Hapoel Tel Aviv Coach Under Fire Amid Losing Streak
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Hapoel Tel Aviv's coach Dimitris Itoudis is under pressure following four losses in five games. The team faces Bnei Herzliya on Saturday, with key players like Tomer Ginat and Bar Timor expected to play. Itoudis's decisions in the recent derby, including benching top players, have drawn criticism from fans and insiders. A club source emphasized the need to halt the losing streak to prevent significant damage to their standing in both the league and the EuroLeague.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Tel Aviv coach Dimitris Itoudis faces intense criticism after recent losses.
- The team has lost four of its last five games across competitions.
- Key players like Antonio Blakeney and Zach LeDay were benched in the last derby.
- Fans protested against Itoudis on the team's flight back to Israel.
- A club source stressed the urgent need to end the losing streak.
Hapoel Tel Aviv aims to break a four-game losing streak in their last five matches when they host Bnei Herzliya on Saturday evening at Yad Eliyahu Arena. The team's recent performance has been inconsistent, with their sole success during this period coming in the Israeli Premier League. To prepare for a crucial EuroLeague week featuring games against Baskonia and Paris, Hapoel plans to distribute playing time among players who have seen limited action recently. Players Oz Blezer, Itai Segev, and the player, who remained in Israel and did not participate in the recent derby, will be in the squad for Saturday's game, along with Tomer Ginat and Bar Timor.
Coach Dimitris Itoudis is facing significant criticism from club insiders and fans due to the team's results and his strategic decisions during the last derby. Notably, he chose not to play five players in the second half, including key foreign players Antonio Blakeney and Zach LeDay, as well as Eugene German and Tomer Ginat, who had performed well in the first half. Itoudis reportedly reacted angrily when questioned about these omissions.
The pressure on Itoudis intensified as some fans on the team's flight back to Israel chanted protests against him, an interaction that reportedly displeased the coach and team staff. "Itoudis is not disconnected," stated a source within Hapoel. "He understands the implications of continued losses, and the pressure affects everyone, even a highly experienced coach. We must stop this losing streak immediately to avoid falling too far behind in both the league and the EuroLeague."
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