Eli Ohana Urges Beitar Jerusalem to Integrate or Release Star Player Yarden Shua

Former Israeli football star Eli Ohana has called on Beitar Jerusalem to either find a way to integrate star player Yarden Shua into the team's lineup or release him. Ohana's comments came after Beitar Jerusalem secured their second consecutive win, but the focus remained on Shua's limited playing time and his reported strained relationship with coach Almog Cohen.

Ohana stated on "5 Ba'avir" that it is natural for a player of Shua's caliber to be disappointed when not starting, as long as the player remains professional and doesn't disrupt the locker room. He acknowledged that there isn't a strong personal relationship between Shua and Cohen, and that the club has unsuccessfully sought to transfer Shua abroad in recent years.

According to Ohana, Beitar's system under Cohen, which emphasizes high pressing and defensive intensity, is incompatible with playing both Shua and Yoval Atsili together. He suggested that Cohen needs to adapt his tactics, perhaps by playing a more withdrawn style, to accommodate Shua's strengths.

"Almog Cohen needs to find a way, and I don't accept this way," Ohana declared, criticizing Cohen's handling of Shua. He specifically questioned Cohen's decision to substitute Shua into the game in the 89th minute of their recent match against Sakhnin, calling it disrespectful to a top player. Ohana concluded that Cohen must either find a way to integrate Shua or the club should consider releasing him, emphasizing that a coach's role includes managing the locker room effectively.