Dekel Keinan Discusses Coaching Debut, Return to Israel

Dekel Keinan, 42, has taken on his first senior coaching role as head coach of Orange County in the USL Championship, the second tier of American soccer. His debut match saw an Israeli player, Yaniv Bazini, score a 90th-minute winner in a hard-fought 1-0 victory, ending a nearly two-month winless streak. Keinan, a former captain of Maccabi Haifa, described the path to this position, which began with him serving as an assistant coach before stepping in as interim head coach following a significant loss.

Keinan explained that he initially served as youth coach for Orange County while also playing and coaching in a non-professional league. After three weeks as an assistant, he realized he and the head coach were not aligned and offered to step aside. He continued with the youth team and his player-coach role until the team's poor performance led to the offer to manage the senior team until the end of the season. He emphasized that this is a temporary role, concluding in October, and he did not condition his appointment on an extended contract.

Having lived in the U.S. for nine years, Keinan acknowledged the dilemma of returning to Israel. While life in the U.S. is good and his children are integrated into Jewish and Israeli community activities, he expressed a strong desire for them to experience Israeli life, including military service. "I am Israeli and proud of it," he stated, noting that while most reactions to his Israeli identity are positive, some are not.

Reflecting on his playing career, Keinan admitted he wasn't good enough for the Premier League but found the Championship a better fit. He then moved to the U.S. for a new experience that has since developed into a coaching career. He also offered insights into developing Israeli center-backs, suggesting focused training on fundamental defensive skills and instilling a "hatred of conceding goals" from a young age.

Keinan confirmed that Maccabi Haifa has approached him multiple times about returning to the club, in roles such as assistant coach or youth academy staff. He maintains good communication with club management, including owner Yakov Shahar and professional manager Lior Refaelov, whom he believes retired too early. While he sees a return to Maccabi Haifa as "natural" and not ruled out, he stated the timing is currently not right due to family and significant decisions involved. He also commented on the new foreign defenders at Maccabi Haifa, noting it's too early to judge and that defensive players often struggle to integrate into new teams. He praised young defenders Noam Steifman and Elad Amir for their potential.

Regarding his own future, Keinan, who is still technically a player, views his current coaching role as preparation for retirement. He admitted that while he enjoys coaching, the passion for playing, especially winning a game in the final moments, still surpasses it. He also reflected on the Israeli national team's loss to Ireland, feeling the team was too soft and lacked the necessary "nastiness" to compete effectively against a team like Ireland.