View attachment 412523
The season begins then, first competitive match after pre season is the 2nd Qualifying Round of the Europa League, I'll field strong sides for Europa League games, I really want to go as far as I can to improves the clubs stature.
So hopefully I can keep hold of my best players and attract better ones for less wages then they demand now. The wages some players demand from me are ridiculous, an Israeli defender playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv was on a 1k per week contract. He demanded 5k per week no way am I paying that.
Europa League 2nd Qaulifying Round Att 7,791
Pyunik 0 - 4 Maccabi Haifia
Armenian side Pyunik were out classed by my team, I really didnt need to play a full strength team.
I'm not taking any chances though and do not want an upset.
Luke Moore and Winger Micha Laute got 2 goals each.
Europa League 2nd Qaulifying Round Att 25,962
Maccabi Haifia 6 - 0 Pyunik
Similar to the away leg, I still played my best team and destroyed Pyunik. I played my strongest side again as it was the first game in the Sammy Ofer Stadium and there was a record crowd for Haifia, over 25,000 in attendance.
Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round Att 13,124
Maccabi Haifia 3- 2 Jagiellonia
The polish side Jagiellonia are much tougher than Pyunik, it was an end to end game which I could have easy lost. I let a 3-0 goal lead go to 3-2 then hung on with 6 in midfield and 4 at the back for the last 25 minutes.
Winger Verded, Ruben Rayos and Luke Moore got me my goals.
Israeli League Toto Cup Group Stage Att 3737
Maccabi Haifia 2 - 0 Kiryat Shmona
A routine win, with mostly fringe players. Vered and Laute with a goal in each half, Kiryat never looked like scoring.
The attendance was terrible, I guess the fans do not care about this competition so I will reflect that in my team selections for it.
The board have also declared this competition unimportant.
Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round Att 14,537
Jagiellonia 4-5 Maccabi Haifia
What a crazy crazy game this was, 2-2 at half time and then goals did not stop there, Star midfielder Rayos won the game late on with a calmly taken penalty.
Israeli League Toto Cup Group Stage Att 865
Hapoel Ra'anana 1 - 3 Maccabi Haifia
No one in Israel could care less about this trophy, no fans again despite two big teams facing each other. I played a few fringe players and my under 19s, not one first 11 player took part in this game.
Even Hapoel Ra'anana played a weakened side.
All my focus is on the next round of the Europa League
Europa League Play Off Att 15,921
Sigma Olomouc 1 - 1 Maccabi Haifia
A good result, I think we can finish them at home, I set up for this game using my Pragmatism tactic, Rayos got my goal from the spot after 7 minutes. They Eqaulized just before half time.
Second half I brought Moore off for Alberman to stay tight and preserve the result.
last 20 minutes I played Contain/Very rigid, with instructions set to Drop Deeper, stand off opponents and be more disciplined.
Israel Premier League Att 12,541
Maccabi Haifia 2 - 1 SC Ashdod
A winning start, not a great performance I attacked from the off, but kept missing all my shots. Ashdod had several chances to level as we rode our luck. Especially when Left Back Taleb Tauthka was sent off for a professional foul early in the second half. Ashdod concerted that penalty but could not break me down again.
Europa League Play Off Att 21,998
Maccabi Haifia 1 - 1 Sigma Olomouc (Haifia won 14-13 on penalties)
I tweaked my attacking star tactic to be a little more cautious, I wanted to attack Olomouc but not gung ho it as they are a good side.
Luke Moore got me my goal on 30 minutes, however I conceded immediately after.
An entertaining game with both teams creating chances and playing good football, however we could not separated it went to penalties.
Even the shootout went to a ridiculous 14-13 all scored pens until they finally hit a pen over the bar.
I'm in the Group stage
Israeli Premier League Att 9,445
Hapoel Be'er Sheva 3 - 0 Maccabi Haifia
First loss of the campaign, I hope this is not going to happen after every European game. My team were tired and created little. I made a tactical error by trying to play attacking football with a tired team away at one the best teams in the league.
I should have stuck with a Pragmatist approach and played for the point.
Europa League Group Stage
View attachment 412517
A tough Group, Valencia and Montpieller are way better teams than Haifia. However I'll give it everything I've got to progress.