Maccabi Haifa Faces Crucial Decision in Search for New Coach
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Maccabi Haifa is seeking a new coach after Barak Bakhar's resignation, a decision that could determine Lior Refaelov's future with the club. The team is struggling to find a suitable candidate, balancing reluctance to approach contracted coaches with a lack of consensus on free agents. The club views this as a pivotal moment that could alter their trajectory and end a long trophy drought.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Maccabi Haifa seeks a new coach after Barak Bakhar's resignation, impacting Lior Refaelov's future.
- The club is hesitant to approach coaches under contract or free agents without consensus.
- Rory Higgins claims contact, while Eduard Iordanescu's camp confirms a conversation.
- Omer Peretz and Barak Itzhaki are also reportedly considered for the coaching role.
- A Maccabi Haifa source called the coaching decision "one of the most important in the club's history."
Maccabi Haifa is in a complex situation as they search for a replacement for coach Barak Bakhar, who resigned following a loss to Maccabi Netanya. The club is facing a critical decision regarding their next coach, which could significantly impact the future of Lior Refaelov, who has not met expectations in his professional role since being appointed. Refaelov initially favored a foreign coaching staff, but the tenure of Diego Flores was deemed a failure, and his work with Bakhar was also not particularly successful.
The team is hesitant to approach coaches currently under contract, while there is no consensus on a free agent coach. Northern Irish coach Rory Higgins claims he was contacted, though Maccabi Haifa has denied this. Sources close to Eduard Iordanescu confirmed a conversation took place. Other names being considered include Omer Peretz, coach of Hapoel Petah Tikva, and Barak Itzhaki, coach of Anorthosis Famagusta, but this conflicts with the club's reluctance to approach coaches with existing contracts.
A source within Maccabi Haifa described the upcoming decision as "one of the most important in the club's history," emphasizing that a successful coaching hire could change the team's momentum. The club aims to avoid a return to its "dark decade" and hopes to end its trophy drought sooner rather than later, with the coming days being crucial.
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