Jose Rodriguez Recounts 'Hell' During Israel War, Praises Life in Israel
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Former footballer Jose Rodriguez described his time in Israel as largely positive, calling it an "amazing country" despite experiencing "hell" during the initial days of the Israel-Hamas war. He recounted the fear and difficulty of trying to evacuate his family on October 7th, 2023. Rodriguez, who played for multiple Israeli clubs, praised the country and its people, calling his move to Maccabi Haifa the "best decision" of his career and revealing he rejected a lucrative offer from Thailand to stay in Israel.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Jose Rodriguez described his experiences in Israel as "amazing" despite enduring "hell" during the October 7th war.
- He recounted the fear and difficulty of evacuating his family from Israel following the Hamas attack.
- Rodriguez called his move to Maccabi Haifa the "best decision" of his career, winning two league titles.
- He revealed rejecting an offer of over one million euros per season from a Thai club.
- Rodriguez played for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, and Hapoel Tel Aviv during his time in Israel.
Spanish footballer Jose Rodriguez, who played for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, and Hapoel Tel Aviv, shared his experiences in Israel in a recent interview with the Spanish podcast "Upsiders." Rodriguez described his time in Israel as overwhelmingly positive, calling it an "amazing country" and rating life there "ten out of ten," despite the "very difficult things" he endured during the early days of the Israel-Hamas war.
Rodriguez recounted the harrowing experience of October 7th, 2023, describing the initial days as "hell" and expressing fear for his family's safety. He detailed the struggle to find flights out of the country and even suggested his wife and children leave without him, saying, "If we have to die, it's better that two die and not all of us." His wife refused to leave him, and they eventually managed to depart after several days.
Despite the trauma of the war, Rodriguez maintained a deep affection for Israel, attributing his return three times to his positive experiences. He highlighted the warmth of Israelis, noting how people would invite him places and refuse payment in restaurants. He also praised the support he received from clubs, particularly Maccabi Haifa's sports director Gal Alberman, who ensured his family felt welcomed and cared for.
Reflecting on his career, Rodriguez called his move to Maccabi Haifa in 2020 the "best decision of my career," leading to two consecutive league championships. He also spoke about his earlier stint with Maccabi Tel Aviv, crediting Jordi Cruyff for convincing him to join and noting that he learned English during that period, which he felt was a turning point. He also revealed rejecting an offer of over a million euros per season from a Thai club to remain in Israel.
Rodriguez's time at Hapoel Tel Aviv, which began in the summer of 2023, was cut short by the war. He later moved to Adana Demirspor in Turkey in February 2024, citing a desire for a new challenge and a better financial offer in a stronger league.
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