Hapoel Tel Aviv Owner Rallies Team After Derby Loss

Hapoel Tel Aviv owner Ofer Yanai addressed his players in the locker room immediately following their Super Cup derby loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday. Yanai, who stated he hates to lose, described losses as fuel for improvement, citing past series against Real Madrid and Maccabi as learning experiences.

He specifically mentioned that the loss to Real Madrid taught them the importance of building a team with two equally strong starting fives, while the defeat to Maccabi, who he noted had only one Israeli player, highlighted the need for naturalized players. Yanai also criticized the officiating, calling it "unreasonable and unfair." He claimed that players like Kadim Carrington, Zach LeDay, and Vasilije Micić were not receiving fair calls, contrasting Carrington's treatment with his time at Hapoel Jerusalem.

Yanai urged his players to maintain high energy and focus despite perceived biased officiating, stating that while there would be no complaints if they still lost, they "lost their heads" and their spirit seemed broken. He expressed hope that their hatred of losing would mirror his own and that they would channel the pain of the defeat into future improvement.