Kashtan steps down as coach of Bnei Yehuda

Goalkeeping coach Ya’akov Asayag and fitness coach Dror Shimshon will guide the team on an interim basis.

By ALLON SINAI
Bnei Yehuda Coach Dror Kashtan 311 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Bnei Yehuda Coach Dror Kashtan 311
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Less than 24 hours after dropping to the bottom of the Premier League standings, Dror Kashtan resigned as the coach of Bnei Yehuda on Sunday morning.
The 69-year-old, who is the most illustrious coach in Israeli soccer history, guided Bnei Yehuda to a fourthplace finish last season, but decided to quit after leading the team to just two out of a possible 30 points over its past 10 league matches.
Bnei Yehuda beat Ashdod SC in its first game of the season, but lost eight of its 10 contests since, including a 1-0 defeat to Hapoel Ramat Hasharon on Saturday, which sent the club from south Tel Aviv to last place.
Kashtan’s offer to leave after last week’s loss at Hapoel Acre was turned down by owner Moshe Damayo, but he was adamant on resigning on Sunday, something which he had never previously done mid-season since beginning his coaching career some 36 years ago.
Kashtan, who has six championships and six State Cups to his name, had only twice previously not finished a season at a club, being fired by both Hapoel Haifa in the 1994/95 campaign and by Hapoel Tel Aviv two years ago.
“This is a very sad day for Bnei Yehuda,” said Damayo. “Kashtan decided to resign. This isn’t the first time he has asked to leave this season. We tried to convince him to stay but he was determined to leave.”
Goalkeeping coach Ya’akov Asayag and fitness coach Dror Shimshon will guide the team on an interim basis, with the names of Freddy David and Reuven Atar being mentioned as possible candidates to replace Kashtan.
On Monday, Maccabi Tel Aviv will aim to return to the top of the Premier League standings when it hosts Hapoel Ra’anana.
A draw would be enough for Maccabi to leapfrog Hapoel Beersheba on goal difference, but the yellowand- blue will be confident of claiming all three points, even though Ra’anana has lost just one match all season, just like Maccabi and Beersheba.
Also Monday, Maccabi Haifa hosts Hapoel Acre.