Omer Peretz says Hapoel Petah Tikva’s budget did not rise, despite higher expectations

Hapoel Petah Tikva coach Omer Peretz said the club had expected its budget to increase after last season, but that did not happen. Peretz, who was one of the standout coaches of the previous campaign, led a team with a modest budget and an inexperienced squad into the top playoff, and then extended his contract ahead of another Premier League season.

In a wide-ranging interview with Sports 5, published June 18, 2026 at 12:02, Peretz reflected on the challenge of maintaining success at a club operating with limited resources. He said he had not expected the achievement at the start of the season, but as the year went on, especially during a stretch of seven straight draws, he began to believe the team could do something special.

Peretz said he felt the squad was very strong both on the pitch and in the dressing room atmosphere. The interview also touched on the rumors from the summer that linked him with bigger jobs at Hapoel Beersheba and Maccabi Tel Aviv, before he chose to stay in Petah Tikva.

The conversation included personal and professional themes, including the loss of his father, former football figure Vicky Peretz, the lessons he drew from his father’s experience in the game, and his ambitions for the future. The interview also raised questions about his relationship with the wider Israeli football scene, his admiration for Pep Guardiola, his views on coaches and the national team, and whether he sees a path back to Hapoel Tel Aviv.