Hapoel Haifa Owner Slams Gal Erel Amid Lawsuit
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Hapoel Haifa is reportedly angered by a lawsuit filed by former player and coach Gal Erel seeking nearly NIS 500,000 for unpaid pensions and social benefits. The club's owner, Yoav Katz, is credited by the team with saving Erel's career and questioned his lack of gratitude. Erel's lawsuit joins similar claims from other former players. Erel had a long playing career with the club and later served as head coach before being dismissed in January 2026.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Haifa owner Yoav Katz is accused of saving Gal Erel's career, now facing a lawsuit from Erel.
- Gal Erel is suing Hapoel Haifa for nearly NIS 500,000 in alleged unpaid pensions and social benefits.
- The club expressed anger at Erel's lawsuit, questioning his gratitude for past career support.
- Erel had two playing stints with Hapoel Haifa and later served as head coach until January 2026.
- Erel's lawsuit follows similar claims from former players Eden Ben Basat and Gili Vermouth.
Hapoel Haifa is reportedly furious with former player and coach Gal Erel following his lawsuit against the club for nearly half a million shekels. The club's owner, Yoav Katz, is said to have "saved Gal's career" when Erel was ostracized at Hapoel Acre in the National League. According to the club, Katz signed Erel at the start of a cup season without the knowledge of then-coach Nir Klinger, later promoting him to assistant coach and then head coach despite no prior coaching experience. The club questioned Erel's "gratitude" for these actions, calling it "ingratitude without limits."
The lawsuit filed by Erel concerns alleged unpaid pensions and social security payments from his time as both a player and coach. This legal action follows similar claims from other former players, including Eden Ben Basat and Gili Vermouth.
Erel, who rose through Hapoel Haifa's youth ranks and captained the team, played for the club in two separate stints: 2008-2013 and 2017-2023. During his playing career, he was part of the squads that won the Toto Cup in 2013, the State Cup, and the Champions of Champions Cup in 2018. After retiring in the summer of 2023, he joined the professional staff as assistant to coach Roni Levy, and was appointed head coach in June 2025. His tenure as head coach ended in January 2026 when he was fired due to a string of poor results, including a loss to Bnei Reina.
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