Nevertheless, the team did not produce good football and after just eight league rounds of which the team achieved only two victories, Maccabi Tel Aviv sacked Ben Shimon. On 12 April 2009, Ben Shimon returned as the manager of Ironi Kiryat Shmona after the resignation of Eli Cohen.
Ben Shimon's tenure as manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv was unsuccessful, but he eventually resumed his role at Ironi Kiryat Shmona in April 2009 after Eli Cohen stepped down.