Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa is a sports association in Haifa, Israel. It operates sports teams, most notably soccer and basketball.Maccabi Haifa F.C (MHFC) is one of the most senior football clubs in Israel. It was founded in 1913 and it is well known for its football style and green uniforms. Maccabi Haifa's major goals are winning titles, representing Israel with dignity in the European cups, nurturing future generations of Israeli football players and to be the first profitable Israeli football club.
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2 General information 3 Titles and Trophies 4 Current Lineup (2004) 5 Famous players who played in Maccabi Haifa: 6 See also 7 External links |
Maccabi Haifa has only entered the Israeli champions club since 1980 In the 1983/4 season Maccabi Haifa won its 1st ever championship, under the guidance of coach Shlomo Sherf, overcoming Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv. This was a total surprise to the Greens, since even though the club was known for its attacking and technique football style - it used to lose games because of errors in the defence. Sherf's team played with no less than 4 strikers and managed to build their the defence around legendary goalkeeper Avi Ran. A year later, Maccabi Haifa won a second championship in a decisive performance. At 1986 MHFC lost the championship because of a refereeing error.
In 1990 Maccabi Haifa established itself as an elite club in Israel. It began with a "double" - a championship and a cup at 1990/1 season and the introduction of three talented young players: Eyal Berkovich, Reuven Atar and Tal Banin. In 1992 Maccabi Haifa was bought by Yaakov Shahar, who became the president of the club. Under Shahar's management, Maccabi Haifa enjoyed financial stability and professional working regulation similiar with the standards of European football clubs. Maccabi Haifa's highlight season was 1993/4. After winning the 1993 cup, Maccabi Haifa gave a stunning performance in the Cup Winners' Cup (CWC), beating Torpedo Moscow FC 3-1 and Parma FC 1-0 in 1/8 final, only to lose on penalties. In the domestic premier league, Maccabi Haifa did not lose a single match, thus winning a spectular championship, which broke many Israeli records. The Maccabi Haifa 1993/4 squad, under the guidance of coach Giora Shpigel, is considered one of the best squads in Israeli football history.
In 1996 Eyal Berkovich and Haim Revivo left Haifa to European clubs. While the two gained great personnal success there, Maccabi Haifa went into crisis. Coaches changed rapidly and except for a cup in 1997 and attaining the quarter finals of the CWC, Maccabi Haifa failed to win the championship.
In 1998, under the guidance of Dushan Ohrin, Maccabi Haifa beat French giants Paris St-Germain and Austrian club SV Reid to reach the 1/4 of the Cup Winners' Cup. In the middle of the season, Haifa's excellent striker Alon Mizrahi left to French club Nice and the club again fell into crisis. After two more coaches were sacked, stability came to the club with the arival of Avraam Grant.
After 3 bad year with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Avraam Grant was appointed in 2000 as coach-manager of Maccabi Haifa. Against all expectation, under Grant's guidance, Maccabi Haifa became an almost unstoppable team, winning the championship with great performance by Israeli prodigy Yossi Benayoun. The championship ended Haifa's "seven dry years" and the spontaneous burst of celebrating fans onto the pitch caused a tragic disaster. A young fan, Amir Rand, was crushed and is still unconceious.
A year later, Grant won a second championship with relative ease, thanks to the superb ability of 3 excellent foreign footballers: Giovanni Russo (Croatia), Raimondas Zutatuas (Lithuania) and the young Nigerian striker Igabini Yaakubo. After the second championship, Avraam Grant left Haifa to coach the Israeli national team, and Itzhak Shum was appointed instead.
In 2002, Haifa was the first Israeli team to participate in the group phase of the Champions League. In the group phase, it defeated Greek power Olympiakos and the legendary Manchester United, both 3-0.
In 2003/4 season Maccabi Haifa won an easy but boring championship with the young coach and ex-Maccabi footballer Ronnie Levi. Itzhak Shum, which left Haifa to Panatinaikos won a historic "double" for the Greek club. In this season, Maccabi Haifa teen club (ages of 16-18) won the domestic chaampionship, and an Israel national kids team which was constitued from Maccabi Haifa players won Fox Kids World Cup for 12-years-old.
MHFC holds many Israeli records.
(Legend: GK = goalkeeper , D = defence player , M = midfield player, F = foward, attacker, striker)
Home players:
Eitan Aaroni (M) - Avraam Abukarat (M) - Asher Almani (M) - Aaron Amar (F) - Reuven Atar (M) - Tal Banin (M) - Arik Benado (D) - Eyal Berkovich (M) - Nir Davidovich (GK) - Johnathan Hardey (F) - Jeshayaho Heled (M) -Yaniv Katan (F) - Nir Klinger (M) - Baruch Maman (M) - Avraam Menchel (M) - Yaron Parsalani (M) - Avi Ran (GK) - Dani Shmilo Rom (F) - Ronnie Rosenthal (F) - Izhake Visoker (GK).
Purchased players:
Zahi Armali (F) - Wallid Badeer (M) - Yossi Benayoun (M) - Alon Harazi (D) - Alon Hazan (M) - Adoram Keissi (D) - Alon Mizrahi (F) - Ronnie Levi (M) - Haim Revivo (F) - Idan Tal (M).
Foreign players: Victor Chanov (GK) - Sergey Clestsjenko (F) - Sergey Kandaurov (M) - Ivan Getzko (F) -Yaakubo Igabini (F) - Nenand Pralija (M) - Giovanni Russo (M) - Raimondas Zutautas (M).
Famous managers\\coaches:
Avraam Grant - Dror Kashtan - Amatzia Levkovich - Dushan Ohrin - Shlomo Sharf - Giora Shpigel - Itzhak Shum.History
General information
The club had exported to leading European clubs many famous players, among them:
Other important information:
Titles and Trophies
Current Lineup (2004)
Famous players who played in Maccabi Haifa: