JERUSALEM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Football Association (IFA) announced on Wednesday that the national team's head coach Alon Hazan will not continue in the job.
Hazan took up his position in May 2022, on a two-year contract with an option for two more years, and now the IFA has informed him that the option will not be exercised.
The decision came a day after the team's general manager, Yossi Benayoun, was also informed by the IFA that he would not continue in the position.
Last week, Israel lost to Iceland 4-1 in the semifinals of the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying playoffs in Budapest and failed to qualify for the tournament.
"Not qualifying for the Euro 2024 tournament required a significant change in the coaching staff," IFA president Moshe Zuares explained in the statement.
Hazan, 56, mainly coached the Israeli national youth teams and was also an assistant coach for the senior team before taking charge of the national team in 2022.
The Israeli sports media reported that the IFA will soon appoint Barak Bachar as the new head coach.
Bachar, 44, commenced the current season as head coach of Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade but was dismissed from his position in late December last year.
Between 2016 and 2023, he clinched six Israeli Premier League championship titles with Hapoel Beer Sheva and Maccabi Haifa. ■
