Kobi Refua Builds Promising Bnei Eilat Project After Heated Confrontation with Owner

Kobi Refua, a former prominent striker and current coach, is leading an ambitious project as the professional manager of Bnei Eilat. The club is assembling a strong squad with notable signings such as Gil Itzhak, Gidi Kanyuk, Ofek Fishler, and Ben Yehzkel, all with experience in Israel's top leagues. Refua has previously coached teams like Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Yehuda.

Recently, Refua was at the center of controversy following a clip from the documentary series "Queen of the Neighborhood," aired on Kan 11. The footage showed Bnei Yehuda owner Eliran Oved entering the locker room during halftime of a match against Hapoel Tel Aviv, where Bnei Yehuda was trailing 4-0. Oved shouted harshly at Refua, accusing him of embarrassing the club and criticizing the team's performance in unprecedented terms.

Refua expressed that the incident deeply affected him, stating, "I have worked with many owners in Israeli football, some very impulsive, but I was never treated like this." Despite the provocation, he chose not to leave the locker room mid-game, focusing instead on preparing the team for the second half. He added that the experience was unpleasant both at the moment and after the documentary aired.

Currently, Refua is focused on his role at Bnei Eilat, where he earns a salary of 400,000 shekels per season under a three-year contract. Although the club competes in Liga Bet, Refua sees great potential and motivation within the team and its management, acknowledging the realities of the Israeli Premier League today and his drive to succeed.