Eyal Berkovic Eyed for National Team Coach Role Amidst Fierce Criticism

The possibility of Eyal Berkovic being appointed as the next national coach for the Israeli national team has reignited controversy within Israeli football. Critics argue that the former star is unsuitable for managing the national team, citing a lack of proper training and experience. This debate resurfaced following a poll on the ONE website in October 2026, where a majority of users expressed a desire to see Berkovic replace Ran Ben Shimon as coach, prompted by the team's poor performance in the Nations League.

While some commentators, like Moshe Primo and Giovanni Rosso, have supported the idea of looking for unconventional candidates, others have strongly opposed it. Commentator Uri Ozen launched a sharp attack on the proposal, emphasizing that coaching is a profession requiring a structured training path. "Coaching is not a hustle, it's a profession," Ozen stated, pointing out that even world-renowned coaches like Zinedine Zidane and Luis de la Fuente underwent extensive experience with clubs and youth teams before leading national squads.

Ozen detailed Berkovic's alleged unsuitability, explaining that national team coaching demands constant engagement, including scouting players and maintaining contact with them. He asserted that Berkovic is disconnected from the current football scene and has been absent from the field for many years. Ozen suggested that the Football Association and its head, Shino Zouaretz, should consider candidates who have risen through the ranks, such as Ofir Haim.

Ironically, Berkovic himself seemed to validate the critics' concerns about his potential struggles with the demanding nature of coaching. In his own program on 103FM, Berkovic admitted he could not handle the routine of coaching smaller clubs or working with limited crowds, describing it as a "very tedious" job. He contrasted this with coaching a national team, which he characterized as a "pure and unique pleasure" and "very, very simple."