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Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv has embarked on a new path, and now comes the time to make another step forward. Due to the multiple restrictions applied in the domestic competition the team's preparations to both the EuroLeague and the domestic league becomes inadequate therefor a profound analysis was made at the end of which substantial decisions were made regarding the solution.
The Problem
The high level required to compete in the EuroLeague creates a situation in which the rotation in Europe's top tier competition usually consist of 9-10 players. In this season Maccabi's first seven players in the rotation are foreigners which allows the maximization of a 100 percent of the budget and the professional ability in the starting lineup.
In the domestic league however, two foreigners (due to the restrictions) cannot be registered to the game and since the "Russian rule" (according to which two Israeli players must be on the court at all times). This means that both the team is fulfilling its potential budget and ability at only 60 percent.
The coaching staff is responsible of managing the games and practices of the team in Europe based solely on proper professional decisions, yet in the domestic league the decisions must be made under the consideration of the following main six restrictions:
* The Russian rule.
In the domestic league however, two foreigners (due to the restrictions) cannot be registered to the game and since the "Russian rule" (according to which two Israeli players must be on the court at all times). This means that both the team is fulfilling its potential budget and ability at only 60 percent.
The coaching staff is responsible of managing the games and practices of the team in Europe based solely on proper professional decisions, yet in the domestic league the decisions must be made under the consideration of the following main six restrictions:
* The Russian rule.
* Registering only five foreign players to each game.
* Registration of two "young" Israeli players – one under the age of 25 and one under the age of 22.
* Providing the team roster 29 hours prior to the game (informing who will be the foreign players that will not be registered to the game) without having the ability to make any changes whatsoever and no matter what.
* A league that is being decided in a F4 tournament rather than a series.
* Loss of revenue.
The byproduct of the aforementioned restrictions is inadequate preparation for both the EuroLeague and the domestic competition due to the management of two different rosters and lack of time to make the proper adjustments – this is a different situation in comparison to all of the European rivals that are not being forced to such restriction in their domestic competitions. The combination of these restrictions does not exist anywhere in the world, when even the "Russian rule" no longer exists in Russia.
All of these restrictions were allegedly created for the purpose of "promoting the Israeli player" but as a matter of fact players in countries such as Germany, France or Greece have improved better without the existence of such restrictions, in the past Israeli players like Katash (Panathinaikos), Halperin (Olympiacos) and Eliyahu (Vitoria – Gasteiz) had roster spots in the top ranked domestic competitions, as of today only two Israelis have roster spots from a potential 500 in the top ranked domestic competitions (both players came from Maccabi). Even outside Maccabi there are 180 available roster spots in the EuroLeague yet none of these roster spots is being filled by Israeli players. On the other hand, there are currently 24 players who grew up in Maccabi and are playing in the top two leagues in Israel, with the next teams in the development rankings far behind. And after more than a decade of rules and restrictions - which do not exist in any leading European league - the Israeli player is not being sought of by any top European team, unlike in the past.
All of these restrictions were created not for the real purpose of promoting and improving the Israeli player, the national team nor the game of basketball but for the sake of slowing down Maccabi, and unlike their EuroLeague rivals, due to the current system the yellows cannot play with their best lineup in both the EuroLeague and the domestic league; thus a misrepresentation is created according to which the Maccabi team that has beaten Fenerbache and Real Madrid is the same team to have lost in the domestic competition, when truth to be told it is not the same team.
Beyond the fatigue and the natural burnout, the gap between the needs of the team creates a very severe problem in practices. Usually a double round week in the EuroLeague will also include a domestic league game. The EuroLeague has a very clear intention to expand the competition to 18 teams thus increasing the number of weeks in which three or more games will be played in both competitions combined to nine. In this case the EuroLeague roster doesn't have enough time to prepare properly which prevents its development and on-court coordination, the situation is the same in the Israeli domestic league. The situation creates a lack of clarity regarding the hierarchy, rotation and also a difficulty in maintaining both personal and team game form.
The top European clubs don't need to deal with the difficulties of making roster adjustments for both competitions (domestic and EuroLeague) as they are able to play with the same roster and also with almost the exact same rotation. An Israeli team that also wishes to compete in a European competition has to change its roster at least once a week according the domestic league restrictions. Since Maccabi has played 30 regular season games in Europe – in comparison to the 14 games played by Holon and the 10 games played by Jerusalem or Herzelia against opponents that were not as strong – Maccabi suffered the worst affect though it is clear that the rest of the Israeli teams participating in various European competitions were affected as well.
The gap created is noticeable quite clearly. Hapoel Holon who played in Europe's 3rd tier competition – FIBA's BCL ended its European experience with a record of 11 losses and 3 wins. On the other hand Holon is leading the Israeli league rankings with three wins over Maccabi in all of the domestic competitions (League & Cup), whereas Maccabi who's won 13 EuroLeague games – including against the EuroLeague reigning champs and also over Real Madrid – is currently ranked second in the Israeli league.
Another example is the 2013/14 Maccabi, who won the EuroLeague after beating Milano in a best of five playoff series without having the home court advantage and also beating CSKA and Real Madrid in the final four. However that same year after winning the EuroLeague Coach David Blatt and his squad still had to play under the domestic league restrictions in order to win the Israeli championship, a title that they barely won on aggregate score despite losing the second game at home to Maccabi Haifa.
If we take any of the top level European teams – Fenerbache, CSKA, Panathinaikos etc. – take off of their roster two foreign players and force them to also play with two local players at all time we will receive teams who are significantly weaker, they won't have to inform the league administration about the game roster, register any young player, to decide their championship in a F4 tournament or to make sure that their starting lineup will have anything to do with their passports.
The bottom line: Maccabi is the only team in the EuroLeague to face all of the above limitations that create professional inferiority against other teams.
Following the data collection and analysis, the conclusions reached by the club are as follows:
* It is no longer possible to maintain a competitive team in Europe under the existing restrictions of the Israeli domestic league.
The byproduct of the aforementioned restrictions is inadequate preparation for both the EuroLeague and the domestic competition due to the management of two different rosters and lack of time to make the proper adjustments – this is a different situation in comparison to all of the European rivals that are not being forced to such restriction in their domestic competitions. The combination of these restrictions does not exist anywhere in the world, when even the "Russian rule" no longer exists in Russia.
All of these restrictions were allegedly created for the purpose of "promoting the Israeli player" but as a matter of fact players in countries such as Germany, France or Greece have improved better without the existence of such restrictions, in the past Israeli players like Katash (Panathinaikos), Halperin (Olympiacos) and Eliyahu (Vitoria – Gasteiz) had roster spots in the top ranked domestic competitions, as of today only two Israelis have roster spots from a potential 500 in the top ranked domestic competitions (both players came from Maccabi). Even outside Maccabi there are 180 available roster spots in the EuroLeague yet none of these roster spots is being filled by Israeli players. On the other hand, there are currently 24 players who grew up in Maccabi and are playing in the top two leagues in Israel, with the next teams in the development rankings far behind. And after more than a decade of rules and restrictions - which do not exist in any leading European league - the Israeli player is not being sought of by any top European team, unlike in the past.
All of these restrictions were created not for the real purpose of promoting and improving the Israeli player, the national team nor the game of basketball but for the sake of slowing down Maccabi, and unlike their EuroLeague rivals, due to the current system the yellows cannot play with their best lineup in both the EuroLeague and the domestic league; thus a misrepresentation is created according to which the Maccabi team that has beaten Fenerbache and Real Madrid is the same team to have lost in the domestic competition, when truth to be told it is not the same team.
Beyond the fatigue and the natural burnout, the gap between the needs of the team creates a very severe problem in practices. Usually a double round week in the EuroLeague will also include a domestic league game. The EuroLeague has a very clear intention to expand the competition to 18 teams thus increasing the number of weeks in which three or more games will be played in both competitions combined to nine. In this case the EuroLeague roster doesn't have enough time to prepare properly which prevents its development and on-court coordination, the situation is the same in the Israeli domestic league. The situation creates a lack of clarity regarding the hierarchy, rotation and also a difficulty in maintaining both personal and team game form.
The top European clubs don't need to deal with the difficulties of making roster adjustments for both competitions (domestic and EuroLeague) as they are able to play with the same roster and also with almost the exact same rotation. An Israeli team that also wishes to compete in a European competition has to change its roster at least once a week according the domestic league restrictions. Since Maccabi has played 30 regular season games in Europe – in comparison to the 14 games played by Holon and the 10 games played by Jerusalem or Herzelia against opponents that were not as strong – Maccabi suffered the worst affect though it is clear that the rest of the Israeli teams participating in various European competitions were affected as well.
The gap created is noticeable quite clearly. Hapoel Holon who played in Europe's 3rd tier competition – FIBA's BCL ended its European experience with a record of 11 losses and 3 wins. On the other hand Holon is leading the Israeli league rankings with three wins over Maccabi in all of the domestic competitions (League & Cup), whereas Maccabi who's won 13 EuroLeague games – including against the EuroLeague reigning champs and also over Real Madrid – is currently ranked second in the Israeli league.
Another example is the 2013/14 Maccabi, who won the EuroLeague after beating Milano in a best of five playoff series without having the home court advantage and also beating CSKA and Real Madrid in the final four. However that same year after winning the EuroLeague Coach David Blatt and his squad still had to play under the domestic league restrictions in order to win the Israeli championship, a title that they barely won on aggregate score despite losing the second game at home to Maccabi Haifa.
If we take any of the top level European teams – Fenerbache, CSKA, Panathinaikos etc. – take off of their roster two foreign players and force them to also play with two local players at all time we will receive teams who are significantly weaker, they won't have to inform the league administration about the game roster, register any young player, to decide their championship in a F4 tournament or to make sure that their starting lineup will have anything to do with their passports.
The bottom line: Maccabi is the only team in the EuroLeague to face all of the above limitations that create professional inferiority against other teams.
Following the data collection and analysis, the conclusions reached by the club are as follows:
* It is no longer possible to maintain a competitive team in Europe under the existing restrictions of the Israeli domestic league.
* The current format does not enable to develop the Israeli players to a EuroLeague level which is important to both the club and the fans.
Hence the decision: Maccabi will no longer fight with its hands tied.
Hence the decision: Maccabi will no longer fight with its hands tied.
The Solution
In recent years, Maccabi had to come to terms with the assumption that the existing restrictions in the Israeli league will remain one way or another. The club had a few options from which it could choose:
* Keeping things the way they are.
* Keeping things the way they are.
* To withdraw participation from one of the leagues.
* Adjusting the rules and restrictions of the Israeli league to the rules and restrictions of one of the European (domestic) leagues.
* Complying with the current rules and restrictions of the Israeli league, however with a few inner adjustments. In this case the club will build two rosters with two separate coaching staffs one for the domestic league and one for the EuroLeague.
The owners have decided to embrace the fourth option. Which means Maccabi Tel Aviv will build two different rosters in the following format:
The owners have decided to embrace the fourth option. Which means Maccabi Tel Aviv will build two different rosters in the following format:
1. A EuroLeague roster that will be assembled according to strictly professional considerations.
2. A roster for the Israeli league that will be consisted of 12 players - 9 local players + 3 foreign players – give or take.
In this format there's no need in any restrictions such as the "Russian rule" or to inform which foreign players will not be registered for the game 29 hours prior to the game, without having the ability to make any changes. In addition it'll also be possible to cancel the rule according to which two young players must be registered to the game (under 25 & under 22) as it is safe to assume that from a roster that will include 9 local players there will be enough players that will fill the aforementioned criteria. Should the other teams in the Israeli league choose to decrease the number of foreign players, Maccabi is expected to support such move.
The two rosters solutions has additional advantages, Maccabi will fully comply and honor all of the understandings agreed upon by all of the teams' representatives as written:
In this format there's no need in any restrictions such as the "Russian rule" or to inform which foreign players will not be registered for the game 29 hours prior to the game, without having the ability to make any changes. In addition it'll also be possible to cancel the rule according to which two young players must be registered to the game (under 25 & under 22) as it is safe to assume that from a roster that will include 9 local players there will be enough players that will fill the aforementioned criteria. Should the other teams in the Israeli league choose to decrease the number of foreign players, Maccabi is expected to support such move.
The two rosters solutions has additional advantages, Maccabi will fully comply and honor all of the understandings agreed upon by all of the teams' representatives as written:
* Develop the Israeli player.
* Build a team for the domestic league in which the vast majority of the team will be consisted of Israeli players.
* The standouts from the domestic team may even be integrated in the EuroLeague roster in the future.
* The roster and the coaching staff will be different and each roster will practice in a way that will be competition focused.
It's very important to Maccabi and its fans for the team to have Israeli players in a EuroLeague level. Therefor there's an understanding that in light of the high competitiveness developed in the EuroLeague, the competition does not allow to nurture and develop players which is why there should be a framework where we can give a real opportunity to raise the local talent, with aspirations and with the hope of them reaching a EuroLeague level.
The current format of roster and lineup changes between the EuroLeague and domestic games hurt the players, and that is why the necessity of a quality local talent has brought Maccabi to establish a special framework for their development.
The supply of foreign players is relatively high, however quality Israeli players are a rare commodity that is greatly lacking. Therefor the decision to choose this solution came from the desire to create a framework that will nurture Israeli players to a EuroLeague level for Maccabi.
It's very important to Maccabi and its fans for the team to have Israeli players in a EuroLeague level. Therefor there's an understanding that in light of the high competitiveness developed in the EuroLeague, the competition does not allow to nurture and develop players which is why there should be a framework where we can give a real opportunity to raise the local talent, with aspirations and with the hope of them reaching a EuroLeague level.
The current format of roster and lineup changes between the EuroLeague and domestic games hurt the players, and that is why the necessity of a quality local talent has brought Maccabi to establish a special framework for their development.
The supply of foreign players is relatively high, however quality Israeli players are a rare commodity that is greatly lacking. Therefor the decision to choose this solution came from the desire to create a framework that will nurture Israeli players to a EuroLeague level for Maccabi.
