Local Soccer: Ben-Shimon returns as coach at struggling Ironi Kiryat Shmona

Ben-Shimon left Kiryat Shmona for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer, but was sacked by the club after just eight league matches.

By ALLON SINAI
ironi kiryat shmona 88 (photo credit: )
ironi kiryat shmona 88
(photo credit: )
A year after guiding Ironi Kiryat Shmona to a UEFA Cup place, Ran Ben-Shimon returned to the club on Sunday to try and save it from relegation to the National League. Ben-Shimon left Kiryat Shmona for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer, but was sacked by the club after just eight league matches, ironically following a 1-0 loss to Kiryat Shmona. Kiryat Shmona is currently rock-bottom of the Premier League with seven matches remaining to play this season. However, the team is only a single point behind Hakoach Amidar Ramat Gan and 11th position, which leads to a relegation playoff against the team which finishes sixth in the National League, and three points from Bnei Sakhnin in the 10th place, which guarantees another season of Premier League soccer. Michel Dayan started the season as Ironi coach, but was fired at the end of November and Eli Cohen took charge of the club in December. However, Cohen did even worse than Dayan, winning just once in 12 league matches in charge. The team fell to last position in the standings after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at previously bottom Hakoach and Cohen decided to quit his position. Last season, Ben-Shimon's Kiryat Shmona was the surprise of the season, finishing in third position and booking a UEFA Cup berth in its first ever season in Israel's top-division. The new coach has agreed to a contract until the end of next season and is supposed to stay at the club even if it does eventually get relegated.