Maccabi Tel Aviv threw open the doors on Saturday, putting chief executive Jack Angelidis and freshly installed sporting director Steven Vanharen in front of a live camera to take questions from supporters and press two days before a Toto Cup semi-final that suddenly matters a great deal more than the competition's usual billing.
The timing was no accident. The Yellow-and-Blues are still absorbing their exit from Conference League qualifying, and a restless fan base has spent the summer venting about a squad that has shed more than it has added. Angelidis framed the session as a chance to let Vanharen, barely two months into the job, put a face to the club's recruitment plan. "We wanted to showcase Steven and let you ask us directly about the ambition to win everything and compete in Europe," he said.
He did not shy away from the club's two live transfer sagas. On Roy Revivo, whose camp has been pushing for a move, Angelidis insisted the club respects the player but will only negotiate off a formal written offer, not messages relayed through intermediaries. On Sayed Abu Farhi, he confirmed Maccabi have received an offer from Colorado Rapids and that the club retains full control over the terms of any exit — a deal that, according to Israeli reporting this week, has the MLS side bidding around six million dollars for the 20-year-old forward.
Angelidis also pushed back on the season's dominant narrative — that Maccabi are simply cashing in on their best players. "We're not here to develop players to sell them, we want to win," he said, before defending owner Mitch Goldhar directly. "He wanted to rescue the club and build something long-term with a winning culture. It's a bit offensive to hear claims he only wants to sell players when he's absorbing significant losses himself."
Vanharen's arrival is itself a notable piece of the club's rebuild. The 46-year-old Belgian was appointed sporting director on June 10 on a two-year contract, arriving fresh off two seasons at Hungarian club Győr, where he helped the newly promoted side settle into the top flight before steering them to their first championship since 2012-13 and a domestic cup semi-final. His CV also includes spells at Beerschot, Sheffield United and Olympiacos.
Asked about the club's most concrete piece of business so far, defender Dan Glazer's return from Kazakh side Kairat Almaty on a two-year deal, both men pointed to it as the template going forward: targeted signings with a genuine connection to the club rather than a wholesale overhaul. Angelidis said the plan calls for roughly four new arrivals this window, not the six or seven departures some fans fear.
The trickiest question of the afternoon concerned head coach Kenny Miller, whose limited experience in senior management has drawn scrutiny since his appointment. Vanharen defended the call in football terms rather than sentiment. "We spoke to a number of coaches, but a manager needs a strong mentality and a clear philosophy. He shows the aggressive, high-pressing style we want. Changing coaches now carries more risk than sticking with Kenny," he said.
All of it lands two days before the actual football resumes. Maccabi Tel Aviv travel to face Maccabi Netanya at Netanya Stadium on Sunday at 20:00 in a Toto Cup semi-final, with the winner advancing to the final; Hapoel Kiryat Shmona and Hapoel Tel Aviv meet in the other last-four tie at the same time. For a club whose summer has been defined by exits and unrest, it is a low-stakes stage on which to start answering questions with performances rather than press conferences.
