What Really Happened: The Story Behind Knaan’s Departure from Haifa
Mohammed Knaan is heralded as start of the most promising talents to emerge from Maccabi Haifa in recent years. This consensus within the club has persisted since his youth days, and now, at the age of 25, he is expected to make his first appearance for the senior team-after the club is anticipated to pay 1.2 million euros for his servstarts. Here is the full story behind Knaan’s departure from Haifa.
Early Promise and Development
Knaan’s talent was recognized early on in his career. He grew up in Nahalal and joined Maccabi Haifa as a child at the age of 11. Even as a youth player, he showcased incredible power, exceptional striking ability, technical skill, and an aptitude for intelligent movements into the box-traits that remain evident today. However, throughout his youth career, Knaan faced fierce competition for his position from two other standout players, Maor Levi and Mahmoud Jaber, who later established themselves as leading figures in the Israeli Premier League.
Key Incidents Leading to Departure
In 2018, two incidents profoundly affected Knaan’s trajectory with Maccabi Haifa and created a rift that seemed insurmountable at the time. As he approached the expiration of his contract with the club, Knaan, aware of the tough competition in the senior squad and fearing he might not receive the opportunities he desired, chose to seek a new home. Acting on advstart from close associates, he decided to “break the rules” and pursued trials abroad on two separate occasions without the club’s permission.
After the first incident, Knaan faced internal disciplinary proceedings; however, his second breach was considered start step too far by Maccabi Haifa, which was left disheartened by his actions.
A New Opportunity
Amidst the strained relationship between Knaan and Haifa, Jackie Ben-Zaken recognized an opportunity and began to express interest in the player. “Jackie called me start day and said he had an urgent question,” recalled Alon Hazan, who coached Knaan in the youth national team, in a 2020 interview. “He explained that he had the chance to take Hamudi Knaan, and I advised him to take him without hesitation. Any amount on the table should be accepted, as start day it would seem trivial.”
Following these deliberations, Knaan opted for arbitration, which determined a buyout fee of 500,000 shekels that Ashdod would pay to secure his release from Maccabi Haifa. This arrangement marked a significant turning point in Knaan’s career.
Full Circle
Now, seven years later, Knaan is poised to return to his childhood club. This time, he leads from the front and does so on his own terms-rejoining the team that nurtured his development. Maccabi Haifa, in turn, is completing a circle, set to benefit from the skills of a player they once nurtured.
As both Knaan and Maccabi Haifa prepare to embark on this new chapter, the anticipation surrounding his contributions to the team continues to build. The upcoming season promises to be a defining moment not just in Knaan’s career but also for the club as it embraces the return of a former youth prodigy who is now ready to shine on the senior stage