2009–10 Israeli Premier League

Changes from 2008–09 season

Structural changes

The league size has been increased from twelve to sixteen teams. Further, the competition has been split into two stages, a conventional season and playoffs.

The participating clubs were first play a conventional round-robin schedule for a total of 30 matches.

The top six teams were first had to play in the Top playoff. Points earned during the regular season were halved with an odd number of points being rounded up. The round was played on a round-robin schedule. The winner after this round would win the Israeli championship and would participate in the second qualifying round of the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League. The runners-up would play in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League, and the third-placed team would play in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.

If the Israel State Cup winner finishes in the top three places than the fourth-placed would play in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.

In addition, clubs ranked seventh through tenth in the regular season would engage in a placement round, while the bottom six teams played out two relegation spots and one relegation play-off.

Team changes

Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona were directly relegated to the 2009–10 Liga Leumit after finishing the 2008–09 season in last place.

Due to the increase in the number of teams, five teams were directly promoted from the 2008–09 Liga Leumit. These were champions Hapoel Haifa, runners-up Hapoel Acre, third-placed Hapoel Be'er Sheva, fourth-placed Hapoel Ramat Gan and fifth-placed Hapoel Ra'anana.

Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan as 11th-placed team of the Premier League and Maccabi Ahi Nazareth as sixth-placed team of Liga Leumit competed in a two-legged playoff for another spot. Maccabi Ahi Nazareth won both matches by an aggregated score of 4–2 and were promoted to the Premier League. In turn, Hakoah Ramat Gan were relegated to Liga Leumit.

Overview

Stadia and locations

**** The club played their home games at a neutral venue because their own ground did not meet Premier League requirements.

Managerial changes

Foreign players

In bold: Players that join the club mid-season In Italic: Players that left the club mid-season

The following do not fill a Visa position:

1Players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained an Israeli passport or permanent residency, allowing them to play with Israeli status;

2Players who were born and started their professional career abroad but are eligible for Israeli citizenship due to Jewish ancestry;

3Israeli citizens who have chosen to represent another national team;

Regular season

Table

Results

Playoffs

Key numbers for pairing determination (number marks position after 30 games):

Top Playoff

The points obtained during the regular season were halved (and rounded up) before the start of the playoff. Thus, Maccabi Haifa started with 39 points, Hapoel Tel Aviv with 36, Maccabi Tel Aviv with 26, Beitar Jerusalem with 23, Bnei Yehuda with 23 and F.C. Ashdod started with 22.

Table

Results

Middle Playoff

The points obtained during the regular season were halved (and rounded up) before the start of the playoff. Thus, Bnei Sakhnin started with 21 points, Hapoel Be'er Sheva with 20, Maccabi Netanya with 18 and Maccabi Petah Tikva started with 18.

Table

Results

Bottom Playoff

The points obtained during the regular season were halved (and rounded up) before the start of the playoff. Thus, Hapoel Ramat Gan started with 17 points, Hapoel Haifa with 16, Hapoel Petah Tikva with 16, Hapoel Acre with 13, Maccabi Ahi Nazareth with 12 and Hapoel Ra'anana started with 10.

Table

Results

Relegation playoff

The 14th-placed team Hapoel Ramat Gan faced the 3rd-placed Liga Leumit team Hapoel Kfar Saba. The winner Hapoel Ramat Gan earned a spot in the 2010–11 Israeli Premier League. The match took place on 22 May 2010.

Season statistics

Scoring

• First goal of the season: Shahar Balilti for Hapoel Petah Tikva against Maccabi Ahi Nazareth, 61st minute (22 August 2009)
• Fastest goal in a match: 17 seconds – Maor Buzaglo for Maccabi Tel Aviv against Beitar Jerusalem (17 April 2010)
• Widest winning margin: 7 goals – Maccabi Ahi Nazareth 0–7 Hapoel Ramat Gan (15 May 2010)
• Most goals in a match: 8 goals –
  • Hapoel Tel Aviv 7–1 Hapoel Petah Tikva (21 November 2009)
  • Hapoel Tel Aviv 5–3 Hapoel Acre (27 March 2010)

Discipline

• First yellow card of the season: Gal Cohen for Hapoel Petah Tikva against Maccabi Ahi Nazareth, 40th minute (22 August 2009)
• First red card of the season: Ismail Abdul Razak for Hapoel Acre against Maccabi Haifa, 72nd minute (22 August 2009)

Top scorers

**** The IFA also recognize Dimitar Makrievs goal in favour of F.C. Ashdod against Bnei Yehuda game which was later annulled because F.C. Ashdod fielded an ineligible player, for that F.C. Ashdod received a technical loss of 3–0. The original game finished in a 1–1 draw.

References

References

1. (21 July 2009). "Beitar Jerusalem selected Itzhak Shum as their new manager". . ONE.
2. (29 September 2009). "Daniel Jammer meat with Reuven Atar and Nati Azaria". . ONE.
3. (19 October 2009). "Eran Kulik sacked from Bnei Sakhnin". . ONE.
4. (21 October 2009). "Marco Balbul left Maccabi Tel Aviv and will coach Bnei Sakhnin". . ONE.
5. (21 November 2009). "Ronny Levy resigned from Maccabi Petah Tikva". . ONE.
6. (22 November 2009). "Ronny Levy substitute: Freddy David signed at Maccabi Petah Tikva". . ONE.
7. (21 November 2009). "Danny Nir'on resigned from Hapoel Petah Tikva". . ONE.
8. (22 November 2009). "Shavit Elimelech will coach Hapoel Petah Tikva until the end of the season". . ONE.
9. (8 December 2009). "Gregory appointed. Mahpud sacked". . ONE.
10. (16 December 2009). "Mahpud signed for a year and a half, Elimelech will be his assistant". . ONE.
11. (20 February 2010). "Itzhak Shum sacked from Beitar Jerusalem, David Amsalem will replace him". . ONE.
12. (28 February 2010). "Eli Cohen was sacked from Hapoel Ra'anana, Ami Vazana will replace him". . ONE.
13. (28 February 2010). "Guy Azouri left Hapoel Be'er Sheva". . ONE.
14. (3 March 2010). "Vico Haddad will coach Hapoel Be'er Sheva until the end of the season". . Sport 5.
15. (18 March 2010). "Shimon Edri appointed as Beitar Jerusalem new coach". . ONE.
16. (28 March 2010). "Ami Vazana resigned from Hapoel Ra'anana". . ONE.
17. (31 March 2010). "Tzvika Tzemah will coach Hapoel Ra'anana until the end of the season". . ONE.
18. (20 May 2010). "John Gregory signed a 3-year contract in F.C. Ashdod". . ONE.
19. (30 June 2010). "Shimon Edri signed in Maccabi Ahi Nazareth". . Walla!.
20. (August 2009). "F.C. Ashdod received a 0–3 technical lose to Bnei Yehuda". Israel Football Association.
21. (22 August 2009). "Maccabi Ahi Nazareth 1–2 Hapoel Petah Tikva". Israel Football Association.
22. (17 April 2010). "Maccabi Tel Aviv 3–0 Beitar Jerusalem". . One.
23. (15 May 2010). "Maccabi Ahi Nazareth 0–7 Hapoel Ramat Gan". Israel Football Association.
24. (21 November 2009). "Hapoel Tel Aviv 7–1 Hapoel Petah Tikva". Israel Football Association.
25. (27 March 2009). "Hapoel Tel Aviv 5–3 Hapoel Acre". Israel Football Association.
26. (22 August 2009). "Maccabi Haifa 2–1 Hapoel Acre". Israel Football Association.
27. "Israeli Premier League Top Scorers". Israel Football Association.