Cola and Plasa came up as training options for Hapoel Tel Aviv

The race to find a coach in Hapoel Tel Aviv is gaining momentum. Last night (Monday) the Reds fired Danny Franco and announced that Barak Lederer will stand on the lines until further notice, but the club is looking for a coach for this season and next season.

Two new names emerged in Hapoel. One is of Juan Plaza. The Spanish coach is registered in the Reds’ register and they see him as a good option to stand on the lines.

It is important to note first of all that Hapoel does not want to act hastily and think carefully about the move, when the team knows that choosing the coach is an important step to continue. Regardless of the candidates, the club does not at all rule out the option that Barak Lederer will train until the end of the season and wait with the selection of the coach, in order to calculate and make the right move.

Plasa (60), who according to reports in Spain was previously a candidate to coach Maccabi Tel Aviv, is a coach with a rich European resume. In the past, he coached among others at Real Madrid, with whom he won the Yolev Cup and the Spanish Championship in 2007. In addition, the coach also won the Eurocup with Malaga in 2017.

The second name is Vincent Kola’s. The Frenchman is also on the roster of the country’s runner-up and we may see him eventually coaching the team this season and next season.

Kola (60), who currently coaches Paris Lablois, served as the coach of the French national team between 2009 and 2020, which he led to win the silver medal at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, as well as to win the European Championship in 2013.

Vincent Cola as coach of the French national team (Reuters)

In any case, Erdem Tsan was dropped from the episode for the current season. The Turk does not want to join the team at this stage of the season, but does not rule out coming in the summer. The one who is also not expected to come to the club is Stephanos Dedas, who we still remember from his good time in Hapoel Holon.