Hapoel Tel Aviv Faces Internal Strife Amidst Coaching Controversy
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team lost to Maccabi 80-73, falling to a 5-6 EuroLeague record and facing a significant slump. Coach Dimitris Itoudis displayed anger after the game, and internal divisions among the team's owners are growing over his future. Tensions also exist between Chairman and CEO Stav Shaham and Itoudis, with calls for Shaham's removal. The team is also questioning player rotations amidst their struggles.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Tel Aviv lost to Maccabi 80-73, bringing their EuroLeague record to 5-6.
- Coach Dimitris Itoudis expressed anger after the loss, punching a locker room door.
- The team's four owners are divided on whether to continue with Itoudis as coach.
- Owner Ofer Yanai supports Itoudis, while criticizing Chairman Stav Shaham's conduct.
- There is significant tension between Chairman Stav Shaham and coach Itoudis.
- The team has lost its last three EuroLeague games, citing a month-long slump.
Hapoel Tel Aviv suffered an 80-73 loss to Maccabi on Friday, dropping their EuroLeague record to 5-6. The team, coached by Dimitris Itoudis, squandered a 23-point lead in the recent Winner Cup final and again lost a significant advantage in Cyprus against a lower-ranked EuroLeague opponent. Following the latest defeat, Itoudis expressed his frustration by punching a door in the locker room, though he was unharmed. He also threw objects and criticized his players' lack of energy at the game's start.
Sources within the club described a month-long slump, with the team losing its last three EuroLeague games. Criticism is mounting against Itoudis, and the team's four owners are reportedly divided on his future, though owner Ofer Yanai continues to support him. Yanai commented that the chairman and CEO, Stav Shaham, exhibited behavior unbecoming of his position.
There is significant tension between Shaham and Itoudis's staff. Shaham had previously publicly criticized the coach for suggesting EuroLeague teams should play with reserve squads in domestic leagues. Some are now calling for Shaham's removal, with a decision expected soon.
In basketball matters, the team questioned the limited playing time given to players Antonio Blakeney, Zach LeDay, and Tomer Ginat, who played well in his brief appearance but was not utilized in the second half. Hapoel Tel Aviv will now prepare for their next league game against Bnei Herzliya before two away EuroLeague fixtures against Baskonia and Paris.
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