By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Hapoel Jerusalem will continue playing in the domestic championship without head coach Aleksandar Dzikic, who is currently in Belgrade, and the two sides could part ways, according to Meridian Sport and Walla Sport.
Reports suggest that the Serbian coach has been approached to take over the Georgian national team, an offer which Hapoel declined. However, according to the latest information, the Israeli team is already searching for his replacement.
Reportedly, Slovenian tactician and former Cedevita Olimpija head coach Jurica Golemac is the frontrunner to replace Dzikic in Jerusalem.
Having left Ljubljana in the middle of the previous season, Golemac is currently available for a new position, but there seems to be an issue with obtaining a work visa in Israel. Hapoel believes this issue could be resolved due to the ongoing situation with Dzikic and the fact that Golemac previously played for the club.
The Slovenian coach donned the Hapoel Jerusalem jersey during the 2006/07 season. After eventually hanging up his boots in 2013 with Krka, he began his coaching career as an assistant at Cibona. He then took charge of Slovenian clubs Tajfun Šentjur and Koper Primorska before joining Cedevita Olimpija in 2020. Additionally, he had a brief stint as an assistant coach for the Georgian national team from 2016 to 2017.
Golemac won three titles in Slovenia, four Cups, and five Supercups, as well as the ABA League Second Division with Koper in 2019.