When Hapoel Tel Aviv lifted the Toto Cup high into the air to the delight of their supporters, they captured their first trophy in the top division since winning the 2011/12 Israel State Cup. Of course, everyone knows that the Toto Cup is neither the Israeli league championship nor the State Cup. It is a preseason competition that culminates in a winner-take-all final played during the season itself.

But don’t let that fool you. This season’s Toto Cup was anything but the third-most-important competition, especially when it came down to a highly charged Tel Aviv Derby.

This was anything but a meaningless contest.

The match meant the world to both clubs and their supporters. Anytime the Reds and the Yellow & Blue face one another, emotions run high and the best comes out of everyone involved. That was certainly the case at Bloomfield Stadium.

The two sides had already met earlier in the season, with Maccabi recording a decisive 4-1 league victory. Stav Turiel’s red card helped set the tone for that encounter, leaving Hapoel with plenty to think about heading into the rematch.

This time, however, there were no red cards, just an all-out assault from Hapoel as they looked to make amends for that painful defeat. And make amends they did.

The Reds raced out to a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Roie Alkukin, Omri Altman, and Daniel Dappa, who was arguably the quintessential Man of the Match.

Eventually, however, Hapoel were forced to hang on for dear life. Supporters were left sitting on pins and needles after Dor Peretz scored twice late in the contest, while an Ester Sokler near miss could have completely turned the game on its head in the dying moments.

But Elyaniv Barda’s squad held firm. As the clock ticked down and the final whistle sounded, the Reds could finally celebrate taking the silverware home.

It is quite remarkable to think that Hapoel Tel Aviv were playing in the second division, the Leumit League, less than two years ago. In fact, the club had dropped down to the second tier twice over the past decade. The fact that Barda has been able to build a team capable of competing on a consistent basis in such a short period is nothing short of an incredible feat and a phenomenal accomplishment.

Last season, their first back in the Israel Premier League, the Reds finally managed to defeat Maccabi in a derby for the first time in over a decade. They also finished high enough in the table to earn the opportunity to compete in Europe.

With a combination of young talent and experienced veterans, Barda has molded the squad into one capable of challenging the best while simultaneously building a foundation that could serve the club for years to come.

A collection of savvy foreign players who have played key roles in the team’s success, combined with an owner in the Safra family that allows Barda and CEO Guy Primor the freedom to operate, has been an important ingredient in Hapoel’s resurgence and stabilization as a top-flight club.

Of course, ultimately, it is the players who must deliver on the pitch for the people in the boardroom to receive the compliments and recognition they deserve.
Without a doubt, one of the key individuals who has helped the Reds reach the heights they are currently experiencing is veteran attacking midfielder Omri Altman.

The 32-year-old is enjoying his third stint with Hapoel Tel Aviv and is unquestionably experiencing a career renaissance, playing some of his best football in quite some time. But it is not just his performances on the pitch that have been so critical to the team’s success. His veteran leadership off it has been equally important.

Fernand Mayembo may wear the captain’s armband, but there seems little doubt that Altman is one of the most influential voices in the dressing room, commanding tremendous respect among his teammates and the coaching staff.

Altman has scored some enormous goals over the past two seasons and has consistently been there for his coach, Elyaniv Barda, through both the good times and the challenging moments.

The relationship between the two is unique. In many respects, Altman serves as Barda’s representative on the pitch, reading situations much as his manager would from the touchline while playing the role of the experienced, wily veteran to perfection.

Having grown up in the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth system before moving to England to train with Fulham for two seasons, Altman was given an opportunity that many young Israeli footballers can only dream about.

From there, it was back to the Holy Land and Maccabi Tel Aviv, followed by a loan spell at Hapoel Petah Tikva that paved the way for his first stint with Hapoel Tel Aviv.

A move to Panathinaikos followed, and after two seasons in Greece, Altman returned to the Reds. Portugal and another spell in Greece were next on the itinerary before he eventually came back to Hapoel for a third time. Along the way, loan spells at Volos and Maccabi Bnei Reineh helped shape the player who has now become such a dependable figure under Barda.

“I am happy for him,” Barda began. “I am happy for him because I know what path he went through, both with me, with us, and of course with his history with the club. He went through a journey, and he stayed loyal all the time and believed in himself and what he could bring from the pitch.”

Altman’s journey has certainly been an arduous one, taking him around the continent and perhaps in directions he never expected when he first began his career at Maccabi Tel Aviv and earned that opportunity with Fulham.

But it is those experiences, trials, and tribulations that have helped make him the player, and perhaps even more importantly, the person he is today.

Modest, composed, calm, cool and collected.

“He [Barda] is perhaps the best coach I’ve ever worked with,” Altman said after winning the Toto Cup. “Both in terms of football and in terms of his personal relationships with all the players, everyone stays sharp. You see that every time someone comes in, whether they are in the starting lineup or come on as a substitute, whatever it may be, Barda is there because he really knows how to keep everyone alert and ready to go.

“He pays attention to everything and goes into the smallest of details. He doesn’t give up on anyone, but he is also demanding. What you see are the results.”

It is clear that Barda and Altman are very much cut from the same cloth. They understand what Hapoel needs to do to reach the top, and with that in mind, the Reds will now turn their attention to another major challenge: Monday night’s league showdown with Maccabi Haifa at Bloomfield Stadium.

“We will rejoice in this victory and enjoy it, but we already have a game back here against Maccabi Haifa on Monday,” Barda said.

“Omri is one of the players I think I, as a coach, can rely on in preparation for this game. But it’s not just him. We have a few more players like that who are leaders and understand that today we will celebrate because the players truly deserve it.

“We will rejoice, but as they say, we need to come back down to earth because this game is yet another test that we need to pass along the way if we want to be in the mix come April. We will need to pass many such tests, but this is a very big one for us, this game against Maccabi Haifa.”

One thing is clear: with Barda on the touchline and Altman leading the way on the pitch, Hapoel Tel Aviv have two important figures who understand what it takes to build something special.

The Toto Cup triumph is another significant milestone in the Reds’ resurgence, but the bigger prize remains ahead. If they can maintain their consistency, continue developing their squad, and pass the difficult tests that await them, perhaps, just perhaps, Hapoel Tel Aviv will find themselves right in the thick of the championship race when the playoff stage reaches its climax in the spring.