Beitar Jerusalem Stars Complained of Grueling Training After Humiliating Loss

Beitar Jerusalem players have reportedly complained about intense physical training following their embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Maccabi Netanya in their opening match of the Israeli Premier League season. The team's performance has drawn significant concern from former players and analysts.

Eli Ohana, speaking on the sports program "Yatzi HaItunot" (The Press Box), expressed deep worry over the team's trend of poor results, which began in the Toto Cup and continued through European competitions before the league opener. Ohana suggested that some players may have entered the match with overconfidence, expecting an easy win against Netanya. He hopes that coach Almog Cohen can restore balance to the team, emphasizing the need for stronger defense and more aggressive midfielders, and cautioned against overly complex build-up play.

Ohana also addressed the limited playing time for player Yarden Shua, who is reportedly recovering from an injury and has been training hard. He stated that players returning from injury should not expect immediate starts, regardless of their status, and that Shua was given a reasonable 20-25 minutes to ease back into play.

Nir Klinger, another analyst on the show, questioned Cohen's tactical decisions, specifically the decision to move Almog Cohen from the sidelines and the apparent sidelining of Barak Itzhaki. Klinger also pointed to a lack of a defensive midfielder and suggested that Weissman is not providing adequate support at the striker position. He argued that the team's strong defense was exposed due to the weak midfield, and that Shua, whom he considers a leader, should be on the field to elevate the team from mediocrity.