Without Abu-Younis, with the most expensive foreign player in its history: Bnei Sakhnin opens a new era
Shock in the management, a revolution in the squad, and a French defender for 250,000 euros per season. Mohammed Abu-Younis left after 15 years, Khaled Duchi stepped into his shoes and is aiming for industrial quiet, and Yossi Abukasis is not excited about the four losses in the Toto Cup: "The vision is to stabilize the team."
It was a significant summer for Bnei Sakhnin - a summer of a real earthquake. Although it is not about replacing a coach or the departure of a central professional figure like Biram Kayal, on June 20, a chapter in the club came to an end. Mohammed Abu-Younis, who served as chairman for the last 15 seasons, ended his path and decided to attend to his own affairs. The one who stepped into his big shoes in the demanding role is Khaled Duchi - a local businessman who knows Bnei Sakhnin closely, is deeply connected to it, and filled managerial roles in it for years on a volunteer basis.
Bnei Sakhnin is not just another club in the league, but the most significant and senior club in the Arab sector, and the only one that maintains stability over many years. Even when it was relegated to the National League, the team knew how to return to the Premier League at lightning speed. Sakhnin's crowd is loyal to the team and pushes the players when it needs to. In addition, Doha Stadium was approved for the start of the season long before the opening whistle, an achievement that is not at all taken for granted in light of precedents from recent years.
Coach Yossi Abukasis, who led the team to remain in the league last season, received the reins for another season. However, if judging by the Toto Cup games, the opening is not looking bright: Sakhnin recorded four losses in four games, displayed uninspiring ability, and left many question marks. The team's squad underwent extensive changes that amount to a real revolution - eight players left, and a similar number of new players joined. Among the leavers, one can find Carlo Bručić, Hassan Hilu, Artur Miranyan, Max Grechkin, Omer Korsia, Eden Shamir, Omer Abu-Hav, and Alon Azugi.
On the other hand, Israeli players joined alongside new foreign players who appear promising on paper: Iyad Abu-Abid who returned to the club from Bnei Reineh, Luai Halaf who moved from Maccabi Netanya, Amit Kardi on loan from Maccabi Tel Aviv, Romanian goalkeeper Raul Bălgrădean who arrived from Petrolul Ploiești, Portuguese defender Sane Gomes who came from Hapoel Haifa, Angolan midfielder Carlitos who comes from the Cypriot league, Lithuanian defensive midfielder Modestas Vorobjovas from Istanbulspor, and French defender Dimitri Cavaré, who recorded several appearances for the Guadeloupe national team and also played in Turkey in recent years. Cavaré, whom Abukasis insisted on adding, became the most expensive foreign player in the club's history with a salary of 250,000 euros per season. These are amounts that Sakhnin is not used to paying, but the coach who tried to land the player in Israel back in his time at Maccabi Netanya explained to Duchi that it is a tie-breaking player who is supposed to lead the defensive unit in the coming season.
Sakhnin has not yet completed the assembly of the squad: the club is now looking for a striker and a right-back, with Abukasis examining various options out of an understanding that squad depth is critical for the team in a season full of injuries, suspensions, and a heavy load of games.
Duchi: "I am not aiming high"
"The club underwent a managerial change that is reflected in several planes: registration of the team and approval of the budget earlier than usual, and cross-sectional changes in the youth department," shared a source in the club about the feelings since Duchi entered the role. "There is diligence and focused attention on the growth of local players and their integration into the adults. In the social plane, constant action is recorded out of a social mission among the community, while adopting the values of sport for bridging and bringing hearts closer."
Duchi himself presents a calm and stability-focused approach. The economic plane is at the top of his priority list - he aspires to build a financially healthy team without debts or budgetary complications, and works for the recruitment of sponsors and investors to ensure industrial quiet. "My vision is to stabilize the team financially and build a good and strong skeleton. I want next season to be much easier. This season I am not aiming too high, but aspiring to professional, result-oriented, and financial stability, and to create quiet in the system."
Regarding the losses in the Toto Cup games, the chairman is not excited: "The truth is that I am not worried. We did not play with the full squad and the acquisitions have not yet participated, so the results do not reflect. We shared many youth and young players, we absorbed two red cards, and the losses were marginal. Mentally we should have won a game or two, but we will arrive prepared and ready for the league."
Bnei Sakhnin's budget for the coming season will stand at about 24 million shekels, when its sources are: 7.2 million shekels income from institutions (Toto, Association, and League Administration), 3 million shekels Israeli player grant, 2.5 million shekels sponsorship and sponsor agreements, 3 million shekels expected income from ticket and subscription sales, and 5 million shekels owner injection, guarantees, and additional sponsorships. The budget will grow by two million shekels compared to last season, but this amount will be allocated to closing deficits from previous seasons.
