Former teammate blasts Maccabi Haifa’s handling of Dolev Haziza exit

Maccabi Haifa have confirmed that captain Dolev Haziza will not continue at the club, ending a run that began when he arrived from Bnei Yehuda in 2019 and included three league championships. The decision was discussed on Sunday, and on Monday former teammate San Menachem spoke on Sport 5’s "5 Be'Air - The News Room" about both the professional choice and the way it was handled.

Menachem said that in the current Israeli market, he does not know where to find players like Haziza and described him as an asset on and off the pitch. "I think a player like Dolev Haziza is an asset, both in the dressing room and on the field," he said, adding that even when the output is not always optimal, the desire is always there and he wants to push the team forward.

His main criticism was directed at the club’s conduct. Menachem said it was wrong for the conversation to leak to the media, especially because Haziza is the captain. He argued the club could simply have told him he was not in the plans and given him a chance to respond, and said the public approach looked like an attempt to "ignite the fire" and shift blame elsewhere. "He is the last one they should put the blame on," Menachem said.

Menachem also noted that Haziza still has a contract for one more season and said the player was prepared to accept a role off the bench when needed, scoring even after coming on as a substitute. He called the farewell statement "embarrassing" and said club owner Yaakov Shahar values Haziza, so the club should have handled the separation differently. Menachem added that Haziza was surprised by the manner of the decision and said, "If I were in Haziza’s shoes today? I would cry."