Maccabi Tel Aviv Coach Criticizes Players for Soft Performance in Toto Cup Final Loss

Maccabi Tel Aviv is recovering from a painful 3-2 defeat to Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Toto Cup final. Following the match, coach Kenny Miller admonished his players, stating, "Under no circumstances should we arrive soft for such a game. You were soft in the derby, a game for a title, this cannot happen. We have many more goals, we must look forward."

The disappointment within the club is immense, as it's widely acknowledged that the scoreline was deceptive and Hapoel Tel Aviv dominated most of the game. One player commented, "We weren't aggressive, we weren't first to every ball. We lost every tackle, it's very worrying. We had to look different." The issue is not the players' ability but Maccabi Tel Aviv's short squad, exacerbated by injuries to Tyris Asante and Noam Ben Harush. Players like Ido Shahar, Itamar Noy, and Dan Glazer are reportedly not being utilized effectively, while Hicham Laayos plays sparingly. Coach Miller is effectively working with only 12 or 13 outfield players. Mohamed Ali Camara, for instance, showed defensive weaknesses, yet Itai Ben Hamo is not given a chance in his place.

If Miller lacks confidence in the shrinking squad, Maccabi Tel Aviv will need to acquire a new foreign or Israeli striker, a defender, and a midfielder in January. Christian Blic is expected to return after the November international break, which will provide a significant boost.

Beyond the outfield players, the goalkeeping situation is also a concern. Ofek Malika is in a poor run of form and appears to have lost confidence. Roi Meshpati, a former starting goalkeeper, is available and could help, but there's no indication Miller plans to make a change. Apart from Dor Peretz, no other player stood out positively for the cup holders. Miller's management suggests he feels he has no viable options from the bench. Professional manager Steven Vaharn must address this with the coach and also evaluate the current squad's quality, which is undeniably insufficient.

Points: - Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Kenny Miller criticized his players for a "soft" performance in the Toto Cup final loss. - The team lost 3-2 to Hapoel Tel Aviv, with Hapoel dominating most of the match. - Players expressed concern over a lack of aggression and losing tackles. - The club's short squad, due to injuries and lack of utilization, is a major concern. - Maccabi Tel Aviv may need to sign new players in January to strengthen the squad. - Goalkeeper Ofek Malika is reportedly struggling with confidence.

Topic: Security Israel Relevant: true Significance: 3 Significance Reason: The story concerns a major Israeli football club and its performance in a cup final, reflecting on team strategy and player management. Story Type: report Framing: {"subject": "הייתם רכים", "verb": "criticized", "actor": "Kenny Miller"} Claims: [] Entities: {"people": ["Kenny Miller", "Ido Shahar", "Itamar Noy", "Dan Glazer", "Hicham Laayos", "Tyris Asante", "Noam Ben Harush", "Mohamed Ali Camara", "Itai Ben Hamo", "Christian Blic", "Ofek Malika", "Roi Meshpati", "Dor Peretz", "Steven Vaharn"], "organizations": ["Maccabi Tel Aviv", "Hapoel Tel Aviv"], "places": ["Tel Aviv"]}