Robbie Keane, the previous trainter of Maccabi Tel Aviv, has concluded his tenure after a solitary, successful season steering the club to the Israeli championship. In addition, under his leadership, the team secured the Toto Cup, Israel’s variant of the League Cup, and led the team into the Europa Conference League’s knockout stages until they were ousted in the top 16 by eventual champions, Olympiakos. This development was made known on Friday morning via a post on X, the platform most know as the old Twitter. The headline simply read, “Thank You”.
The statement released by the club announced that Keane opted not to trigger the extension of his contract. Sharing words of gratitude was Maccabi’s owner, Mitch Goldhar, a Canadian billionaire. Goldhar thanked Keane and his support staff, consisting of Rory Delap, Dave Sarachan, Mike Stowell, and Phillip Hudson, for their tireless efforts and commitment throughout the season which resulted in winning the championship for Maccabi. He also praised their diligence amid challenging conditions. Reflecting on the established bond between Keane, the club, and the supporters, Goldhar acknowledged the memorable 2023/24 season.
This sentiment was echoed on the club’s official website, where Keane conveyed his heartfelt gratitude. Finding it tough to leave the club, he left a message thanking the owners, players, coaches, and supporters for making a truly memorable season. Further expressing pride in their shared accomplishments, especially winning the championship and the Toto Cup, he wished the club success in the Champions league and the forthcoming season.
Keane signed with the club in June 2023. The season was unsettled by the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7th and the subsequent Gaza war. Amid this disruption, Keane alongside the club’s overseas staff were evacuated and managed to resume games by November 9th. Ahead of his official announcement of stepping down, Keane faced some backlash in Ireland for deciding to persist in his role in light of Israel’s controversial handling of the war.