No matter what the result of tonight's game (20:30) in the Tel Aviv derby - whether Hapoel wins after eight years or not, Maccabi's big goal this summer is to build a deep and quality staff, with one of the emphases being on the bench players.
This season emphasized how important a team of the size of Maccabi, which is also competing in Europe, has a deep staff.
The main reason for this is the competition.
Once a player does not have one for a place in the squad, he can afford to fake.
Stipa Fritza, for example, did not have a worthy replacement on the bench, because Osama Khalayla was not counted, and only the arrival of Georgia Juvanovic created a kind of competition, even though they usually play together.
"When Vladimir Ivitch was here, everyone knew that whoever was not good - the story was over," they said around the club. "When Chico Opuado was not good, Itai Schechter replaced him. "Or Yonatan Cohen did not function, it was Nick Blackman or Elon Almog. We must bring back the competition that was here."
So this year Geralds was not good, but for some reason Kandil did not get opportunities to replace him.
Brandley Kubas was considered a "fall," but Matan Hozaz or Almog failed to grab his slot.
Only Tal Ben-Haim succeeded at times, and that was before coach Mladen Krastić tried to make him a defender.
And this is just one example of many kinds.
Vladimir Ivitch, Photo: Berni Ardov
Some data: Almog made 16 league appearances this season, but did not find the net at all.
Avi Rikan, an offensive midfielder, played 18 times in the league and scored a lone goal.
Striker Khalayla scored just two goals in 14 appearances.
Hozaz has scored only twice in 19 appearances.
Eyal Golsa recorded 20 games, nine of which came off the bench - and did not find the net.
Defensive players, who are not measured in goals, have partnered too little, so you can not expect them to be as productive as McDonald who recorded just two appearances, or Mashhar Phiben who made eight appearances.
The conclusion is clear: apart from the need to bring in senior players, Maccabi also needs players who can get off the bench and provide numbers, but mostly who will influence and be a real competition for other players on the team shirt, especially if they want to maintain hegemony in the city and return the championship to Kiryat Shalom.
The fans are insane
About 200 Maccabi Tel Aviv fans came to the concluding training session, cheered, lit smoke grenades and drove the players crazy. Israelov will replace the dismissed Eddie Gottlieb.
Were we wrong?
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