This is not how Hapoel Jerusalem had hoped to open its season under new coach Alexander Dzikic.
After four official games, the team with a single victory in all the frames and in the midst of a streak of three losses, while in the local framework it is still winless.
On the face of it, the Reds knew that building the completely new team would affect the team's ability, mainly due to the fact that the players take time to connect to the coach's method, but they also did not believe that they would get into a problematic situation so quickly.
If in the Israeli league it is still possible to improve throughout the season, then in a factory like the Champions League where there are only a small number of games in the first stage, any loss could change the fate of an entire season, and the meaning of the loss against Ludwigsburg will be discovered by the Reds in a short time.
On paper, the Jerusalemites suffer from structural problems in the squad, which seem much bigger than the lack of connection between the players.
The team distinctly lacks a host on the court and a pure, unrestrained scorer (like Jaylen Adams), who will produce points while everything is stuck.
In Jerusalem, they made sure to emphasize from the moment the work of assembling the team was completed that they believe in the squad, but also give the coach the tools to strengthen the team if he feels the need to do so.
The Reds are now suffering from a phenomenon that characterized the Israeli national team at the beginning of the preparation for the European Championship in the summer.
After the final squad was drawn up, the scheduled practice games were not at a sufficient level, and therefore the structural problems were not discovered in real time but only at the beginning of the season.
Alexander Dzikitz upset, photo: Barney Ardov
"If the decision to give up a training camp and hold high-level preparatory games in the summer seems a little puzzling, now you can clearly see the difference in readiness and results between her and the rest of her rivals for the top who acted differently during the break"
"Scheduling training matches against Eilat and Hapoel Haifa is nice, but with all due respect this is not the measure that Hapoel Jerusalem should strive for. If the decision to forego a training camp and hold high-level preparatory games in the summer seems a little puzzling, now you can clearly see the difference in preparation and results between Hapoel Jerusalem to the rest of its top rivals who acted differently during the break," shares a professional in the league in a conversation with Israel Hayom.
The Reds are expected to actively enter the free agent market in the coming days in hopes of finding reinforcements.
"Jerusalem doesn't need six foreigners if they don't contribute. They need a quick upgrade to the back line and the forward position," a league coach told Israel Hayom.
Aleksandar Džikić was known throughout his career as a coach of adjustments and quick response to the situation.
Only two weeks from the start of the season he got into a difficult situation, and only time will tell how he will get out of it.
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