Maccabi Haifa have appointed former player Marco Balbul as manager after Serbian Alexsandar Stanojevic quit.

The former Partizan Belgrade manager and player stepped down after just 15 games of which Maccabi lost eight, leaving them fourth in Ligat Ha’Al, 14 points adrift of the leaders.

With the signing of Yossi Benayoun as captain and the move to the new 30,000 capacity Sammy Ofer Stadium, the Greens had hoped for better.

Former Israel international Balboul took Bnei Sakhnin to sixth in the table last season.