Maccabi Haifa have informed captain Dolev Haziza that he is no longer in the club’s professional plans, according to a report first published by Sports Channel. Professional director Lior Refaelov and coach Barak Bakhar met with Haziza on Sunday and made that clear, meaning he will look for a new team for next season.
Haziza had been one of the club’s key players during its successful years, and he was even given the captain’s armband despite not coming through Haifa’s youth system. He remains a popular figure with the fans, but his status has declined over the past two seasons. A club source told Sports Channel, “Haziza is a good player, a positive personality in the dressing room. He had great seasons, but it was decided the team needs a refresh. We value him מאוד.”
For next season, Kanji Chora is expected to be the leading left winger, while Haifa have signed Itay Mordechai and brought Iad Halahli back from loan. The club also intends to add a foreign player at attacking midfield, where Cedric Don, Mordechai and Eitan Azoulay can also play.
Haziza joins Abdulai Syk, Jorga Jovanovic, Michael Ohana and Suf Podgoreanu on the list of departures, but he is not the last player expected to leave. Peter Agba is also not part of the plans and Haifa are looking for a club to buy him. Trivante Stewart is in better shape, and will be sold only if a club offers 1.5 million euros, the same fee Haifa paid for him last year. In defense, with the search for a center back still underway, Pedrao could be loaned out, since the club believes no team will buy him after he played only one match in the last 14 months.
