Omer Peretz says he did not expect Hapoel Petah Tikva’s budget to rise

Hapoel Petah Tikva coach Omer Peretz said in a Sport 5 interview published on June 18, 2026, that the club’s budget did not increase for the new season, despite expectations that it would. Peretz, who led the team with a modest budget and an inexperienced squad into the upper playoff last season, has now extended his contract and is preparing for another year in the Israeli Premier League.

Peretz said the team’s success last season grew over time. “At the level of the achievement, I did not expect it at the start of the season,” he said. “As the season progressed, especially after we had a run of seven matches that ended in draws, I felt we could do something. I felt the team was very strong on the pitch and also in the atmosphere inside the dressing room.”

The interview also focused on the pressure around his future after a strong campaign. Peretz said there had been summer talk about possible moves to bigger clubs, including Hapoel Beersheba and Maccabi Tel Aviv, but he stayed at Hapoel Petah Tikva. The conversation also touched on his desire to keep progressing professionally and the complicated environment in which he works.

Peretz was asked about personal matters as well, including the absence of his late father, Viki Peretz, a club and Israeli football legend, and what he learned from his father’s experience in football. The interview also included questions about his coaching inspirations, his disappointment with Pep Guardiola, and whether he still dreams of one day returning to Hapoel Tel Aviv’s senior team.