Right now at Hapoel Tel Aviv there's only one thing that's for certain – nothing's for certain
Last season
Hapoel Tel Aviv finished the 2013/14 season with mixed reviews. As one might expect from a club with their reputation, Hapoel did finish in one of the European spots, but only thanks to Ironi Kiryat Shmona, whose State Cup win in addition to their third-place finish bumped fourth place Hapoel up into the European places. Hapoel were also ranked the second most potent attacking force in the league (behind Maccabi Tel Aviv of course) but shipped more goals than in any other season in the last twenty years. However the club's duplicity is perhaps best illustrated by their summer activity in the transfer market. On the one hand they sold off their prize striker Omer Damari to Swiss giants Austria Vienna , on the other they managed to tie down veteran international midfielder and team captain Gili Vermouth for yet another season at the club. Like we said, mixed reviews.
Status quo
Hapoel have three wins, two losses and an injury-time draw against Bnei Sakhnin so far this season, making it difficult to make any pronouncements regarding the direction the club are heading. But after all the prophesies of doom announced in the local press last summer, any results short of catastrophic can be regarded as somewhat of a triumph. The three teams head coach Assi Domb's team have beaten all look inferior on paper at least: Maccabi Netanya, Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Tikva . One loss came at the hands of league leaders Ironi Kiryat Shmona, but the second (a fluke some would say) came against Beitar Jerusalem, a team they hadn't lost to since August 2007.
Head coach: Assi Domb
On paper, Assi Domb looks like having the credentials to take on the managerial role at a big club like Hapoel Tel Aviv. He started at the club as scout for then manager Eli Guttman, now head coach of the Israeli national team. He spent a short time at Hapoel Kfar Saba sharpening his teeth before returning to the club as an assistant to three successive head coaches – Yossi Abukasis, Freddie David and Ran Ben Shimon. Last summer the club decided that Domb's time had come and appointed him head coach at the same time they appointed former West Ham and Celtic player and Israeli international Eyal Berkovic as director of football. But if you think Domb's relative inexperience is the only factor in play tomorrow, think again. Appearing in fifteen Tel Aviv derbies during his playing career, Domb won ten, drew four and lost only one.
Players out:
One of the first decisions made by Eyal Berkovic after his appointment this summer was to hold a clearance sale among his squad. But we're not talking here about the margins. By means of illustration, eight of the team's squad, six starters and two substitutes, who played in the parallel fixture last year (which Maccabi deservedly won 2-3) left the club last summer: In addition to the abovementioned Omer Damar also Boris Kleiman, Orel Dagani, Salim Tuama, Shimon Harush, Brian Grazicic, Petar Orlandic and Besart Abdurahimi. In addition to those eight, midfielder Ro'i Gordana left for Hapoel Beer Sheva, where he's already scored three goals this season, defender Uri Cohen went out on loan to Hapoel Acre and defender Ze'ev Haimovich has already scored for Beitar Jerusalem against his old club at Bloomfield Stadium. Two players, Nir Lekes and Ran Yitzhak, now ply their trade in the second division and Serbian defender Branko Ilic has already appeared three times for Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League after returning to his homeland this summer.
Players in:
After unexpectedly drawn out negotiations, defender Sari Falah and striker Shoval Gozlan were both brought in from Maccabi Haifa, the latter on loan. Two Nigerians, midfielder Harmony Ikande and defender Francis Benjamin, were brought in from Ukrainian side FC Hoverla Uzhhorod and the Nigerian Heartland F.C. respectively. Striker Shlomi Azulay arrived from Beitar Jerusalem, midfielder Moshe Ohayon from Greek side Anorthosis Famagusta and keeper Tom Almadon gave up his place on the bench at Bnei Yehuda to warm up a similar position at Hapoel Tel Aviv. Hapoel also resolved to strengthen their squad through their academy, calling up young and potentially talented players like midfielder Philip Abu Manneh, defender Obeida Khateb (brought back from loan), midfielder Aviv Dado, midfielder Ariel Lazmi and Omer Peretz.
Player to look out for: Shoval Gozlan
After three years of vacillating between Maccabi Haifa's senior and Under-19 squad, young striker Shoval Gozlan has finally got a foothold in the Israeli Premier League. Last year he scored 6 goals in 25 appearances, a year after scoring an unbelievable 28 goals in his last year in the national Under-19 Premier league. This season he's already scored against Hapoel Haifa in the league and one more in the League Cup. With a good mind for the run of play, good positioning in the area and a master play-maker like Gili Vermouth at his back, Gozlan is a natural for being number one on the receiving end of the Hapoel attack.
