Maccabi Tel Aviv announced the appointment of Ronny Deila as the club’s new head coach until the end of the season.
Delia arrives at Kiryat Shalom with a wide range of managerial experience at both European and international levels, having achieved success in top-flight leagues across Norway, Scotland, the US, Belgium, and the UAE.
The 50-year-old spent his playing career in Norway, playing as a central defender for IF Uraedd, Odd, Viking Stavanger, Stromsgodset, and Sparta Brageroen. Having made over 350 professional appearances as a player, Deila began his managerial career with Stromsgodset initially as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach in 2008.
Under Deila’s guidance, Stromsgodset won the Norwegian Cup in 2010 and the league title in 2013, its first in 42 years. In 2014, Deila was appointed manager of Celtic, where in two seasons he won two successive Scottish championships (14/15 and 15/16) and a League Cup in 14/15.
After returning to Norway with Valerenga (17-20), Deila moved to the MLS and joined New York City FC, where he won the 2021 MLS Cup, the first in the club’s history. Deila’s recent managerial roles include Belgian clubs Standard Liege (22/23), Club Brugge (23/24), and Al Wahda (24) in the UAE, before returning to the US last season to coach MLS side Atlanta United FC.
'We wish Ronny success'
Maccabi owner Mitch Goldhar said of the new head coach’s signing: “Ronny made a positive impression throughout the recruitment process. He brings a proven track record, significant experience, and strong leadership qualities. Ronny arrives ready to begin work immediately, and we all wish him success.”
At Deila’s opening press conference, he spoke about a number of things he feels that the club needs to work on and what he hopes can be done to help the club for the balance of the season.
“I am pleased to join Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, a club with such a rich history. I am fully aware that success only comes through hard work and commitment, and I am looking forward to starting to work with the players to achieve the best results.
“I’ve never been to Israel before, and I’ve heard a lot about Maccabi, they are the biggest club in the country. I’m very happy and eager to work in this club, and I like to be in clubs that have high expectations. We have a fantastic owner, and I’m looking forward to getting started. There are 48 points to fight about and that’s a lot of points and something to attack.”
Deila is replacing Zarko Lazetic after the club relieved the latter of his duties following the derby loss last week to Hapoel Tel Aviv, but Deila feels that there are some positives to work on going forward.
“I see good work that has been done before, and I will take some of those things going forward. I think we have to play more directly, along with counterattacks. On defense, we have to show good reactions. I’m here to get the best out of the players.”
The Norwegian inked a deal until the end of this current season, but that doesn’t mean that he may not continue beyond that.
“Both sides agreed that if things click and that it may be possible to do more, we can see, and if not, we can move on. This arrangement was best for both sides.”
The winter transfer window is about to close, and Maccabi made one addition over the past couple of days by bringing in Emir Sahiti from Hamburg on loan. As for more moves, Deila feels that the staff will work on what is best for the club, and if there is someone of real quality, then it would be considered.
“We already have a new addition to the squad, which is good, and it’s about getting on the right path but we have a lot of good players. I trust the people around me to do the best for the team, and I’m here to work with what I have here.”
With relations between Israel and Norway not being the best, Deila made it clear that he is a soccer person, nothing more and nothing less.
“I’m here to do a football job, and I’m not a politician. I don’t think politics and sports should be combined. I want to focus on the football side.”
The bottom line is, Deila was brought in to try and get the squad back on track and try to get back into the championship race as quickly as possible with 16 matches remaining, six in the regular season and then another 10 in the Championship Playoffs.
“There is a gap, and we are in an attacking position, and we want to push as much as possible. We need to perform. There will be many big matches in the playoffs and also before the regular season ends.
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