Nir Klinger recalls a difficult career marked by family pain and football politics

In a wide-ranging interview with Sport 5 published on June 16, 2026, Nir Klinger said there were years in his life he would prefer to erase. He spoke about escaping into football as a child because of a harsh father, saying his dad was a “very tough bastard,” and about his mother’s illness, which he said she hid from the family. He also recalled the impact of his mother’s death, his early years in Haifa, and the emotional pull of the city’s football scene in the 1980s.

Klinger revisited his connection to Avi Ran, the late Maccabi Haifa goalkeeper, whose image he said still affects him. “I cried a lot,” he said, describing the ongoing pain of that loss. He also discussed the “Haguel,” the disgust he felt later in his career, and said it helped push him into retirement after the following two years became exhausting and difficult.

On Maccabi Tel Aviv, Klinger described how he and teammates used to stay together in hotels before cup matches under coach Dror Kashtan, who was superstitious. He said the team included stars such as Avi Nimni and Itzik Zohar, and that after matches the group would go out together, including Aharon Grant, Shimon Corak, Eli Driks and himself. He also recalled requesting a title bonus for the squad, including a holiday for players and their partners, which he estimated at $100,000 to $150,000.

Klinger then described the shock of the club’s decision to fire Kashtan and bring back Aharon Grant, after the team had won the double. He said he told David Federman, “What? Have you gone crazy? A man won the double, how can you fire him?” He said the move, backed by a five-year plan, destabilized the club and could have cost it a dynasty. Klinger said he later spoke with Kashtan, who was furious, and explained that a herniated disc and pain, combined with disgust at the way things were handled, led him to retire at 32 even though he could still play.