Maccabi Haifa Struggles to Recover Under Barak Bachar Amid Poor Preseason Form

Maccabi Haifa is facing a severe crisis in its third consecutive year under coach Barak Bachar, as the team showed a dismal performance in a recent Toto Cup preseason match against Hapoel Kiryat Shmona. Despite the game being a friendly, the 3-0 loss exposed deep tactical and disciplinary issues, with the team unable to apply effective pressure or maintain possession, leading to a humiliating display at the Netanya stadium on July 28, 2026.

The squad, mostly composed of first-team regulars, failed to demonstrate any coherent strategy or momentum, with individual performances notably poor from players like Ali Mohammed and Navot Retner. Retner’s confidence appears diminished following the arrival of Yarin Levi, while Omri Glazer’s errors contributed directly to two goals conceded. New signing Nigel Lonwijk also struggled in his debut, showing vulnerability against Kiryat Shmona’s attackers.

Coach Bachar acknowledged tactical discipline problems post-match, but critics suggest the issue may lie in the tactical approach itself or its implementation. The team’s inability to establish a clear playing style or create scoring opportunities has raised serious concerns about the club’s direction. Questions were also raised about the selection of players such as Itay Ehud and Adam Grimberg, and the early red card by Eitan Azulai.

Despite the poor results, immediate coaching changes seem unlikely, but the pressure on the management and coaching staff is mounting. The article calls for urgent drastic changes, including acquiring a dominant forward and revising the team’s formation and tactics to avoid a disastrous season. The author also questions the decision not to utilize Dolev Haziza, a player known for his contributions, highlighting the club’s summer missteps.

Maccabi Haifa’s current state is described as suffocating, with no clear leadership or vision to reverse the decline. The hope remains that the team will improve in the coming weeks, but the situation demands swift and significant action to salvage the season.