On the storefronts in Givatayim, photos of numerous abductees, particularly 21-year-old Yonatan Samarno, are displayed. Yonatan, known as "Kubi's son from the animal store," is one of many young individuals who innocently attended a nature party only to find themselves in an unimaginable nightmare. Prior to the Hapoel Tel Aviv basketball team's game in Be'er Sheva, team captain Bar Timor arranged a group photo with Yair, Yonatan's brother and a devoted fan, expressing hope for Yonatan's safe return, along with the other abductees.
At 8:22 p.m., the club shared the touching photo on their Twitter account. However, less than three hours later, Yair's brother Jonathan's death was announced through a Facebook obituary posted by Kobi. In retrospect, that photo with the team players became their farewell to Yair's brother. How does this tragic story relate to the first full cycle of the Premier League since the war began?
Similar to the challenging days of the pandemic, Erez Kalfon and the league management faced a difficult decision in October and November 2023 - when and how should they restart? Unlike the European leagues that continued, our league remained closed. Initially, UEFA granted us a respite, but postponing indefinitely was no longer possible. Thus, the management had to overcome numerous obstacles and discussions to establish a agreed-upon date and pave the way for the return.
שחקני הקבוצה עלו היום עם חולצות עם תמונתו של יונתן סמרנו שנחטף לעזה ב-7.10.בסיום המשחק, קפטן הקבוצה, בר טימור, ארגן תמונה קבוצתית עם אחיו של יונתן, אוהד הקבוצה, יאיר סמרנו.אנו חוזרים וקוראים - תחזירו אותם הביתה עכשיו, את כולם. pic.twitter.com/ze5dNQKdDL
— Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) December 3, 2023
It was a complex situation, not only due to the teams involved but also in consideration of the fans' commitment. A return without spectators may have seemed like a favor to those who purchased subscriptions and tickets, as they add vibrancy to a product that can sometimes lack luster. In retrospect, this decision proved to be correct - football without an audience is a somber affair.
However, the reason behind this correctness is not economic, professional, or logical. Shortly after the heartwarming photo of Yair Samrano with the Hapoel Tel Aviv players was taken, some unruly individuals in the stands desecrated the memory of police officers who lost their lives in the October 7th massacre, in front of their grieving families.
This act was despicable and far worse than any player refusing to touch a sign for the return of the abducted individuals. It highlighted that we are currently not ready to have spectators in the stands. With a country that is wounded and suffering in every possible sense, we are not yet strong enough to endure such abominations - it is still too early.
We need a few more weeks without ultras' clashes, street fights, blame exchanges, calls for violence, and people being injured and occupying valuable hospital beds. Thus, through that disturbing incident, it became clear that Kalfon's decision was ultimately right, even if unintentional. The show must go on, but we still need some time to dispel the illusion that something has changed significantly here.
Yesterday, Maccabi Haifa came dangerously close to putting their season in jeopardy. Both on and off the field, everything seems to be working against them at the moment. The game against Hapoel Be'er Sheva, initially meant to be a celebration of football, turned out to be a lackluster affair. The sign controversy has overshadowed other matters, and the anticipated separation from Media Saba looms in the air. Professionally, the team was already struggling before the war, and things haven't improved since. The draw last night was devastating. However, Charon Sherry, Lior Rafalov, and Dean David stepped in and revived their hopes.
Meanwhile, it is evident that Be'er Sheva is not faring well. The team's composition is questionable, and the departures of Ramzi Spuri and Gab Yehezkel to Turkey have significantly hindered their chances of mounting a serious challenge.
Eliniv Barda's players possessed the ball only 38 percent of the time, had only two shots on target, and generally seemed more interested in disrupting the opposition than playing football. The scars from their 6-1 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in a seemingly insignificant match before the season started are still visible. This team appears fearful, afraid of making mistakes, conceding goals, and lacking a true desire to score.
Maccabi Haifa came dangerously close to jeopardizing their season yesterday, as they were just two minutes away from a devastating loss. Both on and off the pitch, everything seems to be working against them right now. The match against Hapoel Be'er Sheva, which was supposed to be a celebration of football, turned out to be lackluster and weary. The ongoing sign dispute has dominated the headlines, and the anticipated departure of Media Saba hangs in the balance. Professionally, the team has been faltering even before the conflict, and things haven't improved since. Last night's draw was a devastating blow. However, Charon Sherry, Lior Rafalov, and Dean David stepped up to revive the team's morale.
From a distance, it's clear that Be'er Sheva is struggling. The team's composition was still uncertain, and the departures of Ramzi Spuri and Gab Yehezkel to Turkey dealt a fatal blow to their chances of being serious contenders. Eliniv Barda's players only held possession of the ball 38 percent of the time, had only two shots on target, and seemed more interested in disrupting play rather than playing football. The 6-1 defeat against Maccabi Tel Aviv, although insignificant, left a lasting scar even before the season began. The team appears to be playing with fear, afraid of making mistakes, conceding goals, and showing little desire to score.
On the other hand, Maccabi Tel Aviv has managed to navigate through the long break relatively unscathed, even benefiting from it. The team has successfully achieved several goals: qualifying for the conference knockout stage, keeping the squad intact (with the exception of the fitness coach, Andy Liddle), and overcoming the obstacle of Robbie Keane's reluctance to express support for Israel during press conferences. It's true that a heavy workload awaits them, but compared to most other teams in the league, Maccabi Tel Aviv has a deeper roster. Furthermore, nearing the end of the conference's group stage, the team's leadership can distribute their resources more effectively.
Despite the lackluster atmosphere at Teddy Stadium, this victory may prove to be defining in retrospect. Last season, Maccabi Tel Aviv encountered similar difficulties against multiple teams, including Hapoel Jerusalem, and often failed to rise to the challenge. They only recorded their first comeback in the playoffs. This time, they accomplished it in the sixth round of the season. However, it would be an understatement to say that their performance has been unimpressive.
All eyes and hopes in Maccabi Tel Aviv are now focused on the Turgeman generation. Dor Turgeman, the star of Israeli football last summer, has rapidly progressed in the national teams, although he has struggled to find his place in the Maccabi Tel Aviv squad. Now, it's Turgeman's time to prove himself. Whenever he is in the starting lineup, even if not necessarily in his preferred position, he must exhibit the same killer instinct that we witnessed in June and July. While it is common to preach patience and speak of the long term, Maccabi Tel Aviv has had enough talented players over the years who failed to deliver and saw their value diminish.
Every opportunity must be seized, and advantages should be capitalized upon. In the previous cycle, around September, Turgeman came on as a substitute against Hapoel Petah Tikva and immediately scored the winning goal. The same must happen in the upcoming derby. He has been scoring, but it hasn't made a significant difference yet. Turgeman's mission is to be the tiebreaker for Maccabi Tel Aviv in any way possible, preferably as the key player.
In Beitar Jerusalem, as with Beitar Jerusalem, bad things can lead to good things and vice versa. This club has the unpredictability of a domestic cat, the least predictable creature in the wild. Last season's opening defeats eventually led to cup success, but the turmoil between fans and the club president resulted in a four-point deficit at the beginning of this season. It's truly an unpredictable madhouse.
The problem is that Barak Abramov tries to act according to this (lack of) logic. It suits him to do what he did in Bnei Yehuda - invest a minimum of money, rely on the magic of Yossi Abouxis and exit the season safely, maybe even steal some kind of title. For Beitar's owner, 2022/23 is a model for success, not a coincidence. It's too risky a gamble. Betar does not have the privilege of betting every season on its future in the league. It cannot afford to start every year with defeats and losses and expect the business to work, certainly not in the season in which it started with minus four. It closed this gap quickly with the victories in Ashdod and Hadera, but Then came three consecutive losses, the most painful of which was the home defeat to Hapoel Tel Aviv.
When you own a football team, the advisors closest to you determine what you will look like. In Abramov's case, he probably doesn't listen and continues the old way, the one where he is everything, I'm right and everyone else is wrong. No It's just that he has a significant part in the fact that the team's roster is bad, he managed to create a big rift with the players during the war break, and created a situation where already in the sixth cycle some simply want this season to end.
Technically, Beitar's start, six points out of a possible 18, is better than the single win and six losses last year, but after the dust has cleared and the cup hangover subsides, you can smell the danger again. Over the years, Beitar in general and Abramov in particular have a tendency to think that everything will work out , simply because things are working out. This is a very dangerous path. In the next two games, Beitar has a Jerusalem derby and a meeting with Maccabi Haifa. The derby is the story - a victory, and you can breathe a little. A loss, and maybe Abramov will start throwing Abuxis to the grill and explain that, as far as he's concerned, he did everything right.