Former Maccabi Tel Aviv Coach Pini Gershon Criticizes Team's Poor Start

Maccabi Tel Aviv has begun its EuroLeague season with three consecutive losses, a dismal start not seen since the 1998-99 season, placing them at the bottom of the standings. Former coach Pini Gershon, speaking on the "Al HaBuzzer" podcast, expressed concern over the team's performance, particularly after their recent 90-67 defeat to Panathinaikos. While not advocating for panic, Gershon stated that the team "needs to be worried," describing their current state as a "prelude to a crisis."

Gershon was particularly scathing about the team's play against Panathinaikos, even though the opposing team was missing key players. He likened the mismatch to "university versus kindergarten," emphasizing the significant gap in quality. He also addressed the responsibility of current coach Oded Katash, asserting that coaches deserve credit for wins and blame for losses, but also acknowledging the difficulty of coaching Maccabi Tel Aviv.

"Maccabi Tel Aviv looks bad after a month and a half-two months of preparation," Gershon stated, noting particularly poor defense in previous games and a general lack of effectiveness on both ends of the court against Panathinaikos. He criticized the team's inability to compete at a EuroLeague level, suggesting their style of play, focused on running and three-point shooting, requires exceptional physical conditioning which he believes they lack. "They are not playing basketball at a EuroLeague level, not offensively and certainly not defensively," he concluded.