Results, that’s the name of the game.

In any sport, a team, the players and especially the head coach are all judged by results. Win, lose or draw it’s the results that are analysed, discussed and broken down to the nth degree by pundits and supporters alike.

It’s the game within the game, one that anyone involved in the world of sports knows very well and it’s sometimes even more interesting than the game itself.

When there are expectations, then the results are even more critical as goals need to be met or else changes will be abound. Along with that also comes even more and more questions, commentary and discussion.

That is what Almog Cohen, the Beitar Jerusalem head coach needs to deal with now on a day-to-day basis and even perhaps hour-to-hour since taking over the reins from Barak Itzhaki. After just one match, a devastating 4-1 loss to Maccabi Netanya, Cohen had plenty of questions to answer immediately following the game and then prior to the next as to what went wrong and what can be improved.

If Cohen thought he was going to have an easy landing to start his new job after moving down from his sports director post, he now knows that it’s definitely not the case.

But it’s not just the questions that Cohen needs to deal with, he also has to make decisions that will lead his team to better results which will need to come quickly because when there are expectations those have to happen or else the sand in the hourglass is going to run out.

When pressed about what changes he may make for their match against Hapoel Tel Aviv on Tuesday night back at Bloomfield Stadium, Cohen kept answering time and time again that we will all see that tomorrow. There was no way he wanted to show his hand ahead of a clash versus another one of the league’s top teams that just had a wonderful run in Europe. He’s aware that after a goalless draw at Hapoel Haifa, one that he watched on his birthday, that their head coach Elyaniv Barda will also make the necessary changes to get the result that his team needs as well.

Just as the head coaches will be judged on results, the Jewish Judgement Day is also right around the corner and for that Beitar held a festive Toast, or in Hebrew, a Ramat Cosit for the players, staff and those closely connected to the club to celebrate the new year, Rosh Hashana.

The atmosphere was a positive one as the Mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion and the club owner Barak Abramov offered words of support for the team and exuded confidence in its head coach and squad that can bring the results that the yellow-and-black faithful want to see and more importantly, expect to see.

“I have no doubt that we will succeed,” Abramov said. “I believe in Almog. As the head of our system, Almog Cohen is the best coach in the country. You don’t draw conclusions after the first league match. Last year, we missed out on the championship. The last game against Netanya was difficult, but last year too, we had our heads down after losing to Hapoel Tel Aviv and then everything changed.”

There is optimism that Beitar will compete for the title after coming so close last season and the results will need to be there now and later on in a campaign that is a 36 match marathon. It’s true that from the moment they lost the game against Hapoel Tel Aviv at Bloomfield Stadium in devastating fashion, everything seemed to fall into place, especially when Luka Gadrani joined the team soon thereafter. Beitar still needs to add a player and there has been talk now that a true #6 needs to be signed, maybe that is the move that needs to be made to help Beitar over the hump. But regardless of a player coming in ow or in a few weeks, points will need to collected and the entire squad will need to be able to be there for the team from the beginning to the end.

As Cohen said so eloquently, “We have a very, very strong team and I’m always optimistic. I see us going out, getting a good result and continuing our progress. God willing we’ll play our football, be dominant and simply erase the game against Netanya from our minds. Forget about it and return to what we showed before that game.”

“I’m certain and I believe in the players that we’ll make that jump, in terms of energy, readiness, hunger and the level of expectation placed on us. At the end of the day, no defeat is acceptable. Maybe during the first year or year and a half, one defeat or another might have been accepted, but over the last year and a half, certainly over the past year no defeat is acceptable.”

Cohen made it clear as day that there are huge expectations and ultimately if he can’t get the results, he will be the one who will pay the price despite Barak Abramov throwing his full support behind him at the Toast. There’s no question that the Hapoel Tel Aviv game will be a massive test for Cohen and Beitar and after the loss to Netanya, it takes on an even bigger meaning with a match against Bnei Sakhnin coming up on Monday at Doha Stadium.

The second match of the season is the next test for Cohen and he knows what he will need to see from his charges in order to get the desired result.

“We have to return to our basics, which are hard work and running. From there, I’m sure things will fall into place. Once you lose, you need to work harder, put your head down, accept the criticism positively, keep moving forward and improve.”

Hapoel Tel Aviv will no doubt be a serious test for Beitar there will be changes in the starting lineup, those who will be on the pitch will have to give it their all and then some in order to come away with the win. It won’t be easy and Cohen knows it, but it’s possible and with the players he has at his disposal, despite the injuries, should be able to give a good fight and battle it our for the points.

Ultimately all of the talk and analysis will come down to just one thing at the end of Thursday evening; the result.