Sheran. I can talk for hours about good things, bad things mostly he used to tell me what am I doing wrong and how I could improve. I remember how in 2018 he told me not to be so English and polite with Israelis in the dressing room. I don’t have to say to much today, so I will leave the stage for Sheran. Skipper, thanks for everything !”
The entire first team players and coaching staff were present in the room as Yeini said: “You can’t even understand how excited I am to wake up every morning, meet these guys and take part in a Maccabi Tel Aviv training session. I am just happy, to arrive in training, have breakfast and a laugh wit everyone, head to the gym and work like crazy with Yossi (Zigdon) the fitness coach. To head out for a warm-up, challenge myself and my teammates, trying to win at all cost. I give my heart and soul in every training, pushing others to the limit and trying to affect others to do the same. Today I am announcing my retirement at the end of the season.”
Yeini, who joined Maccabi’s Youth Academy at the age of six and played in Israel for one club only, said: ”I feel fortunate that I had the privilege of working at what has been my dream since the age of six” he added, “It is nice that I managed to touch so many people, players, fans especially during this period with all the things we were doing for all the people that have been suffering and are still suffering from what has been going on in our bizarre country. The fact you can make someone happy even for a split second is an amazing privilege.”
Yeini, who reached the senior side several years before the owner Mitch Goldhar took-over, said of his journey: “When I started here Maccabi it was all different, more of a survival mode but it was great to be part of the transition and awakening this glorious club has gone through. Obviously I had many partners who shared the same journey with me. In football everything is big, everything is intensified. All the feelings and emotions, during defeats and failures and during victories when we win titles. Everything is simply massive. Sometimes I felt like a teacher at a kindergarten and sometimes like a gladiator – but I always knew that I am playing for something which is bigger than me. A club that is and its concept is bigger than me. Now I know that I am leaving a club in good hands, the hands of my teammates who are all sat here that I trust so much, love and appreciate. Thanks for being here with me, it was extremely important for you to be here.”
Yeini, who always stood out as a different character from the normal footballer typecast, revealed: “I wasn’t raised as a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan or a fan of any other club for this matter. I came from a family where football wasn’t part of my childhood. But throughout my life Maccabi helped to shape me as a person together with my amazing wife who turned me into who I am today. The values of Maccabi are running in my blood and my values are the values of Maccabi. For to be a Maccabist is to set standards as high as one possibly can, first and foremost as a person, as an athlete and a footballer – then to meet those standards despite the conditions with no excuses.”
The 37-year-old who led his teammates by example as he visited evacuated families from the Gaza strip surrounding communities, wounded soldiers in hospitals, and families whose loved ones were murdered or killed, added: “Football shrinks compared to what we are currently experiencing as a country right now. There are hostages still held in Gaza, retirement, playing football, winning the championship it is all secondary. The most important thing is for us to bring them back home and deal with them as a country.”
Yeini, who is recovering from a knee injury which has forced him into retirement, came full circle as he revealed a story from an earlier stage of his career: “When I was still a Youth player, the owner of Maccabi at that time, Lonnie Herzikovic, took me after I suffered a knee injury and before I even had my operation or anyone knew whether I will make it – handed me a five-year-deal. This was amazing. I was at a place which wasn’t managed properly was disorganized and set on survival mode before gradually turning into a place which was being rebuilt.”
Yeini, who played at Maccabi besides an 18-month-long spell in Holland playing for Vitesse, revealed how he became captain in the 2012/13 season: “ Osacr Garcia arrived as coach, asked the players to vote for a captain and I was elected. I never imagined being a captain and always focused on promoting people next to me. I never thought that these are the characteristics of a captain or that I am a leader. When I was voted as captain I needed to improve myself and to go through a process as we all been through a lot. Now I can safely leave knowing that I am leaving behind me a strong, healthy and good place.”
Yeini, who will keep training with the team but finally retire after Saturday’s league match against Bnei Reineh at Bloomfield, said: “I will not play anymore but will continue with the team until the final day, as we are all heading for training now.”
Having made 555 career appearances for Maccabi which ranks him second in the club’s all time appearance record, Yeini revealed how the decision was taken: “I had a conversation with the owner, Mitch Godar, and he expressed interest in me staying at the club at some sort of capacity. At the same time I have other offers from both the football and business worlds so I will have to take decisions. I am excited to embark on a new journey so when I will have all the information I could take a decision. I have some thinking to do. My heart has always been at Maccabi Tel Aviv, and I would have loved to stay here but this is the nature of the world. I had dreams of playing until I was 50, I used to tell you until I was 40 so you wouldn’t think that I am completely not realistic. But this is what has helped me have the career I had – setting my targets as high as possible. I have had a playing career that reached the age of 37 with a title or two” said Yeini who won 16 titles in 19 seasons of first team football at Maccabi.
On his role as captain over the years, Yeini said: “Like every person the development is some sort of process. Today I am happy and light-hearted but in the past I was very tough and hardline. I would hardly make room for inappropriate laughter, or a message which wasn’t in its place. Sometime I understood that if I will continue this way as if I am the same dominant that needs to get everyone united, at a later stage when my status will suffer due to my form I will begin to lose it. I understood that if I would like to extend my career and be healthy both physically and mentally, then I must lighten up. I think that I was a good captain of a certain type. Even though there are many types of leaders, a team needs to have a bunch of leaders as I always ensured to collaborate with everyone. I tried persuading Dor (Peretz) years ago to be the captain way before I was retiring, but that didn’t work. Lets say that looking back I feel very proud.”
On his decision to retire, Yeini said: “I wanted to play until I was 50 and believed that I could. From the moment I suffered that cruciate ligament and meniscus injury at the age of 37, I did what I could and still do what I can. I work for several hours every day, try to come out of it in the best way I possibly can. But that requires an operation and rehabilitation for nine months. When you are 37 years old, this is not something you will get as it doesn’t work that way. One has to deal with reality just the way it is.”
When asked to pick a highlight from his career, Yeini recalled: “The first championship was always the most exciting one I experienced after 10 years of not winning the league title. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. There was the 3-2 victory with Eran in the Tel Aviv derby or the 3-2 victory with Moshiko Lugasi over Bnei Yehuda. The 4-3 victory at Ramat Hasharon in the rain is another memorable match. A volley against Beitar Jerusalem and a long-range goal against Hapoel Haifa when Vincent Enyaman carried me on his back. The times I was sent to play in goal and the moment I was voted as captain by my teammates, or when Hertzikovic handed me my new professional contract. All these are connected to Maccabi and there are plenty of other moments but I will stop there.”
Maccabi’s other captain and Yeini’s close friend, Eran Zahavi, took the microphone and spoke on behalf of the players: “I would like to say thank you Sheran for everything. We played together for 5-and-a-half years, won 4 championships and countess of other titles together. Thank you for every time I saw you in the tunnel knowing there is someone at my back. I was delighted to have you with me on the pitch and certainly off it. There were moments that you knew how to put things in perspective and showed everyone what a real captain really is. There is a reason why I said that you are the best captain in the history of the game and really meant it. You gave every player here so much, whether that is tips, setting an example or being a role model. In my eyes this is the best thing that you have done here. Thank you for being able to be a captain alongside you as we always worked together. The saddest moment for me was when you left to Holland and didn’t qualify with us to the champions league, but at the same time I gained a friend for life. All the best of luck as I am certain you will succeed in everything you do.”
