Beitar Jerusalem sacks Mimer following fallout with Tabib

Beitar was knocked out of Europe in embarrassing fashion after suffering a 4-0 defeat to Botev Plovdiv of Bulgaria in the second leg of the Europa League second qualifying round last month.

By ALLON SINAI
Sharon Mimer’s short reign at Beitar Jerusalem came to an end yesterday following his fall out with owner Eli Tabib. (photo credit: ADI AVISHAI)
Sharon Mimer’s short reign at Beitar Jerusalem came to an end yesterday following his fall out with owner Eli Tabib.
(photo credit: ADI AVISHAI)
Four days before it visits Maccabi Tel Aviv in its first Premier League match of the season, Beitar Jerusalem sacked coach Sharon Mimer on Wednesday.
Mimer joined Beitar in February, guiding the team in a total of 15 league matches. He led the team to a third-place finish in the Premier League and European qualification, with the side also reaching the State Cup semifinals under his guidance.
The favorite to replace Mimer is Guy Levy, who coached the team in 17 league matches in 2015 but left at the end of the season after failing to agree on a contract extension with owner Eli Tabib.
Tabib handed Mimer a one-year extension at the end of last season, but he didn’t even make it to the start of the 2017/18 league campaign.
Beitar was knocked out of Europe in embarrassing fashion after suffering a 4-0 defeat to Botev Plovdiv of Bulgaria in the second leg of the Europa League second qualifying round last month. But it was the growing rift between Mimer and Tabib which ultimately led to his firing, with the owner unhappy that his suggestions regarding the lineup the team should employ were not being implemented by the coach.
“I really connected with Beitar. This is one of the most amazing places in Israeli soccer and I enjoyed every moment,” said Mimer after being notified on Wednesday that his contract had been terminated. “I’m not angry at Eli Tabib. Sometimes things don’t work out. Of course I’m disappointed because I was in a good place and I wanted to continue, but this is part of being a soccer coach.”
Mimer becomes the latest coaching casualty in Tabib’s ever-growing list at Beitar. Seven different coaches have guided the team since he took control in 2013, with only Slobodan Drapic lasting a full season.
Eli Ohana, who signed a fiveyear deal to become Beitar’s top professional and administrative authority earlier this summer, was the one who delivered the news to Mimer.
“We thank Sharon for his professionalism, dedication and good work since he came to Beitar,” said Ohana. “It isn’t easy to part with a coach before the start of the season. But considering the circumstances, I decided that it would be in the club’s best interests to make this move.”
Tabib isn’t supposed to be involved in the running of Beitar during the next two years due to a ruling made by the Israel Football Association’s ownership transfer committee last summer following his conviction in June 2015 of assaulting a minor and of disruption of justice. Even though there is no doubt that it was Tabib’s relationship with Mimer that resulted in his dismissal, and that it was the owner who insisted on his sacking, the Israel Football Association doesn’t plan on taking any action against Tabib as it has no way to prove that he was behind the decision.