Former Israeli Striker Reflects on Storied Career, Controversial Transfers

Ofer Shitrit, a former Israeli striker who holds the national record for playing with 20 different clubs, discussed his unique career in a recent podcast episode. Shitrit, who ranks 15th among Israel's all-time top scorers, reflected on his time with major clubs like Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Beitar Jerusalem, and the reasons behind his frequent transfers.

Shitrit explained that he often moved clubs because he felt undervalued and had to constantly prove himself. He expressed regret over leaving Hapoel Tel Aviv for Beitar Jerusalem, a move driven by a slightly higher salary offer, stating, "If I go back, I probably wouldn't have left Hapoel. It's something that sits with me a bit." He also recounted the infamous "shoelace game" incident involving Hapoel Tel Aviv, where he felt something was amiss, noting, "Only in the evening, when we got home and they started talking about it and we saw what happened there, did you understand that something was not right."

Looking back at his time at Maccabi Haifa, Shitrit recalled the significant transition from Hapoel Lod and the high expectations. He praised his teammates from that era, including Haim Revivo and Eyal Berkovic, and singled out Sergey Kandaurov as one of the best foreign players to ever play in Israel. He also commented on the dynamics between Berkovic and Revivo, stating they worked well together professionally.

Shitrit also shared his thoughts on legendary figures like Dror Kashtan, whom he described as a "tough but honest" coach, and Eli Ohana, whom he considered a "huge footballer" rather than just a great striker. He touched upon his departure from Beitar Jerusalem due to financial issues and the club's constant search for new strikers. Shitrit concluded by discussing his rankings of top Israeli strikers, placing Ohana, Eran Zahavi, and Alon Mizrahi in high regard for their overall impact and goal-scoring prowess.