Hapoel Ramat Gan's Survival Plan for the Premier League
Hapoel Ramat Gan returns to the Premier League after a 13-year hiatus. With new ownership, a record budget of over 25 million shekels, and an impressive squad overhaul, the club aims to secure its place in the top flight.
Hapoel Ramat Gan returns to the Premier League after a 13-year hiatus. Although the team has struggled to survive more than a season or two in the top flight in the past, the optimism among fans is high. The reason: the club has passed into the private hands of Hanan Salanson, Poni Ashkenazi, and former player Avi Yehiel, who is effectively managing the club. Naturally, Ramat Gan has set a record budget in its history of over 25 million shekels.
The team knows that surviving in the Premier League will be difficult, especially given that they lack a true home stadium and will play their matches at the new stadium in Rehovot. However, they have armed themselves impressively for their size to avoid becoming a passing episode in the top league, especially as the club, founded in 1927, celebrates its centenary this season.
So far, Ramat Gan has signed midfielder Maxim Plakushchenko from Maccabi Netanya, Brazilian winger Luan Campos, Ghanaian defender Farid Ibrahim, Portuguese defender Jota, and several other promising talents on loan. The most prominent signing is the 30-year-old Plakushchenko, who previously won the State Cup with Hapoel Haifa.
"From the first moment, I felt that there is something special here," says the midfielder. "I met a new management with a clear path, vision, and ambitions. You see it in every detail, from the investment in the squad and the new training complex to the desire to create top-level standards. Now our responsibility is to return all this to the pitch."
The team's rehabilitation is led by coach Messay Dego, who, after a difficult period including dismissals from Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Yehuda, arrived at Hapoel Ramat Gan mid-season and led them to promotion.
"I went through a difficult period, but I chose to look at it as an opportunity to learn and develop," says the coach. "I arrived at Hapoel Ramat Gan with a lot of hunger and a desire to prove myself. I want to see a team that plays with high intensity, presses, and is brave with the ball. These things require time and daily work, but I believe in our squad and the path we are building."
Even before Hapoel Ramat Gan secured promotion, their standout player Daniel Worku was sold to Beitar Jerusalem, where he has already adapted quickly to his new team.
