A Sport 5 opinion piece published on June 20, 2026 argues that the 2025-26 season exposed three very different management philosophies at Hapoel Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv. The coaches, Yonatan Alon, Oded Katash and Dimitris Itoudis, are presented as the faces of those choices, but not the real story. The real story is how each club set its priorities.
In Jerusalem, Alon recently appeared before the cameras after another season ended without a trophy and took unusual responsibility, without excuses, self-pity or blame-shifting. The article says the club itself spent the year unable to decide what mattered most, trying to stay competitive in every competition and keep every option open. That approach, the piece argues, created confusion and dispersion. Jerusalem may now be leaning toward giving Europe clear priority, which would also make success easier to define.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, by contrast, chose the Israeli league first and built its roster accordingly, even if that meant sacrificing depth and quality among foreign players. The club can absorb a weaker EuroLeague campaign because it has a guaranteed place in the competition, a privilege that changes how decisions are made. Katash was the right coach for that model, the article says, because he understands the system and the compromises it requires. Despite a difficult EuroLeague start, Maccabi became more organized, more connected and sharply structured offensively, though the article warns that the 2026 EuroLeague is becoming more competitive and that prioritizing the domestic league could carry a growing European cost.
Hapoel Tel Aviv, meanwhile, went all-in on Itoudis’s vision and gave him the authority, power and resources to define success. The results in Europe have been outstanding, including winning the EuroCup and securing a EuroLeague spot. But the article says the team has struggled to match that success locally, with tense media relations, some fan disconnect and no domestic dominance that matches its budget. Reported moves involving Yam Madar and Crington show the club remains willing to spend heavily. The unanswered question is whether Hapoel wants a coach who can lift it to Europe’s top tier, or one who can build an empire in Israel as well.
