Maccabi Tel Aviv coach ditches team mid-season for UK’s Fulham

Club to receive €500,000 in compensation for Slavisa Jokanovic, who leaves league leaders after just 6 months

By Raoul Wootliff
  • Raoul Wootliff is a former Times of Israel political correspondent and Daily Briefing podcast producer.
 28 December 2015, 11:48 am
Maccabi Tel Aviv head coach Slaviša Jokanović seen during the Champions League Group G soccer match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Chelsea at Sammy Ofer stadium in Haifa on November 24, 2015. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Slavisa Jokanovic has announced he will leave the club after just six months at the helm to take the top job at Fulham, a London team that plays in England’s second league.

The 47-year-old Serbian coach announced his departure Sunday night at a post-match press conference following a resounding 5-0 win for Maccabi against Ironi Kiryat Shmona.

Jokanovic said he was proud of what he had achieved in his short time at the club and had “enjoyed the city of Tel Aviv” during the six months he spent in Israel. Referring to his early departure, Jokavic said he was sorry to leave mid-season but could not refuse the “very important job in London coming up with Fulham.”

“I apologize to the Maccabi supporters and I see that they are the most loyal fans, one of the most amazing I’ve seen in my football career,” he said.

Jokavic was appointed coach for Maccabi in June and helped lead the team to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 11 years, ousting Swiss heavyweight FC Basel on the way. Sunday’s win took the team to the top of the Israeli Football League table with half the season played so far.

Chelsea’s Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard (C) is tackled by Maccabi Tel Aviv defender Eliazer Dasa (L) as his teammate Dor Peretz (R) watches on during the UEFA Champions League, group G, football match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Chelsea FC at the Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa, on November 24, 2015. (AFP PHOTO/JACK GUEZ)

Speaking after having scored four of the five goals, club captain Eran Zahavi said it is never easy when a coach leaves – this will be the fifth time in three years for Maccabi – but he understood the decision.

“We did some great things together. We advanced to the Champions League and I want to wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors,” the captain said. “He made a decision that the club supported as they agreed together that it would be best for both sides, so I just want to wish him all the best.”

London’s oldest established football team, Fulham FC currently plays in the Football League Championship, having been relegated from the Premier League in 2014. The West London club agreed on a €500,000 (NIS 2.1 million) compensation fee for Jokanovic, according to a statement on the Maccabi Tel Aviv website.

Maccabi Tel Aviv sports director Jordi Cruyff said the team was sad to see Jokanovic leave, but wished him luck in his new position.

“It is hard to lose a coach of this caliber. Despite the relatively short period of time he spent here in Israel, Slavisa guided us to the Champions League group stage and will always be remembered fondly at Maccabi for that adventure,” he said.

Cruyff said he hoped to appoint a new manager within ten days.

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