Financial Year
by Amir Ragporker

11.09.2002,
Hapoel Petach Tikva is another historic team in Israel. They took 6 Championships and also made a record not broken yet of 5 strait Championships in a row.
But yet again the birds in Petach Tikva don't sing anymore due to very poor cash trouble. Because of the offal situation Hapoel sent their star Michael Zandberg to Maccabi Haifa, and now Moti Kakon another star is set to go to one of the biggest teams in Israel. Meanwhile the striker is still Petach Tikva's player and might help them to be successful this year. Hapoel signed former coach Nir Levin that was also former player of the team. He used to play at Gent in Belgium. Levin last job was in Maccabi Tel Aviv where he took 2 cups. In the past ten years Hapoel Petach Tikva brought some good names to Israeli football. Alon Hazan, Edu Keissi, Ofir Kopel, Eli Abarbanel and Manor Hasan, but they didn’t get higher then the second place. Their last trophy was back in 91/92 season when they took the Israeli cup with a 3-1 won against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the final.

once the star always the star, Moti Kakon.

Nir Levin really knows that his team could struggle this year. Even in the goalkeeper position Levin don’t have big names. Eyal Abramov is the first keeper but he will have a fight on his place against both Rafi Cohen and Anan Fero. Cohen was once the best keeper in Israel with no doubt but this 3-4 year where a continuing disaster for him. Anan Fero came to Hapoel after nice year at Hapoel Haifa.
Back at defense hapoel Petach Tikva signed some new names. Hose Mari Pas the Argentine should be the main defender. Avi Yehiel the young will be his comrade in the center of defense. Alon Maia and Erez Eliav will compete on the right side of defense while Abed Rabah the new Israeli international will be in charge of the left side. Dodo Ratzbi is another fine player at the defense. Eran Cohen will be Rabah substitute as the left back. Eliran Elkayam is a good player that usually plays at the center of defense. Ami Rozenfeld, Akosta and Gal Cohen will finished the squad at the back.
At the midfield Hapoel has some fine players. Yossi Rozen seems to be the most talented player. Yossi recently was invited to the Israeli national team and plays at defensive midfielder. Guy Shamir is another good player of the defensive midfield. De Souze the new sign of Petach Tikva need to be a better player then his former colleague who didn’t spark. Yaniv Lozon might crack this season, after years where he set on the bench. Yossi Shivhon is fine player who still sits on the bench this season. Shadi Zbidat may find himself once again on the bench too much this season like is friends Dan Broklin and Shlomi Edri.

The strikers of Hapoel Petach Tikva seem to be the best players in the team. Moti Kakon without any doubt is the best player in the team. Kakon played in Merida back in Spain but didn’t made his affect on the Spanish club. Kakon almost want to bigger team this season due to Petach Tikva's problems but at the end stayed at the team where he played all his career. Kakon also took the Golden Boot in Israel several times. This year he has quality player near him, Stanislav Dovrovin. Former Maccabi Kiriat Gat star moved this summer to Hapoel Petach Tikva. Stanislav Dovrovin knows he got to deliver some goals this year and with some luck, Kakon and Dovrovin can be the best striking force in Israel. On the bench sits unhappy Niv Tal. The striker who was transferred from Hapoel Kfar Saba few seasons ago is not happy because were sidelined too many times, even if he was in a good ability.

So with this squad Nir Levin need do be a mid teable team. Nir knows he has some problems back in the defense. Pas give some poor defensive games. In the toto cup both Pas and Avi Yehiel played and had to see 9 goal in there on net in 2 matches! The lost 5-0 to Maccabi Haifa was too much to take but due to the economic problems Levin couldn’t buy some intensification to his defense. It looks like his offensive midfield also weakened because Michael Zandberg and Anesh Demirovic left the club. So Levin will have to trust him strikers to do all the work and score all goals.

Expectations: 3-5 in the league, maybe cup and win the toto cup.
Reality: 6^th- 10^th place and will be out of the cup in the second or 3^rd round. Maybe the toto cup will go to Petach Tikva despite losing 5-0 to Maccabi Haifa.
Player to watch: Yossi Rozen: already a star at the team but yet it seems like he need more to be a mega-star. This year can be his break throw because he is the only star at the midfield and all the eyes will be on him now that Zandberg left.
Possible starting 11: Eyal Abramov; Erez Eliav, Hose Mari Pas, Avi Yehiel, Abed Rabah; Yossi Rozen, Guy Shamir, Yaniv Lozon, De Souze; Stanislav Dovrovin, Moti Kakon.

DiD u Know: Hapoel Petach Tikva was the first Israeli team to play in the Cup winners cup in 92. In the first round they met Feyenoord lost at "the Kaip" 0-1 and won 2-1 at home, but were eliminated due to away goals.

news

 

Hapoel's news