Bnei Sakhnin Prepares for New Season as Coach Yossi Abuksis Reflects on Hapoel Tel Aviv Struggles

Bnei Sakhnin, under new leadership including a new chairman and management, is gearing up for its sixth consecutive season in the Israeli Premier League in 2026/27. Khaled Dookhi has replaced Mohammed Abu Yunis as chairman, while coach Yossi Abuksis remains for his second tenure, having joined the team in February. Abuksis spoke to Sport 5 about rebuilding the squad from scratch, starting preseason with only ten youth players and gradually adding more, expressing hope to sign a striker soon. He emphasized his comfort at the club, citing respect and a good atmosphere, but acknowledged the need for results.

Reflecting on his past, Abuksis expressed pain over his unsuccessful spell at Hapoel Tel Aviv, a club where he deeply wanted to succeed. He recalled leaving for Maccabi Netanya, where the team rose from last place to the upper playoff, contrasting it with Hapoel Tel Aviv’s struggles, saying, "Nothing worked there, it was beyond football."

Chairman Khaled Dookhi acknowledged the heavy responsibility of succeeding Abu Yunis and the skepticism he faced but stressed the importance of taking responsibility and the confidence gained from early audits. Player Maron Gentos added that discussions with fans have been positive, with supporters expected to return and cheer the team.

Bnei Sakhnin’s leadership and squad rebuilding efforts highlight their determination to improve performance in the upcoming season.