Arik Shtilman: Yam Madar is a Key Player for Maccabi
In a special episode of Double Dribble, Arik Shtilman discussed the details of Yam Madar's transfer to Maccabi Tel Aviv. The club sponsor revealed the behind-the-scenes negotiations and the player's personal commitment to the deal.
In a special episode of Double Dribble, Arik Shtilman addressed the summer of Maccabi Tel Aviv and especially the signing of Yam Madar. The sponsor, who was still a board member at the time, said:
"Claudio came and told me, 'Listen, we want Yam Madar. Oded and I really want Yam Madar.' Why? I asked him why, as if I asked why. He tells me, 'We want him because he is the only Israeli player who is a two-way player, for us he is equivalent to a foreign player. A game-changer for the Israeli league together with Roman, and of course a morale blow to Hapoel.'
"I told him, 'Tell me, will he activate his buyout? Because we won't talk to him if he didn't activate the exit clause.' And then days pass, and then came that famous evening when he activated the clause, and that means that unequivocally he wants to come to Maccabi at any cost. He had crazy offers from Hapoel. The moment he activated the clause, I understood that now there is an opportunity. What is the opportunity? To put pressure on all the owners of Maccabi through the fans to do what is necessary to bring Yam Madar. I made that famous 'Pew-Pew' tweet, which started... it created a crazy wave. And by the way, people can laugh at it, but it was completely planned. Okay?
"He was willing to compromise on a lot of money and he acted like a real man. He turned out to be a kind of Jalen Brunson for Maccabi, compromised on piles of money that probably almost no player would be willing to do. To come to Maccabi and not be at Hapoel. He gave up, in my estimation, 1.2-1.3 million dollars net per season to play at Maccabi."
How did the deal almost fall through?
"There was a situation there where the player wanted a certain amount of money, the Maccabi management wanted less, and then the drama began. Now what does Maccabi wanted less mean? All the owners said: 'Listen, this we are not willing to pay,' everyone said, without exception: 'This we do. There is also the issue of insurance, he has a leg with an injury, will he be insured or not, the issue of the buyout that he already paid to Hapoel - will we return it to him?'
"By the way, you didn't say anything, but this whole issue is worth a million and something dollars, yes? And then the player, a real man, decided to return and manage the negotiations himself. The player disconnected himself from the agent, the most manly thing he could be because he understood that this is a situation where everyone was stirring the pot here. He went to a meeting with Oded and with Ami, and during this meeting, I said: 'No Maccabi shareholder comes to this meeting and also not to leak out. No information to shareholders because it will reach the media.' It was clear to me that it reaches one shareholder and it leaks within five minutes to the media. And that same evening the player, through the people who were there and through my WhatsApp, agreed on his terms.
"I simultaneously spoke with all the Maccabi shareholders - also with Richard (Dietz), and with Sharon who represents Ben (Ashkenazi), and with Shimon on the phone that same night. I spoke with everyone, there were still problems - I engineered this whole deal in such a way that everyone approved it. I tell him, 'Listen, we will split the contract like this and do this and do that, and these will be the costs and so on. Confirm to me that it is okay.' Everyone agreed and that's how this deal was closed. Let's go back for a second - so that you also understand - that same evening, if I hadn't intervened and done it like this, zero chance he would have come to Maccabi."
On the signing of Colson and Briest
"My first pressure is Bonzie (Colson). They tell me, 'Listen, it's either Bonzie or Briest.' Claudio tells me: 'Listen, there are two options. There is an option to keep Briest with a contract extension and there is an option to bring Bonzie. They are about the same price range. I don't know, I will talk to the professional staff.' I tell him, 'Wait, why not both?' He tells me, 'Listen, I don't have room in the budget.' I told him, 'Leave me alone with the budget, I will take care of the budget for you. Let's bring both.'"
