Modi'in Keeps Searching for a Coach as Guy Tzarfati Waits on Ashdod

After narrowly surviving relegation, Ironi Modi'in has begun preparing for next season in the National League, but the coaching position remains unresolved. The club has already made several administrative appointments, naming Herzl Nesimi as chairman, Tal Moalem as CEO, and keeping Shai Maor as sporting director.

The leading candidate to take over is Eran Sasi, who recently coached Hapoel Kfar Shalem in the final rounds of the season. However, he was not the first choice. Michael Zandberg turned the club down because he prefers to coach Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth team, after Shahar Weisinger signed with Hapoel Kfar Saba.

Guy Tzarfati was the second option, but he asked for a salary well beyond Modi'in's budget and is still waiting for a response from M.S. Ashdod. The report says that if Tzarfati lowers his financial demands and wants the job, he could still enter the picture. Other names considered were Niso Avitan, Itamar Nitzan and Elad Gabay.

Once a coach is appointed, the club's first task will be signing a goalkeeper. The main targets are Matan Zalmanovich, formerly of Kiryat Shmona, and Itamar Israeli, who played for Hapoel Ramat Gan. Last season, Maor and coach Erez Benodiz kept Modi'in in the league in the club's historic first year in the National League.