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 stint as manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv was cut short due to their poor football results. However, he eventually came back to manage Ironi Kiryat Shmona in April 2009, following the resignation of Eli Cohen.