New Sponsors Aim to Elevate Hapoel Rishon LeZion to Top Tier in 5 Years
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Dudu and Natalie Va'aturi, new sponsors and co-owners of Hapoel Rishon LeZion, aim to elevate the club to the top tier of Israeli football within five years. They are actively involved in management, having invested significantly in the club, with an immediate goal of promotion this season. The couple also co-owns Bnei Eilat, where they have made substantial investments and aim for promotion to the National League within three years. They plan to learn the club's operations for six months before potentially assuming full ownership of Hapoel Rishon LeZion.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Dudu and Natalie Va'aturi aim to make Hapoel Rishon LeZion a top Israeli football club within five years.
- The sponsors are actively involved in management and have committed 650,000 shekels for the current season.
- Hapoel Rishon LeZion's immediate goal is promotion to the top league "at all costs" this season.
- The Va'aturis also co-own Bnei Eilat, investing over 1.5 million shekels and aiming for promotion.
- They plan to study Rishon LeZion's management for six months before considering full ownership.
Dudu and Natalie Va'aturi, co-owners and sponsors of the Israeli football clubs Bnei Eilat and Hapoel Rishon LeZion, have set ambitious goals for both teams. In an interview, they revealed plans to invest significantly in Hapoel Rishon LeZion with the aim of reaching the top tier of Israeli football within five years and becoming one of its leading clubs.
The Va'aturis are not content with merely being sponsors; they intend to be actively involved in the management of both clubs. Dudu Va'aturi stated his vision for Hapoel Rishon LeZion is to reach the Premier League and be among the best in Israeli football within five years, noting that he chose Rishon LeZion and Eilat over offers from other clubs.
Their involvement with Bnei Eilat began during a business trip, leading to a collaboration with the city's mayor. They took over the club from a lower division, including its youth academy, with the goal of promotion. Natalie Va'aturi highlighted their significant investment of over 1.5 million shekels in Eilat's Liga Bet team to attract talent, mentioning the hiring and subsequent replacement of coaches Kobi Refua and Ofer Fabian.
Dudu Va'aturi explained his return to football after a 20-year hiatus, reignited by their Eilat project. He felt Rishon LeZion was a "huge club" and an opportunity he couldn't pass up, emphasizing their desire to lead and influence rather than just provide financial backing.
Initially, the Va'aturis plan to spend six months learning the intricacies of managing Hapoel Rishon LeZion before potentially taking full ownership, for which they have an agreed-upon framework. They have committed 650,000 shekels for the current season, with additional funds allocated for player signings like Mohamed Hindi. Their immediate goal for Rishon LeZion is promotion this season "at all costs."
Natalie Va'aturi clarified their active role, stating they are signatories and influencers, working in partnership with Rishon LeZion's management, including Eli Senior. She dismissed comparisons to other prominent club owners, expressing a long-term commitment to football.
Dudu also addressed the potential addition of his brother, Ran Va'aturi, a player in the National League, to the Rishon LeZion squad, contingent on his current club's release. He expressed equal importance for both clubs, likening it to choosing between parents, while Natalie described their Rishon LeZion contract as an "adoption agreement," distinct from their Eilat arrangement.
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