Maccabi Haifa Seeks New Coach; Eyal Berkovich Willing to Take the Job
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Former Maccabi Haifa star Eyal Berkovich declared his willingness to coach the struggling team if offered the position. He also criticized club management and suggested Barak Itzhaki as a potential coach, while strongly opposing the idea of hiring an Irish coach. Berkovich also named other Israeli coaches as viable options for the club.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Eyal Berkovich stated he would accept the Maccabi Haifa coaching job if offered.
- Berkovich criticized current management and former coach Barak Bakhar.
- He suggested Beitar Jerusalem coach Barak Itzhaki as a suitable candidate.
- Berkovich strongly opposed hiring Northern Irish coach Rory Higgins.
- Other Israeli coaches like Marco Balbul were also mentioned as options.
Maccabi Haifa is actively searching for a new coach to steer the team out of its current professional crisis. Former star player Eyal Berkovich has expressed his readiness to accept the position if offered, stating in a podcast that he would not refuse an offer from the club. Berkovich, considered one of the club's greatest players, believes he can only improve the team's situation.
Berkovich also criticized the club's recent management, suggesting that a significant change, including parting ways with former coach Barak Bakhar, should have occurred last summer. He also pointed fingers at professional manager Lior Refaelov, holding him partly responsible for the team's struggles and advising him against taking a coaching role on the sidelines.
While open to coaching himself, Berkovich proposed Barak Itzhaki, the current coach of Beitar Jerusalem, as a suitable candidate. He suggested that Maccabi Haifa owner Yaakov Shahar could easily recruit Itzhaki.
Berkovich strongly opposed the potential appointment of Northern Irish coach Rory Higgins, citing the strained relations between Israel and Ireland. He deemed the idea of hiring an Irish coach a "scandal" given recent events.
In addition to Itzhaki, Berkovich mentioned other Israeli coaches he believes could lead Maccabi Haifa, including Omer Peretz, Sharon Mimer, and Marco Balbul, whom he described as the most logical and calm choice due to his past success in pulling the team out of difficult situations.
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