Shimon Hadari Returns to Save Ironi Tiberias Amid Club Turmoil

Four years after helping build Ironi Tiberias and leading it to the National League, Shimon Hadari is back as the club's new owners' representative during a turbulent summer. Hadari, who has extensive experience as a head coach and professional manager in the Israeli Premier League and worked alongside Shino Zuaretz in football administration, aims to stabilize the club amid ongoing crises. He emphasized his role is to bring calm and assist both professionally and managerially to help the club survive in the top division.

Hadari recounted his previous tenure starting in 2021 when he quickly assembled a quality squad that achieved promotion with a 13-point lead. Despite initial success, he replaced the head coach mid-season to address internal issues. He stressed the need to reduce emotional reactions within the club and focus on rational management. Hadari highlighted his close relationship with club owner Aryeh Kalmanzon and Zuaretz, dismissing allegations against Zuaretz as irrelevant to the club’s current troubles.

Addressing the doping scandal involving Ironi Tiberias, Hadari clarified that the anti-doping agency did not charge the club itself but targeted specific staff and players. He criticized M.S. Ashdod for instigating the complaint after their relegation and questioned the Israeli Football Association’s decision to punish Tiberias collectively. Hadari is confident the club will remain in the Premier League based on performance on the pitch.

Hadari also discussed coordinating coaching responsibilities between Alon Ziv and Moti Krispil, with Krispil’s experience guiding the team and Ziv managing match-day duties. He stressed the importance of Ironi Tiberias as a peripheral club vital to Israeli football despite its smaller fan base and financial footprint compared to major city teams.

He ruled out returning to coaching, focusing instead on UEFA coaching education and development. Hadari acknowledged past management mistakes at Tiberias but promised to improve the club’s image and operations, including partnerships with Maccabi Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem to loan players. He urged players to be the "oxygen" for Kalmanzon, whose continued investment depends on the team’s results. Despite skepticism, Hadari believes the club’s spirit and determination will help it accumulate points and survive the season, even if point deductions occur.