At the age of 41, Barak Bakhar is already one of the leading managers in Israel.
How did he get to this position at such a young age, and why can he pose a threat to Tottenham's Europa League campaign?
Barak Bakhar’s career as a footballer was not impressive to say the least. He didn't play for any major Israeli club, spending most of his career in the somewhat grey club of Ironi Kiryat Shmona. He joined it in 2004 when the team played at the second division. He would then lead the club to its first-ever promotion to the top tier.
After retiring, Bakhar stayed in Kiryat Shmona as the U19 team manager, but one day in 2012 changed his whole career. The club’s owner, Izzy Sheratzky, a boss that is hugely involved in the managerial decision, decided to sack manager Gili Landau. Bakhar was initially appointed as a caretaker, but soon gained the spot of the permanent manager.
His spell in Kiryat Shmona was quite successful. He won the Israeli Cup in 2014, his first title as a manager, and helped the team establish a taste for the upper ranks of the table season after season. These achievements prompted a move to Hapoel Beer Sheva in 2015. In Beer Sheva, he managed to end a 40-year drought and won the championship in 2016 - only to repeat the achievement twice for 3 consecutive championships. Hapoel Beer Sheva, under Barak Bakhar, managed to reach the Champions League playoffs twice and play in the Europa League group stage on two occasions. In 2017, he was chosen among the world’s 50 best football managers by Four Four Two.
Tottenham Should Expect Surprises
After leaving Hapoel Beer Sheva, he spent 6 months without a team until he got an offer from Maccabi Haifa this summer. For Bakhar, it was a dream come true. "It's a happy moment. I'm connected to the club since I was young, and it's a special place for me," said Bakhar after he was appointed.
Maccabi Haifa already defeated English teams in European competitions. In the 2002-03 Champions League group stage, they shocked Manchester United 3-0, but it has been a long time since then, and things are a bit different now. Those who followed Bakhar's career know how carefully he prepares his teams for each match, and so when Tottenham and José Mourinho meet Maccabi Haifa, they should expect anything but a walk in the park.
Besides his impressive career achievements to date, Bakhar is also known for his creativity. He uses a dynamic formation that changes quickly during the match, and sometimes even more than once each half. He reacts to any change in the field quickly and usually succeeds in turning any disadvantage to an advantage. A memorable moment happened in 2018 when Hapoel Beer Sheva hosted Maccabi Tel Aviv. After the team was left with 10 players, he decided to use an attacking approach, which surprisingly gave his team an advantage in the field.
Another aspect of creativity in his teams is related to his staff. A key member of the staff is the goalkeeping coach, Guy Weisinger. In addition to his formal title, he had another role in the team - he is the one who converts Bakhar's ideas to set pieces drills. In Hapoel Beer Sheva debut match in the Europa League group stage, the team used one of his drills successfully.
It was the game against Inter at the San Siro, a free-kick was passed to the right-wing and later was crossed to the centre of the box without any interruption. When watching the replay closely, it’s possible to see two of Beer Sheva’s players blocking their opponents, preventing them from getting into the box.
Everything is Possible
Tricks aside, it's Bakhar's ability to make his teams believe that everything is possible. Hapoel Beer Sheva won their debut match against Inter, but it was just one step in their journey together. It began earlier when the anonymous team from the desert town eliminated Olympiacos in the Champions League qualifiers and was one goal away from also eliminating Celtic. In the Europa League group stage, they defeated Inter 3-2 at home after being in 2-0 down. Their last match, away against Southampton, ended with a 1-1 draw that was enough for them to qualify to the knockout stage.
His period in Hapoel Beer Sheva was magical, one that promoted the club far beyond any expectation. He took a team that failed to win the championship for four decades and turned it into a confident squad who was never afraid to look any opponent straight in the eye, even when the opposite side was far superior, at least on paper.
Maccabi Haifa will be the underdog against Tottenham Hotspur without a doubt, but if there is one person that can turn this game into an exciting matchup rather than one for the protocol, it’s the one navigating the ship on the sidelines. Barak Bakhar will do his best to add another impressive European campaign to his already brilliant résumé.
Photo via Barak Bachar Official Instagram.
