3/7/2013: Maccabi Tel Aviv sign Spanish left-back Manuel Jiménez Ortiz

Football:

Manuel Jiménez Ortiz (Maccabi Tel Aviv Website)

Maccabi Tel Aviv have signed  left-back Manuel Jimenez Ortiz on a 2 year deal. The Spanish 31 year old whose nickname is "Man'e" joined the team in their training camp in Austria.
" I can't wait to start this new challenge", Ortiz said to Maccabi's official website, " I have heard a lot from Carlos Garcia about what it's like to play for this team and life in Tel Aviv and i can't wait to start training with the other players and in the end to win titles". Ortiz played for Almeria in Spain for 3 seasons between 2006 and 2009. In his first season he helped Almeria gain promotion to La Liga from the Spanish Segunda Division and in his second season he was named in the  "Sky Sports" Spanish La Liga team of the season alongside players such as: Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Iniesta, Raul and Sergio "Kun" Aguero.
 Maccabi lost their first pre-season friendly match 1-0 today, to Russian side FC Krasnodar. "Today we saw lots of different aspects in defense and attack that we are still getting used to", said Maccabi's manager Paulo Sousa, "I am sure that in the next few games we will reach the level that we want to reach".

Lucas Sasha (Hapoel Tel Aviv Website)

                                 

Hapoel Tel Aviv made their 12th signing of the summer today when they signed 23 year old Brazilian defensive midfielder Lucas Sasha on a 2 year deal. Sasha played last season at CSKA Sofia and helped them to a 3rd place finish in the Bulgarian "A Group" with 29 appearances and 1 goal for the club.
                                    

Dia Saba in the white shirt. (Walla!)

Maccabi Petach Tikva who were promoted last season for the Liga Haleumit (Second Division) have made their first Israeli signing this year, today, when they signed midfielder Dia Saba. Saba, who played the first half of last season at Hapoel Beer Sheva and the second half at Bnei Sakhnin, signed a 1 year deal that will see him being payed about $100,000 for his services during the season.


Basketball:

Marco Killingsworth (Sport 5)

Maccabi Netanya American forward Marco Killingsworth has left Israel to join Ukrainian Super League team, BC Donetsk. Donetsk will pay Killingsworth $200,000 per season.

Oz Blazer (Walla!)

 Bnei Herzliya have added 20 year old Oz Blazer to their roster for next season. Blazer who is 199cm tall, played last season at Hapoel Afula and has joined Herzliya on a 2 year contract.





Handball:
Maccabi Rishon LeZion  have managed to steal Itzik Chalifi away from Maccabi Tel Aviv. The man, who captained the Tel Aviv team last year joined Maccabi Rishon, on a 2 year deal.