Israel former association footballer and manager who played for Israel U21 national team is the new Head Coach to champions Maccavi-Haifa.
Israeli football champions Maccavi Haifa announced the appointment of Ethiopian-born Messay Dego as head coach in place of Barak Bachar who left for Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade. This season, 37-year-old Dego coached the club’s youth team, which played in the group stage of the UEFA Youth League, and also led the team to win the Israeli Youth Premier League title.
His coaching career also includes five senior teams in the two top Israeli leagues, in which he did not win any titles. “It is a big challenge to lead Maccavi Haifa to further achievements,” Dego said. “Hard work awaits us.”
Bachar led the club to three Israeli Premier League titles after a decade in which the team failed to finish in first place. He also led the team to the Champions’ League group stage this season, where they faced Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica and Juventus.
Maccavi is the oldest club in Israel counting 110 years old and with its own 30000-seater stadium owned by Yakov Shahar. The 14 time Israel champions popularly known as the Greens are said to start an early season preparation ahead of next season’s European champions’ league.

Fasil City youngster, Nathnael Gebregiorgis is one of exciting young prospects in Ethiopian football. He is already looking like a mainstay with the Ethiopian national team, the ” Walyas” for the coming years.
He started his football journey at Fasil City. The No 18 has shown a great versatility under coach Ashenafi Bekele as he played just about anywhere the coach wanted him to be positioned, as a midfielder, striker and even as a right back.
In the 2017/18 season, he was promoted from Fasil City ‘s junior ranks to the main team by then Coach, Wubetu Abate.
He has improved his talent year on year and attributes this to hard work.
“Yes, I believe in hard work. I will do whatever work that my coaches give me, but I am also working hard on myself.”
“I will strive to be better in the future, and I will still learn a lot from the players who are my role models.”
He watched several top Ethiopia Stars growing up watching and while staring for the Fasil youth team and he saw some of the big stars from close quarters, especially Abdurahman Mubarek who was a big influence.
Nathnael also admires the legendary striker Getaneh Kebede, who was a big hero for St George and the Ethiopian national team.
Kebede is still one of the top Strikers in the BetKing Ethiopia Premier League and currently second top scorer.
He is also a huge fan of global superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, his heart beats for his Club, Fasil City.
“I love this club because I see it as a family. I have learned a lot from Fasil City. It is a club that means a lot to me. I am very happy with the team.”
He has already won a League title with the Emperors in 2020/21 season, and they came close last season , losing narrowly to St George and finished 2nd. He also dreams of success on continental level.
“We have won the league once and I plan to win the Premier League title several times in the future. I want to make history in the African Clubs competition by making a better journey than we have had so far.”
Nathnael remembers his debut in the African Champions League. “I did not travel with the team in the previous trip to Tunisia, in last season, but when we traveled to Sudan for Africa Champions League, I then traveled to Khartoum as a member of the squad.”
“When we went to Khartoum for the second leg after we drew 2-2 at home, I played as a substitute in that away tie. It was a historic moment for me. I am happy that it was my first African stage participation.”
“It made me feel like I’m stepping up a notch. It was a great experience. It boosted my confidence. Besides, I didn’t feel scared when all those fans were screaming.”
“I am confident when I enter the field, no matter my opponent is, I’m not scared”
Fasil City may not be challenging for the title this season but when they face the Champions, they play for pride. They beat St George on the first-round match of the League, but they lost in the second-round meeting between both sides.
“It’s a football battle for us and we are not afraid to face anyone in the league, especially St George.
“We went into the game against St George thinking we will win but we lost, and we accepted it because we knew we didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we got without having a distinct superiority in the game.”
“On the whole, our season has been frustrating. There is anger inside. We will do our best to win the next games and improve our level”
The team is struggling this year and they even made changes on coaching staff.
Many fans are angry with the team’s results and recent performances, but Nathnael thinks the team is improving.
“Yes, there is a change. From now on, we need the points we get from each game, we must fight in the games we have, and we fight for ourselves. Even if there is a change after the arrival of Coach Ashenafi Kebede, we have to strive better to lift Fasil City.”
The Emperors plans on the remaining matches was broken down by Nathnael.
“We have to win the next games and raise our level. I can’t say that we will bring this result and how we will finish the season, but I believe that we will do our best in the future.”
Nathnael Gebregiorgis has been fortunate to train under some of the best Coaches with their different styles. He said that all they left a legacy on him.
“The coach who trained me when I was in the youth team, including Girmay Kiros, who included me and promoted five players to the main team, Coach Wubetu Abate, Coach Seyum Kebede with whom he won the League title.”
“There is also Coaches Hailu Negash, Tigana and Coach Asewen Bekele. I thank everyone of them who contributed to my growth and development.”

Faith Kipyegon set a new 1500m world record in the Florence Diamond League meeting on Friday, with Britain’s Laura Muir a distant second.
Muir was 10 metres behind Kenya’s reigning world and Olympic champion, 29, heading into the final lap.
And Kipyegon streaked clear to win in 3 minutes 49.11 seconds, breaking the 3:50 barrier for the first time, while Muir ran a season’s best of 3:57.09.
Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba set the previous record of 3:50.07 in 2015.
Ireland’s Ciara Mageean also ran a season’s best time as she finished fourth in 4:00.95.
Kipyegon has won both world and Olympic gold on two occasions but this is the first time she has broken the world record.
She now holds the first and third fastest times in history, running her previous best of 3:50.37 last August.
Former 200m world champion Dina Asher-Smith had to pull out of the women’s 100m moments before the race after suffering from cramp in the blocks.
“Other than that all good, but I didn’t want to risk anything today,” she said on social media.
“Frustrated as I was so excited to race, but had to make a sensible call for the bigger picture.”
Fellow Briton Imani-Lara Lansiquot finished third in 11.16secs, behind Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast (10.97) and Germany’s Gina Lueckenkemper (11.09).
World champion Fred Kerley was again denied a meeting with Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs in the men’s 100m as the Italian had not recovered from the back problem that forced him out of last Sunday’s Diamond League meet in Rabat.
Kerley remains unbeaten this season, winning in 9.94 from Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala (10.05) and fellow American Trayvon Bromell (10.09).
Meanwhile, Erriyon Knighton breezed to victory in the men’s 200m with a season’s best of 19.89.
The 19-year-old American, who holds the under-18 and under-20 world records, finished well clear of Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards (20.28) and Aaron Brown of Canada (20.31).

Hawassa City finally got back to winning ways in the BetKing Ethiopia Premier League, beating Wolaitta Dicha 3-1 at the Hawassa University Stadium.
Hawassa owe their victory to a resurgent Mujib Kassim who scored a brace and Ali Suleiman.
Kassim opened the scoring for Hawassa City in the 27th minute but Kalkidan Zelalem equalised for Wolaitta Dicha two minutes before the end of the first half.
Kassim restored the lead for Hawassa City three minutes later in the first minute of added time to give Hawassa a 2-1 advantage at halftime.
It was a frenetic second half with Wolaitta Dicha pushing for the equaliser but Hawassa made the game safe with Suleiman’s goal on 82 minutes.
Hawassa move up to fifth place with Wolaitta Dicha living dangerously in 12th position and facing relegation worries now that there’s just one team left to join Legetafo Legedadi and Ethio Electric in the drop zone.
Dire Dawa City’s joyride, meanwhile, came to a crashing halt when they lost 1-2 to Adama City in the second game of the day.
Dire Dawa drew first blood in the encounter with the opening goal on 32 minutes from Charles Musiige to go 1-0 up.
They toook the lead into the break and dominated the early proceedings in the second half.
However, Adama City, who have Dawa Hotessa back and the exciting young talent Yosef Tarekegn at their disposal, began to assert themselves and were rewarded with a 60th-minute equaliser by Abubeker Wondimu.
It was only fitting that they sealed their momentum with a second goal this time from the feet of non-other than Yosef Tarekegn in the 83rd minute to secure a 2-1 win.
The win for Adama City lifts them to eighth position on the log, while Dire Dawa City dropped to ninth.