Soccer / Beitar J'lem chairman prepares to oust coach

Itzik Kornfein, the chairman of Beitar Jerusalem, decided yesterday to finally fire Reuven Atar, the team's head coach, sources familiar with the situation said. Kornfein tried yesterday to reach Arcadi Gaydamak, the team owner, but to no avail.

The chairman wants above all to update the boss on his decision, and only then to meet with Atar and make an official announcement. After Monday's drubbing by Hapoel Tel Aviv Kornfein spoke with his close associates and made up his mind on the way to back to Jerusalem, the sources explain. They say the chairman is disappointed with Atar's direction and doesn't believe the coach will be able to succeed with the team, especially since the fans turned their backs on Atar so unequivocably. Beitar officials stress that the players also had a lot of criticism about some of Atar's decisions relating to the team.

"Atar lost the game even before it started," said one official in the club. "If Gaydamak were as involved as he was several months ago, Atar would have been gone a long time ago. He got extra chances no other coach got, but Beitar is out of his league and needs a more serious coach." The official added that the players, too, had lost their faith in Atar. "If we want to save Beitar financially for next season, there's no escape from firing him."

Beitar's loss at Bloomfield, which essentially knocked it out of the championship race, will cost the club at least NIS 3 million - both from the dramatic drop in gate receipts and from losing out on the bonus for finishing at the top of the standings.

Three names mentioned as potential replacements are Guy Azouri, Uri Malmilian and Itzhak Shum, the previous coach. Club officials are leaning towards Shum, who still has a contract through next season. Shum is not obliged to return, but officials believe he would acquiesce to a request by Kornfein.