Just bring the Haifa derby Israel today

20 years of waiting will come to an end tonight when Maccabi and Hapoel Haifa meet for the first time in the Premier League for the municipal battle • "If it was possible to bring in an audience, Romema would be blown up," says Reds coach Elad Hussein.

• Elad Hussein.

  "Hapoel Haifa has been revived"

  Photography: 

  Maor Alexelsi

For the first time in 20 years, tonight the Haifa Derby in the Basketball Premier League will be held.

"If it was possible to bring in an audience, the hall in Romema would have been blown up, 5,000 spectators," says Hapoel Haifa coach Elad Hussein, who will conduct one of the most exciting derby games this season without the most important backdrop - the fans in the stands.

In the 18/19 season, the two Haifaites met in the national league and shared the seasonal balance (1: 1).

At the end of that season, Maccabi Haifa returned to the Premier League, and the Reds also joined in the current one, which in fact allows the historic derby to take place tonight in the senior league.

The newcomer is in a much better position, although she is also in retreat with three losses in the last four games.

The Greens will arrive in an incomplete foreign situation - although Tyler Baron is scheduled to make his debut (replacing the injured Chris Duo), Devon Jefferson will be absent.

The two coaches promoted the teams from the national team and stayed with them in the senior league as well.

Daniel Savannah was the first with Maccabi Haifa and Elad Hussein did so last season.

And in both the increase was not standard.

Savannah was appointed to the position only in the playoffs of the season in the second division.

Hussein rose despite the National League being suspended last season due to the Corona.

"An injured animal is always dangerous"

Hussein started his third season at the club, and each season he met the goals.

First he left the team in the league (arrived in the middle of the season), in his second season he swept it to the Premier League, and this season he is on his way to the third goal - hitting a stake in the first league.

Whoever is supposed to help him with this task is Tyler Rochesti, the new acquisition.

In contrast, Daniel Savannah in a very bad season.

Haifa in last place with one win and minus 146 in the basket difference.

The Greens suffered four defeats of 27 points or more - the last from the opponent for the Bnei Herzliya underground battles last Thursday.

Despite the fall his status remained stable, which would not be possible to say if he lost in the derby.

Elad, it seems that Maccabi is coming to the evening derby at a bad time.

"Every team has less good times. We do not underestimate, certainly not in a team with great players and a lot of experience like Donta Smith and Avi Ben Shimol. They will not come to give us the game. They have respect and pride. An injured animal is always dangerous."

Hapoel Haifa not only wants to return to the forefront of Israeli basketball, but also to change the hegemony in the city's basketball industry.

She has built a good and balanced team, it has players with experience and Rochesti will be the bonus.

"Goods is the Statue of Liberty"

Elad Hussein was an assistant coach at Olympicos with Yannis Sapropoulos under head coach Pini Gershon.

As the coach of Hapoel Holon, he brought in Will Claiborne and opened the way for him to a great career, and maybe Keenan Evans, who came to Haifa from the Bosnian league, will continue to the high levels.

The one who was one of the main bridesmaids when he arrived at Hapoel Haifa is Guy Goodes, originally from Haifa, a great symbol of Hapoel Haifa and a close friend of Hussein.

"Guy Goodes is the Statue of Liberty for Hapoel Haifa," says the coach.

Hussein is a Jerusalemite who lives in Givatayim, but for the past decade he has been "half Haifa."

He was on both sides.

Between 2009 and 2011 he spent almost three seasons as an assistant and coach of Maccabi Haifa and is currently on the red side in his third season.

"I was connected to the city. I am originally from Jerusalem, and Haifa reminds me of Jerusalem in a mentality, in the encounter of different cultures. From the first moment I felt good here. Haifa is a city of sports. .

Tonight's historic derby is a significant event in the process of Hapoel Haifa returning to the forefront of Israeli basketball.

"This is an event that has been waiting for quite a few years, and it is a pity it will be without the crowd. My hope is that the next derby will already be with full stands," says Hussein, adding, "We are constantly in touch with the crowd "In general, a basketball derby is a rare event. Think how many years there has not been a non-Tel Aviv derby."