Maccabi Netanya Faces Squad Concerns Despite Strong Season Start

Maccabi Netanya, despite an impressive 4-1 victory over Beitar Jerusalem to open the season, is experiencing significant unease among its fanbase due to a lack of reinforcements. Three foreign players reportedly opted for other clubs over Netanya, citing lower financial offers. These players include Sydney Lima, who chose Partizan Belgrade, David Ruiz, who moved from Inter Miami to New York, and Marian Chochea, who transferred to Casablanca, Morocco. Lother Singu from AEL Limassol is also not expected to join.

Players within the club expressed concern over the squad's depth, stating, "We are very short on players and need reinforcements." They believe the current available players, such as Alex Talpa, Yarin Abuhazira, and Liam Cohen, are insufficient for a high-ranking finish. "Teams are signing players and we are not," they added.

Netanya has only signed one foreign player this season, goalkeeper Samuel Dabo. Coach Roni Levi has indicated he does not want William Cyprian or Saba Khodzhiani. Fans are directing blame towards Max De Giulio, the professional representative of owner Russ Katin, who is reportedly struggling to finalize deals.

Ahead of their upcoming match against Hapoel Haifa, the coaching staff has reduced training intensity. Beny Feldman, who played injured against Beitar, missed two training sessions, as did Maor Levy, Oz Bilu, and Matheus Dabo. Alon Azugi has returned to training but is not fit for the next game. Gregory Morozov or Karam Jaber are expected to start, with Amit Cohen potentially shifting to left-back if the captain returns to the lineup.