Maccabi’s terrible run continued with a heavy 105-87 loss to Hapoel in the Tel Aviv derby. Oded Katash is facing harsh criticism, but at least for now, there is no question of him being fired, as the team’s sports director, Claudio Coldebella, made clear.
“I don’t have many opportunities to speak to everyone, but this is the moment when my voice will be heard. It’s a difficult time. We need to resolve this and stay united,” said the Italian. “Oded Katash is not going to be fired. Oded is our coach, and I don’t think that should change. It’s precisely during difficult times that I feel the need to be closer to the people who stand by me. I believe there are many positive aspects that need to be strengthened, and it’s my job to help him. Oded works hard; I see him constantly striving to improve and stay close to the players. I’m not one to make promises, but I’m certain things will get better here. In the EuroLeague, when a tough moment comes, you pay the price. After the game against Valencia, everyone was talking about what a great team Maccabi is, but things change very quickly. “That unpleasant feeling in basketball affects everyone, not just the fans,” he added.
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“It’s early November, but people think it’s already February. The schedule is packed, and there’s pressure from all sides. I don’t want to downplay the seriousness of the moment; of course, I’m aware of the situation. I wouldn’t say I’m feeling anxious, but we lost a big game and have two more ahead of us. We have no room for error. Right now, both in the locker room and on the coaching staff, there isn’t a single person who isn’t trying to push the team in the right direction.” In addition, Koldabela expressed his disappointment with the team’s performance and results, but he wanted to highlight the work being done behind the scenes by the professional staff: “We feel bad when things aren’t working out, because there’s a team here with great potential. What happened today isn’t who we are. We have to remain unfazed by the noise—and there’s a lot of noise. We’re trying, but it’s not easy. The coaches here work very hard. It’s frustrating because I see the work they do behind the scenes, while the results don’t reflect how hard this team is working,” he continued.
As for the possibility of bringing in new players? “Signing a player isn’t a budget issue—I feel uncomfortable talking about it. You know the owners better than I do; based on everything they’ve given to Maccabi, they’ve never given me the impression that they wouldn’t help me achieve my goals. Last year, for example, we signed players. In early September, I asked the board members to secure funding to sign a player in January, and I got the “green light.”
