Tal Ben Haim, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s veteran central defender returned to the club last season after over a decade as a footballer in Europe. Number 26 primarily played in England during that time and discussed his special relationship with his father, his first few matches, changing positions and about his children:

“I have 3 boys, two of which play in the Maccabi Youth Department so it’s kind of a trip down memory lane for me taking them to practice just like my parents took me to training and watched me as well. I’m involved in everything that they are doing and I only want the best for them. I hope that they follow in this path.”

Family affair:

“My brother is 2.5 years older than me and on Saturdays I would sit with my father and watch my big brother play before or after my own match. My father couldn’t sit still and stood on the sidelines and if my brother went deep into the other team’s territory he would run down the sidelines following him. To this day my father still comes to my games and when I go onto the pitch he whistles to let me know where he is. After every training session and match we talk, not just about football but everything and anything else.”

Going from striker to central defender:

“I had a coach by the name of Amnon Balali when I was with the Under-15 side and he wanted to make me a central defender, but I wanted to hear nothing of it. He called my father every day to try and convince me to make the switch. One day he put me as a central defender and I liked it as he also gave me the chance to move up on the attack. It was a big change from being a striker to becoming a defender. I was 14 years old and I already knew how to play as a striker so it was a drastic change, but at the end of the day I have to thank him for convincing me to play as a defender.”

First match for Maccabi:

“It was against Ashdod at home and we won 1:0 and 3-4 days later we played at Dinamo Zagreb. Following that we played Hapoel Beer Sheva away and defeated them 4:1. I scored a header in the first minute on our first corner. Nir Levin had said that Beer Sheva didn’t know who I was and that they wouldn’t pay attention to me so I should stay a bit back and when Tal Banin would take the corner I should sprint to the middle of the box. I’ll never forget that goal.”

Returning to Maccabi Tel Aviv:

“It’s never easy to come back to Israel after many years in Europe as I was used to the mentality in England and I knew all of the people around me. The last three months of the past season were really difficult as I was hurt and I couldn’t train and run. The first time I was with Maccabi I got my first chance after a month and I was never on the bench again. In England when I didn’t play for two matches I wasn’t happy and that’s the same case today. I want to be on the pitch and play. When I’m on the bench or I’m hurt it’s very hard to sit and watch.”

Final words:

“I want all of the younger players who are promoted to the First Team to understand that this is Maccabi Tel Aviv and not just any other club. It’s one of the reasons why I’m here. It’s not just about winning titles but also helping the next generation understand where they are and the responsibility that comes with it.”