After a turbulent end to last season, Maccabi Petach Tikva now want to avoid any similar drama
Last season
After returning to the Premier League last season, Maccabi Petach Tikva found themselves in the relegation zone as the season was coming to an end. Indeed, on the last day of the season they had to beat Hapoel Haifa, but most of the attention was directed to Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, where it was hoped that fellow relegation strugglers Bnei Yehuda would falter. After 90 dramatic minutes and a goal by Ro'i Dayan in injury time, Maccabi Petach Tikva heard the news of Bnei Yehuda dropping points and celebrated another season in the Premier League.
Coach: Ran Ben Shimon
Coach Ran Ben Shimon, who started his playing career with the Maccabi Petach Tikva Under-19s, has returned to the club that catapulted him into the public's awareness. Two weeks after being sacked last season by Hapoel Tel Aviv, the coach that brought Ironi Kiryat Shmona their unforgettable championship in 2011/12 and spent the following season at AEK Larnaca in Cyprus, signed with Maccabi Petach Tikva for two years. Unlike previous years, Ben Shimon preferred not to conduct interviews as soon as he was appointed and focused on preparing the squad ahead of the upcoming season. He released many of the team's foreign players and brought in American born midfielder Bryan Gerzicich from his old club Hapoel Tel Aviv. Gerzichich has been with him since his tenure at Ironi Kiryat Shmona.
Players out
Staying with the foreign players, in addition to Finnish striker Erfan Zeneli and French midfielder Zito who also left the club, veteran midfielder Pedro Galvan has returned for a second term to Bnei Yehuda, where he spent five years between 2008 and 2013. Maccabi Petach Tikva will struggle to fill that void. The club have also parted ways with their captain and veteran of eight seasons, defender Nitzan Damari, with whom they were unable to settle terms for an extension of his contract. The talented striker Lidor Cohen has moved on to Beitar Jerusalem and other departures include Dia Saba, Victor Mar'i, Elro'i Cohen and goalkeeper Neal Abarbanel.
Players in
Head coach Ran Ben Shimon decided to freshen up his defence of goal and brought in Ittimar Nitzam from Ironi Nir Ramat Hashron to compete for a place with Tzahi Gigi, who remains from last term's squad. At the back Ben Shimon brought in veteran defender Dedi Ben Dayan from Bnei Sakhnin and the Bulgarian Daniel Dimov from Levski Sofia, who now joins Argentinian striker Nicolas Falczuk (who joined this season from Hapoel Beer Sheva) and Bulgarian striker Kostadin Hazurov (who arrived from Belgian side Lierse) as the team's foreign player allowance. Arriving from Maccabi Tel Aviv is defensive midfielder Hasan Abu Zaid and attacking reinforcements came in the form of strikers Guy Melamed, who returned from second division ("Leumit") side Maccabi Herzliya, and Idan Shemesh, who last season scored eleven goals at "Leumit" side Hapoel Katamon.
Look out for Ben Ben Ya'ir
The talented midfielder, who signed a four-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv last summer, will spend this season on loan at Maccabi Petach Tikva after a loan spell at Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon last term. There he started in 21 matches, scored one league goal and assisted with two others. Ben Yair is not expected to be in the squad for Sunday's game, but you will be able to get an impression of his strong left foot and considerable technique starting in matchweek 2.
