Maccabi Netanya returned to the Israeli top flight this past summer And So far their concerned, it's for good
Last season
After having spent less than a year in Israel's second-division "Liga Haleumit", Maccabi Netanya last season ensured their return to the top flight with six matches to spare. Head coach Yossi Mizrachi's team completely dominated the second tier from the start and after capturing the top spot in matchweek 2, they never looked back. Their attacking front, consisting of veteran striker Idan Shriki, Nigerian forward Olarenwaju Kayode and Ido Eksbard, who began his career at the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth academy, scored a deadly 31 goals between them, but it was another Maccabi Tel Aviv ex, Eran Levy, who led the pack with 14 goals and 11 assists. Their top-flight credentials were further established by reaching last year's prestigious State Cup finals, where they lost to Ironi Kiryat Shmona.
Status Quo
As befits a club with a long history, an impressive following and a brand new stadium, Maccabi Netanya opened the season with high expectations. Their impressive run in the second tier only added to their confidence, but one point from their first four top-flight outings while conceding ten goals in the process quickly brought matters back into proportion. In the following three contests however they quickly emerged from their role as underdogs by snatching seven points from a possible nine. Idan Shriki began scoring again and his timing was spot on, netting the winner against Bnei Sakhnin deep into injury time. Olarenwaju Kayode salvaged his club a point against high-flyers Beitar Jerusalem and added a brace and an assist in their last outing against Hapoel Petach Tikva.
Head coach: Yossi Mizrachi
It may seem like he's been there forever, but Yossi Mizrachi took on the mantle of head coach at Maccabi Netanya only last season. The Israeli Premier League's senior serving head coach has previously served three terms at Ashdod FC and two at both Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Petach Tikva. He also saw brief service at Hapoel Jerusalem in the 90's and at Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2010, as well as a season-long sally to the Cypriot coast as manager of Apollon Limassol in 2007. At the start of the new millennium he joined veteran Israeli manager Avram Grant at the Israeli national team but failed to advance them to the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal. He signed for Maccabi Netanya in the summer of 2013 and 31 games later had led them back to their natural place in the Israeli Premier League.
Players out:
The big story at the club last summer concerned Brazilian midfielder Dudu Cearense, who began as a signing, then as a departure, then as a signing again, only to come to occupy a category all his own. It was he who was meant to lift the club from an excellent second-division outfit to a good top-flight club, but a nagging injury in combination with a contractual dispute kept the experienced Brazilian off the club roster. In addition to Cearense, Maccabi Netanya saw five of their players return to the second division: The earlier mentioned Ido Eksbard and Congolese defender Savity Lipenia to Maccabi Ahi Nazareth, defender Adir Tubul and midfielder Lior Jan to Maccabi Yavne and midfielder Adi Sofer to Hapoel Jerusalem. Midfielder Kobi Hassan took that one step farther, joining third division side Hapoel Marmorek. But not all the outgoing traffic was downward: Surinamese defender Touvarno Pinas joined current league leaders Ironi Kiryat Shmona and in a move surrounded by controversy, veteran keeper Ohad Levita went out on loan to Maccabi Haifa.
Players in:
The controversy surrounding Ohad Levita began last summer with the club's securing the services of Israel international Ariel Harush, released by Beitar Jerusalem to look for a new home. Levita was understandably upset with the move and the affair dragged on until it reached the status of a media favourite. But the arrival of Harush proved to be just part of a defensive overhaul at the club. Cristian Sarghi was brought in from Romanian side Otelul Galati at central defence, while fullbacks Omri Kende and Shimon Harush (from Hapoel Tel Aviv) joined Beitar Tubruk youth back Eyad Abu Abaid and young defensive midfielder Anas Dabour (from Ahi Nazareth) to beef up the side's defending capabilities. Yet more defending prowess comes in the form of Oded Gavish, recently released by Polish side Slask Wroclaw. Going forward a second player was acquired from Otelul Galati, the midfielder Gabriel Giurgiu, where he is joined by the Brazilian Romario Pires, who was credited with an assist against Hapoel Petach Tikva. In attack the club added Amit Ben Shoshan, who spent last season at Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta, Or Baruch, last year on loan at Bnei Yehuda, and former Maccabi Petach Tikva striker Dia Saba.
Player to look out for: Olarenwaju Kayode
While quite naturally veteran Eran Levy has been getting much of the attention at Maccabi Netanya this term, his success is due in no small part to the tireless efforts up front of the Nigerian forward Olarenwaju (Larry) Kayode. At the club since last October, he quickly became one of the club's favourite sons. His impressive speed resulted last year in his scoring ten goals in the league and one more to lift his side into the finals of the prestigious State Cup. He missed his club's first league tie this season due to suspension but since then has missed just five minutes of league play and has racked up four goals and one assist in six outings.
