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===Post-independence===
===Post-independence===
After Israel was established in 1948, Maccabi Tel Aviv won the first [[1949-50 Israeli League|championship]] under the coach Jery Bet-Halevy, scoring a record 103 goals in 24 matches. They dominated the league during the decade, winning the title in [[1951–52 Liga Alef|1951–52]], [[1953–54 Liga Alef|1953–54]], [[1955–56 Liga Leumit|1955–56]] and [[1957–58 Liga Leumit|1957–58]], as well as winning the State Cup in 1954, 1955, 1958 and 1959.


The 1960s saw the club decline, finishing tenth in [[1961–62 Liga Leumit|1961–62]], their lowest-ever league position. However, they won the State Cup the following season and the one after. In 1967 they won the State Cup again by beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-1. In the same year they moved from their original HaMaccabia stadium in northern Tel Aviv to the Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa.
The 1960s saw the club decline, finishing tenth in [[1961–62 Liga Leumit|1961–62]], their lowest-ever league position. However, they won the State Cup the following season and the one after. In 1967 they won the the State Cup again by beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-1. In the same year they moved from their original HaMaccabia stadium in northern Tel Aviv to the Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa.
In the "double" season of [[1966–68 Liga Leumit|1966–68]] the club regained the title for the first time since 1958. This allowed them to enter the [[1969 Asian Club Championship|Asian Club Championship]], which they won 1-0 against South Korean club [[Yangzee FC]]. They won the league again in [[1969–70 Liga Leumit|1969–70]], and the following season won the [[1971 Asian Club Championship|Club Championship]] for a second time, winning the final with a 2-0 walkover after [[Iraq]]i club [[Al-Shorta]] refused to play.
===1970s===
One of Maccabi's Golden era's. Maccabi won The league in 1970, and added another Cup after beating Maccabi Netanya and their star Motale Shpigler in the final 2:1. In 1971 Maccabi, as the champions of Israel, won another continental Trophy after getting a technical win over the champions of Iraq who didn't show up for the game. In 1972 Maccabi Won their 14 championship as they grabbed 45 pts from 60. In 1973 Maccabi started to pay their players for their wins and achievements, that didn't help the team who finished 4th in the league and was eliminate from the Cup. Maccabi also lost one of their big stars, Giora Shpigel who left to France to play with local team of Strasbourg. In 1976 Jeri Bet-Halevy, who was the chairman of the club and 50 years total in the club was forced to retire from Maccabi Tel Aviv and Sports at all. In April 1976 Maccabi had beaten English club Queens Park Rangers 2:1. 1977 was a huge year for the organization of Maccabi Tel Aviv. In Basketball Maccabi Tel Aviv won the European Championship for Clubs. in Football Maccabi Tel Aviv won the "Double". In 1978 The European Champions Anderlecht from Belgium came to Bloomfield stadium just to lose against Maccabi Tel Aviv 2:1, in front of 20,000 people. In 1979 Maccabi grabbed another Championship but lost the cup in the final for Beitar. At the same year, Bob Pasley, The director of English Championship Liverpool signed Maccabi Tel Aviv's defender Avi Cohen<ref>http://www.thisisanfield.com/blog/2007/07/09/forgotten-heroes-avi-cohen/</ref> as the first Israeli player to play in Merseyside.
=== The '80s ===


The Eighties were the worst decade of Maccabi Tel Aviv's History. 0 Championships, 2 Cups in the 1987 season after beating Maccabi Haifa in Penalty Shootout. At the end of the 1987 season Maccabi Lost in Haifa to the local Maccabi Haifa team 10:0, their worst defeat in history. Some people says that the played lost just to get ride of the coach Giora Shpigel. The second Cup cme in 1988 as Maccabi beats Hapoel Tel Aviv 2:1 in the final. In 1989 one of Maccabi's great strikers, Benny Tabak (His Nickname was F-15) decided to retire. He Played 365 games, scored 118 goals, won 2 Championships and 3 Cups in 17 years as a player in the club. + In [[1991–92 Liga Leumit|1991–92]] Maccabi won their first championship since 1978–79, but lost the State Cup final 3-1 to [[Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C.|Hapoel Petah Tikva]] after extra time. The following season the club entered the [[1992–93 UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champions League]] for the first time. After beating Maltese champions [[F.C. Valleta]] 3-1on aggregate, they lost 4-0 to [[Club Brugge]]. They did win the [[Toto Cup]] for the first time, and also reached the State Cup final that season, but lost again, 1-0 to Maccabi Haifa. The following year they won the trophy with a 2-0 victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv, and entered the [[1994–95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]], where they were knocked out by [[SV Werder Bremen|Werder Bremen]] in the first round.
In the "double" season of [[1966–68 Liga Leumit|1966–68]] the club regained the title for the first time since 1958. This allowed them to enter the [[1969 Asian Club Championship|Asian Club Championship]], which they won 1-0 against South Korean club [[Yangzee FC]]. They won the league and cup double again in [[1969–70 Liga Leumit|1969–70]], beating [[Maccabi Netanya F.C.|Maccabi Netanya]] 2-1 in the final. The following season the club won the [[1971 Asian Club Championship|Club Championship]] for a second time, winning the final with a 2-0 walkover after [[Iraq]]i club [[Al-Shorta]] refused to play.
=== The '90s ===


In the '90s Maccabi enters a new era where the money begins to talk and clubs being bought by owners. Maccabi was sold to a group of business man called "MOFET" who included, David Federman, Lony Herzikovic and others. The nineties were also called the golden era of the club because of the young players who grew up in the club and went leading it for the upcoming seasons. Defender's Gadi and Alon Brumer, Midfielders [[Itzik Zohar]], Haim Hagag, Noam Shoam, Strikers Nir Sevilla, [[Eli Driks]], Meir Melika and avcours, two of the greatest players ever to play in Maccabi. The first one [[Aleksandr Uvarov (footballer)|Aleksandr " Shura" Uvarov]], goalkeeper of the Soviet Union team, came to Maccabi in the season of 1991-92 and stayed until today in the club. And the Best player ever to play in Maccabi Tel Aviv, [[Avi Nimni]]. In the 1991-92 Season Maccabi won their first championship for the first time since 1979. The following year, Maccabi entered [[UEFA Champions League]] Qualifying round (Israeli teams and the national teams moved to play in the UEFA Competitions). Maccabi beat Maltese champions F.C. Valleta (3:1 on agg) only to lose in the second round to Belgian champions [[Club Brugge]] (4:0 on agg). Maccabi lost in the State Cup final to [[Maccabi Haifa]].
Macabbi won the league again in [[1971–72 Liga Leumit|1971–72]], and another double in [[1976–77 Liga Leumit|1976–77]], finishing the season with a 1-0 win against Beitar Tel Aviv in the final. They won the league for a sixteenth time in [[1978–79 Liga Leumit|1978–79]], but lost the cup final 2-1 to [[Beitar Jerusalem F.C.|Beitar Jerusalem]].
After reaching the second place in the league at 1993-94 season the club entered the [[Cup Winners Cup]]. after beating Icelandic Cup Holder Kaflevick Maccabi lost to [[Fußball-Bundesliga|Bundesliga]]'s Leaders that time, [[Werder Bremen]] (2:0 on agg). At the end of that Year, Maccabi defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv in the State Cup Final 2:0, thanks to Itsik Zohar and [[Nir Klinger]]'s goals. In 1994-95 Maccabi Won another championship under the management of Avraham Grant. Grant left for Hapoel Haifa and instead came Dror Kashtan. his first task was to lead the Club for the UEFA Champions League. Maccabi needed only one round of qualification, but managed to lost to the Swiss champions [[Grasshoppers]], after a 1:1 draw in Zurich, Maccabi came home and lost 1:0 in front of a packed house in Bloofield Stadium. Maccabi Finished the 1995-96 with their last "Double" after clinching both Championship and Cup.
In the start of the 1996/7 season, Maccabi sold to Lony Herzikovich that fired [[Dror Kashtan]] and brings back [[Avraham Grant]] back. Again in the UEFA Champions League Qualification Maccabi lost in the last round, this time to Turkish side Fenerbache S.K. In [[Ramat-Gan Stadium]] Maccabi lost 1:0, and draw in Istanbul 1:1. Avraham Grant stayed as a coach until 2000 than left the club. in those days Maccabi was a mid-table team, and their crowd hated Grant, Maccabi by the way only won one thing, Toto Cup in the 1998-99 season where they finished second in the league to [[Hapoel Haifa]].


During the 1980s the club failed to wni the championship, although they won back-to-back State Cups in 1987 and 1988 with wins over [[Maccabi Haifa F.C.|Maccabi Haifa]] and local rivals Hapoel. The club also suffered its record defeat, 10-0 to Maccabi Haifa, in 1988.


=== 2000 until today ===
In [[1991–92 Liga Leumit|1991–92]] Maccabi won their first championship since 1978–79, but lost the State Cup final 3-1 to [[Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C.|Hapoel Petah Tikva]] after extra time. The following season the club entered the [[1992–93 UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champions League]] for the first time. After beating Maltese champions [[Valletta F.C.|Valletta]] 3-1on aggregate, they lost 4-0 to [[Club Brugge]]. They did win the [[Toto Cup]] for the first time, and also reached the State Cup final that season, but lost again, 1-0 to Maccabi Haifa. The following year they won the trophy with a 2-0 victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv, and entered the [[1994–95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]], where they were knocked out by [[SV Werder Bremen|Werder Bremen]] in the first round.
At the start of the new Millennium, Maccabi wanted to bring back the championship to Tel Aviv. They've signed Israeli International [[Tal Banin]] from [[Brescia Calcio|Brescia]] of the [[Serie A]], Hungarian goalkeeper [[Ádám Vezér]], Slovakian midfielder [[Jozef Valachovič]], Georgian defender Giorgi Devadze, Georgian striker Klementiy Zitiashvili (who was loaned to [[Tzafririm Holon]]). With Polish defensive midfielder Grzegorz Wędzyński, [[Avi Nimni]], Kobi Refua and former [[Barcelona]] and [[Tenerife]] Bosnian star [[Meho Kodro]] making up the first team, Maccabi thought they will win the title. Former international coach [[Shlomo Sharf]] was also signed. In the first game of the season Maccabi won, but after a draw in [[Kiryat Eliezer Stadium]] against [[Hapoel Haifa F.C.|Hapoel Haifa]], Maccabi's star Avi Nimni and manager Shlomo Sherf got into a fight, and in the end the manager was fired<ref>http://www.haaretz.com/news/maccabi-tel-aviv-to-pay-shlomo-scharf-nis-1-25-million-1.73826</ref>. [[Nir Levine]] was appointed instead of Sharf, however, The club didn't manage to stay at the top.
Maccabi purchased [[Baruch Dego]] from [[F.C. Ashdod]] (Then named Ironi Ashdod) for $1 million. Also, instead of the foreign players signed by Sharf Russian midfielder [[Andrey Tikhonov]] and Hungarian Striker [[Ferenc Horváth]] were signed. Maccabi started to show good form, but it was too little and too late. Maccabi demolished Beitar Jerusalem 7:0, Irony Rishon Le-Zyion 10:1 and won the Israeli State Cup for the first time since 1996 after beating [[Maccabi Petah Tikva F.C.|Maccabi Petah Tikva]] 3:0 in front of 35,000 fans at the [[Ramat-Gan Stadium]]. The following year Maccabi finished again in the middle of the table, but won another cup after beating [[Maccabi Haifa F.C.|Maccabi Haifa]] in the final after Penalty shoot-out (5:4). Maccabi Made it to the [[UEFA Cup]] second round after beating [[Kaunas]] from Lithuania and [[Dinamo Zagreb]] from Croatia but lost to Dutch side [[Roda JC]] (5:3 on agg).
Nir Levin left the Club and [[Nir Klinger]], one of Maccabi's icons, was appointed to replace him. Nir Klinger's philosophy was to let the youngsters play. Klinger placed [[Reuven Oved]], [[Moshe Mishaelof]], Kobi Musa, [[Tal Ben-Haim]], [[Avi Strool]] and several others play in the starting line-up. Klinger also signed Brazilian midfielder Bruno Ries, and Chilean and [[Mauricio Aros]]. To bolster its attack, Maccabi signed Latvian Striker Andreas Prochonenkovs from [[Maccabi Kiryat Gat]] after he scored 7 goals in 2001-02 season to join Chilean forward [[Rodrigo Goldberg]].
Maccabi didn't started the season well and in the crucial game against Maccabi Haifa Avi Nimni was benched. Maccabi won without him 3:2, and got back in the championship race. Nimni continued to be benched, and the crowd, despite Maccabi being in first place, didn't like it.
- 5 games to the end of the league Baruch Dego, the best player of the season broke his leg. Nimni who led the team in scoring (up until that stage he had 9) replaced him in the line-up. He scored twice to lead Maccabi to a 3:2 win against [[Beitar Jerusalem]] in [[Teddy Stadium|Teddy]] after trailing 0:2. In the next game against [[Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv]], Nimni scored a hat-trick and Maccabi won 5:0. In the decisive game, Maccabi, in front of 37,000 at Ramat-Gan Stadium, beat [[Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C.|Hapoel Petah Tikva]], 3:0. Nimni scored the third goal, and helped to secure Maccabi's first league title since 1995/6. It was the first time that the championship was decided on goal difference (Maccabi Tel Aviv +34; Maccabi Haifa +32).
In the 2003-04 season, Maccabi's star player Avi Nimni<ref>http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/soccer-maccabi-ta-kicks-out-avi-nimni-and-tal-banin-1.97158</ref> was kicked from the team after the team failed to beat M.S.K Zillina<ref>http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=88445,print.htmx</ref>, Slovakian Champions in the UEFA Champions League 2nd Round of Qualification. Klinger's excuse was that Nimni himself and Tal Banin created camps inside the team and tare it apart. Maccabi's fans didn't forget it, decided to wear black for the entier season and put an X on Nir Klinger. Maccabi finished the season second in the table, and thanks to the sucssesfull of Hapoel Tel Aviv (UEFA Cup 2001/2) and Maccabi Haifa (UEFA Champions League 2002-03) in Europe, Israel was granted a second spot in the UEFA Champions League 2004/5 season. Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated HJK Helsinki (1:0 on agg) thanks to Liran Cohen's goal in the 87th minute and a same from Ghanaian John Painstil from the line in the last minute. Maccabi faced Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki on the 3rd round. Maccabi won in Greece 2:1, after that got a technical win because PAOK played inleegal player (match awarded 3:0) and at home Maccabi finish the job with a 1:0 victory that sent them to the UEFA Champions League for their first time in history. It was the second team ever from Israel to participate in the Champions League. Maccabi Played with Bayern Munchen, Juventus and Ajax, in what was called "Death Group". Maccabi defeated Ajax 2:1<ref>http://www.ajax-usa.com/matches/2004-2005/ajax-hit-rock-bottom-in-tel-aviv-2-1-stumble-at-maccabi.html</ref> and drew 1:1 with Juventus. In the Israeli Premier League Maccabi finished in the middle of the table but won the State Cup after beating Maccabi Herzeliya on Penalty Shoot-out 5:4.
In the start of 2005-06 Maccabi knew that they had to bring back the crowd, and decided to bring back their star player Avi Nimni. Macabi Also signed Eyal Berkovic from England club Portsmouth, Avi Yechiel from Hapoel Petach Tikva, BlessinG Kaku from Bolton, Eugin Trica from Steaua Bucaresti, Uruguay defender Christian Gonzales, Striker Jose Duarte and Đovani Roso from Maccabi Haifa. The crowd responded as well, a record of 11,000 season ticket were sold. The club didn't sucsseded and Klinger sent home. His replacement was Duth coach Ton Kannen who signed Georgian striker Georgi Kinkladze and Albanian Elvin Bagiri, but the team was a disaster and the record was a home loss to Second Division Hapoel Akko 4:0 in the State Cup.
At the end of the season, in May 2006, Eli Cohen was signed as the coach of Maccabi. He led the team for the 3rd place, meanwhile the season the club recorded a 20 games without losing. In the 2007–08 Maccabi played in UEFA Cup there they lost to Andoran side FC Santa Coloma 1:0 in the first leg but won 4:0 in the second leg. Maccabi were eliminated from Europe by [[Kayseri Erciyespor]] from the Second Division in [[Turkey]] (4:2 on agg). Cohen was sent home after a loss in the Israeli League and the club sunked in the buttom. Nir Levin came back after Cohen's dissmisial. Maccabi was saved eventually from relegation.
At the middle of the season Maccabi Tel Aviv were finally taken from the hands of Lony Herzikovich. Jewish Billionaire, [[Alex Shnaider]], former owner of F1<ref>http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2007/8/6631.html</ref> team "Jordan" and the owner of the Midland Group, bought 80% of the club and the other 20% left with the Organization of Maccabi Tel Aviv. At the End of 2007–08 year, Maccabi's Best Player ever Avi Nimni retired from football. He led the Club in scoring and was the second all-time scorer in the Israeli League. He won 4 Championships and 5 Cups with Maccabi. Nimni also ended as Maccabi's Tops Scorer with 174 goals. Maccabi Also retired his Number "8". as of Today Avi Nimni is the Director of Football in the club, alongside Chairman Aviv Bushinsky and Uzi Shaya.
For the 2008–09 Maccabi invested a lot of funds to bring back the championship. Their financial is estimated with 14 Million Euros. Ran Ben-Shimon was signed as Manager from Hapoel Kiryat-Shmona, Maor Bozaglo was bought for 2.5 Million Euro<ref>http://www.il-sports.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=214:maor-buzaglo-officialy-maccabi-player&catid=85:ligat-haal</ref>, Lyberian Star Dulee Johnson came from AIK Solna, Armenian Striker, Ilya Yavuryian came from Bnei Shaknin for 550K, Bulgarian/Croatian defender Igor Tomasic came from Levski Sofia and Argentinian/Israeli player Guillermo Israelevich also for 550K came from Hapoel Kfar sava.
On November 2, 2008, Manager Ran Ben-Shimon was fired<ref>http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/homecoming-for-ben-shimon-1.274018</ref> from the club after he managed to lead the team for 2 wins out of 8 games. Marco Balbul, which had no expirience, named as the new manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv. After beating Hapoel Tel Aviv (1:0) in the Toto Cup semi finals, and F.C. Ashdod (1:0) in the final, Maccabi won its 3rd Toto Cup.
===Goldhar Era===
For The Upcoming 2009-10 Season Maccabi Tel Aviv have signed Yuval Avidor, Liran Strauber and Roni Gafni. The Club sold Dulee Johnson back to AIK Solna and few other players. On August 4, 2009 it was announced that Mitchell Goldhar<ref>http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/soccer-regime-change-at-maccabi-tel-aviv-still-waters-run-deep-pockets-1.281478</ref>, Canadian-Jewish multi-millionaire has bought 100% of the club from Shnaider and Maccabi Tel Aviv Organization.The team finished the season 3rd which gave the team a spot a [[2010–11 UEFA Europa League|2010–11 UEFA Europa League 2nd qualifying round]]. But the big point difference from the Champions [[Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C.|H.T.Aviv]] and runners-up [[Maccabi Haifa F.C.|M.Haifa]] encourged the team owner to Mitchell Goldhar to make changes.
By the end of 2009-10 season Mitchell Goldhar and Maccabi's management decided to make a change that would bring the team back to be top contender in Israeli football. To back up this decision Maccabi made massive squad changes<ref>http://lvironpigs.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/fc-maccabi-tel-aviv/</ref> bringing in five Israeli national team squad members :[[Roberto Colautti]], [[Yoav Ziv]]<ref>http://israelfootball.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/yoav-ziv-signs-with-maccabi-tel-aviv-gal-alberman-to-follow/</ref> , [[Klemi Saban]] , [[Avi Strul]]<ref>http://israelfootball.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/transfer-newsrumours-22/</ref> and [[Barak Yitzhaki]]<ref>http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/News.asp?ID=1081&lang=en</ref> as well [[Eliran Atar]]<ref>http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/News.asp?ID=1074&lang=en</ref> was bought for $1.2m. Four new quality foreign players were signed :[[Haris Medunjanin]], [[Albert Baning]], [[Djibril Sidibe]]<ref>http://israelfootball.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/transfer-newsrumours-25/</ref>, [[Nivaldo Batista Santana|Nivaldo]]. Maccabi released over 10 players from last year squad including all five foreigners and home grown players [[Lior Jan]] and [[Yuval Shpungin]]. Those changes made great expectations from the press as well from the fans that backed up the team with buying over 8,500 season tickets so far and the club expects to sell over 10,000 season tickets.
-
- At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Maccabi made a major upset at the [[2010–11 UEFA Europa League#Third qualifying round|UEFA Europa League third qualifyng round]] beating [[Olympiacos F.C.|Olympiacos]] on away goals, when, after a 2-1 loss in the first leg at the [[Karaiskakis Stadium]], they achieved one of their greatest wins at the European scene with 1-0 over the [[Greece|Greek]] side at the [[Bloomfield Stadium]], securing a spot at the playoff round.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=1510911.html#maccabi+tel+aviv+stun+olympiacos |title=Maccabi Tel-Aviv stun Olympiacos |publisher=www.uefa.com |work=[[UEFA]] |date=2010-08-05 |accessdate=2010-08-05}}</ref>


Despite failure to progress in Europe, the club won another championship under [[Avram Grant]]. The following season The club entered the [[1995–96 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] again, but lost 2-1 to [[Grasshopper-Club Zürich|Grasshopper]]. However, they won the league and cup double, beating [[Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion F.C.|Ironi Rishon LeZion]] 4-1. The next season the club were knocked out of the [[1996–97 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] at the qualification stage. The only trophy the club won during the remaineder of the decade was the Toto Cup in 1999.

Maccabi won back-to-back State Cups in 2001 and 2002, beating Maccabi Petah Tikva 3-0, and Maccabi Haifa 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw. In [[2002–03 Israeli Premier League|2002–03]] they won the Premier League under [[Nir Klinger]], taking the title on goal difference. However, the following year they were knocked out of the [[2003–04 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] by [[MŠK Žilina]] in the second qualifying round. Although the club only finished second in the league in 2003-04, they were allowed to enter the [[2004–05 UEFA Champions League|2004–05 Champions League]] after Israel had been granted a second place. This time they qualified for the group stage, but finished bottom of a group containing [[Juventus F.C.|Juventus]], [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] and [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]]. At the end of the season they won the State Cup for a record twenty-second time with a 5-3 win on penalties against [[Maccabi Herzliya F.C.|Maccabi Herzliya]] after a 2-2 draw.

During 2005-06 the club recorded its record home defeat, losing 4-0 against second division club [[Hapoel Acre F.C.|Hapoel Acre]] in the State Cup. In 2009 they won their third Toto Cup, beating [[F.C. Ashdod|Ashdod]] 1-0 in the final.


==Supporters and rivals==
==Supporters and rivals==
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Maccabi Tel Aviv play their home matches in 15,700-capacity Bloomfield Stadium in the [[Tel Aviv]]. Maccabi's training facilities located Kiryat Shalom, in the southern part of the city. The team's owner at the time, Alexander Schneider, decided to move the offices of the club outside of the training facilities and also build a new training facilities for the club.
Maccabi Tel Aviv play their home matches in 15,700-capacity Bloomfield Stadium in the [[Tel Aviv]]. Maccabi's training facilities located Kiryat Shalom, in the southern part of the city. The team's owner at the time, Alexander Schneider, decided to move the offices of the club outside of the training facilities and also build a new training facilities for the club.



==Current squad==
== Current squad ==
{| table class="infobox" width="270px"
|-
|<div style="position: relative;">
[[File:Soccer.Field Transparant.png|265px]]
{{Image label|x=0.44|y=1.25|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Liran Strauber|Strauber]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.46|y=1.19|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|ISR}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.75|y=1.04|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Klemi Saban|Saban]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.77|y=0.98|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|ISR}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.33|y=1.10|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Avi Strool|Strool]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.35|y=1.05|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|ISR}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.56|y=1.10|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Savo Pavićević|Pavićević]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.57|y=1.05|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|Montenegro}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.15|y=1.04|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Yoav Ziv|Ziv]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.15|y=0.98|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|ISR}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.75|y=0.50|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Maor Buzaglo|Buzaglo]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.78|y=0.45|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|ISR}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.58|y=0.75|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Albert Baning|Baning]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.58|y=0.69|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|CMR}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.32|y=0.70|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Shiran Yeini|Yeini]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.35|y=0.64|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|ISR}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.13|y=0.50|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Haris Medunjanin|Medunjanin]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.18|y=0.46|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|BIH}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.35|y=0.30|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Barak Yitzhaki|Yitzhaki]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.38|y=0.25|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|ISR}}</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.52|y=0.25|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>[[Roberto Colautti|Colautti]]</noinclude></font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.55|y=0.20|scale=275|text=<font size=2 color="black"><noinclude>{{flagicon|ISR}}</noinclude></font>}}
</div>
|-
|<small>'''Maccabi Tel Aviv Starting 11 in their [[Football formations#4–4–2|4-4-2 formation]]'''</small>
|}


''As of 30 June 2010''
''As of 30 June 2010''


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*{{flagicon|MLI}} [[Djibril Sidibé]]
*{{flagicon|MLI}} [[Djibril Sidibé]]
*{{flagicon|Montenegro}} [[Savo Pavićević]]
*{{flagicon|Montenegro}} [[Savo Pavićević]]

=== Squad changes for 2010/11 ===

'''In'''
* {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Yoav Ziv]] - {{flagicon|Belgium}} [[K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen|Lokeren]] - undisclosed fee
* {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Eliran Atar]] - {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C.|Bnei Yehuda]] - $1.2m
* {{flagicon|Israel}} {{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Roberto Colautti]] - {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Borussia Mönchengladbach]] - free transfer
* {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Barak Yitzhaki]] - {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Beitar Jerusalem F.C.|Beitar Jerusalem]] - $2m
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Klemi Saban]] - {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Maccabi Netanya F.C.|Maccabi Netanya]] - $150,000
* {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Nivaldo Batista Santana|Nivaldo]] - {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Real Valladolid|Valladolid]] - free transfer
* {{flagicon|BIH}} [[Haris Medunjanin]] - {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Real Valladolid|Valladolid]] - €800k
* {{flagicon|CMR}} [[Albert Baning]] - {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Paris Saint-Germain F.C.|Paris Saint-Germain]] - free transfer
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Avi Strool]] - {{flagicon|Belgium}} [[K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen|Lokeren]] - €250k
* {{flagicon|MLI}} [[Djibril Sidibé]] - {{flagicon|FRA}} [[CS Sedan Ardennes|CS Sedan]] - €150k
* {{flagicon|Montenegro}} [[Savo Pavićević]] - {{flagicon|Greece}} [[Kavala F.C.|Kavala]] - free transfer
'''Out'''
* {{Flagicon|BOL}} [[Ronald Raldes]] - {{Flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético Colón|Colón]]
* {{flagicon|Zambia}} [[Emmanuel Mayuka]] - {{flagicon|Swiss}} [[BSC Young Boys]] - $1.7m
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Ori Shitrit]] - {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C.|Ironi Kiryat Shmona]] - Loan
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Yuval Spungin]] - {{flagicon|CYP}} [[AC Omonia]] - free transfer
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Yossi Shivhon]] - {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C.|Hapoel Tel Aviv]] - free transfer
* {{flagicon|Bulgaria}} {{flagicon|Croatia}} [[Igor Tomašić]] - {{flagicon|Greece}} [[Kavala F.C.|Kavala]] - free transfer
* {{flagicon|SRB}} [[Ivica Iliev]] - {{flagicon|SRB}} [[FK Partizan|Partizan Belgrad]] - free transfer
* {{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Andrej Komac]] - released
* {{flagicon|Armenia}} [[Yeghia Yavruyan]] - {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C.|Bnei Yehuda]] - free transfer
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Lior Jan]] - {{flagicon|AZE}} [[FK Baku|FK Baku]] - free transfer



===Retired numbers===
===Retired numbers===

Revision as of 09:22, 27 August 2010

Maccabi Tel Aviv
logo
Full nameMaccabi Tel Aviv Football Club
Nickname(s)The Blue-Yellows
Founded1906, as
HaRishon LeZion - Jaffa
GroundBloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv
Capacity17,500
ChairmanCanada Mitchell Goldhar
ManagerIsrael Avi Nimni
CoachIsrael Yossi Mizrahi
LeagueIsraeli Premier League
2009–103rd

Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל מכבי תל אביב; Moadon Kaduregel Maccabi Tel Aviv) is an Israeli football club and part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv sports club. It is one of the oldest clubs in Israeli football, and is the most successful club in Israeli football history with 20 championships, 22 national cups, 2 Asian Champions Cups and 3 Toto cups. Maccabi have won the championship and the cup in the same season (referred to as winning the "double") seven times, and are the only club in Israel never to have played outside the top division

History

Pre-independence

Maccabi Tel Aviv in Australia, 1939

During the evening of Passover in 1906, a group of boys between the age 14-16 were called to the Meir Dizengoff house. There they decided to found the first Jewish football club in Ottoman Palestine, named Maccabi HaRishon LeZion. Their first match ended with 3-0 victory against a team of sailors from a French ship. After Tel Aviv was founded in 1909, the club changed its name to Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 1928 the Palestine Football Association was founded after Maccabi Tel Aviv, Allenbi Hapoel (later to become Hapoel Tel Aviv) and several British teams decided to establish the first football league in Israel. In the same year the State Cup was founded under the name "People Cup". That same year, the first Tel Aviv derby was played, with Maccabi winning 3-0. Maccabi won their first State Cup in 1929 after beating Maccabi HaShmona'i. Maccabi won the State Cup for a second time in 1930, beating the 48th Platoon of the British Army 2-1, and a third in 1933 when Hapoel Tel Aviv were beaten 1-0.

In 1936 the club was invited to play in the United States. On their way, Maccabi played in France, losing 2-0 to Racing Paris and 3-1 to Olympic Lille. In the United States, Maccabi defeated the All-star team of New York City in front of 50,000 in Yankee Stadium. Maccabi also defeated the American League team in Brooklyn and Philadelphia on their home ground 1-0, and also played in Canada, where they drew 1-1 with Toronto All-Stars. Maccabi continued their tour in the USA and lost 3-2 to the Stars of Saint-Louis and the Boston Celtics.

After returning from the United States, Maccabi players went on strike because they had not been paid. In 1937, after a year of strike action, the Football Association accepted their demands and the team ended their strike. In that year, Maccabi Tel Aviv also won their first league title. In 1939, after the start of World War II, Maccabi won their second championship. At the end of the season, Maccabi went to another tour, this time to Australia where they were advertised as the "Palestine" team and occasionally the Maccabi Palestine team. They played 18 games (two results against South Australia are unknown), winning 9, losing 5 and drawing 2. The games were against State sides(New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia), regional sides and five "tests" against the Australian national team, winning one, drawing one and losing three.

In 1941 Maccabi won their first "double", winning both the league and State Cup, beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-1 in the final. Between 1941 and 1945 the league was suspended because of the war, but Maccabi continued playing friendly matches. In 1946, the league was still suspended but the State Cup returned with Maccabi beating Hapoel Rishon LeZion 6-0 on aggregate in the final. In 1947 the league resumed, and Maccabi won it, and also reached the cup final. In the match against Beitar Tel Aviv at the Hatikva Neighborhood Stadium Maccabi were winning 3-2 when the referee disallowed a goal by Beitar. The Beitar players and their supporters stormed at the referee and Yom-Tov Mansherov, defender of Beitar Tel Aviv, snapped the Cup. As a result of that the referee ended the game and Maccabi were awarded a technical victory, thus winning a second double. Forty-five years later the cup was founded in Petah Tikva.

Post-independence

The 1960s saw the club decline, finishing tenth in 1961–62, their lowest-ever league position. However, they won the State Cup the following season and the one after. In 1967 they won the the State Cup again by beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-1. In the same year they moved from their original HaMaccabia stadium in northern Tel Aviv to the Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa.

In the "double" season of 1966–68 the club regained the title for the first time since 1958. This allowed them to enter the Asian Club Championship, which they won 1-0 against South Korean club Yangzee FC. They won the league again in 1969–70, and the following season won the Club Championship for a second time, winning the final with a 2-0 walkover after Iraqi club Al-Shorta refused to play.

1970s

One of Maccabi's Golden era's. Maccabi won The league in 1970, and added another Cup after beating Maccabi Netanya and their star Motale Shpigler in the final 2:1. In 1971 Maccabi, as the champions of Israel, won another continental Trophy after getting a technical win over the champions of Iraq who didn't show up for the game. In 1972 Maccabi Won their 14 championship as they grabbed 45 pts from 60. In 1973 Maccabi started to pay their players for their wins and achievements, that didn't help the team who finished 4th in the league and was eliminate from the Cup. Maccabi also lost one of their big stars, Giora Shpigel who left to France to play with local team of Strasbourg. In 1976 Jeri Bet-Halevy, who was the chairman of the club and 50 years total in the club was forced to retire from Maccabi Tel Aviv and Sports at all. In April 1976 Maccabi had beaten English club Queens Park Rangers 2:1. 1977 was a huge year for the organization of Maccabi Tel Aviv. In Basketball Maccabi Tel Aviv won the European Championship for Clubs. in Football Maccabi Tel Aviv won the "Double". In 1978 The European Champions Anderlecht from Belgium came to Bloomfield stadium just to lose against Maccabi Tel Aviv 2:1, in front of 20,000 people. In 1979 Maccabi grabbed another Championship but lost the cup in the final for Beitar. At the same year, Bob Pasley, The director of English Championship Liverpool signed Maccabi Tel Aviv's defender Avi Cohen[1] as the first Israeli player to play in Merseyside.

The '80s

The Eighties were the worst decade of Maccabi Tel Aviv's History. 0 Championships, 2 Cups in the 1987 season after beating Maccabi Haifa in Penalty Shootout. At the end of the 1987 season Maccabi Lost in Haifa to the local Maccabi Haifa team 10:0, their worst defeat in history. Some people says that the played lost just to get ride of the coach Giora Shpigel. The second Cup cme in 1988 as Maccabi beats Hapoel Tel Aviv 2:1 in the final. In 1989 one of Maccabi's great strikers, Benny Tabak (His Nickname was F-15) decided to retire. He Played 365 games, scored 118 goals, won 2 Championships and 3 Cups in 17 years as a player in the club. + In 1991–92 Maccabi won their first championship since 1978–79, but lost the State Cup final 3-1 to Hapoel Petah Tikva after extra time. The following season the club entered the UEFA Champions League for the first time. After beating Maltese champions F.C. Valleta 3-1on aggregate, they lost 4-0 to Club Brugge. They did win the Toto Cup for the first time, and also reached the State Cup final that season, but lost again, 1-0 to Maccabi Haifa. The following year they won the trophy with a 2-0 victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv, and entered the 1994–95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, where they were knocked out by Werder Bremen in the first round.

The '90s

In the '90s Maccabi enters a new era where the money begins to talk and clubs being bought by owners. Maccabi was sold to a group of business man called "MOFET" who included, David Federman, Lony Herzikovic and others. The nineties were also called the golden era of the club because of the young players who grew up in the club and went leading it for the upcoming seasons. Defender's Gadi and Alon Brumer, Midfielders Itzik Zohar, Haim Hagag, Noam Shoam, Strikers Nir Sevilla, Eli Driks, Meir Melika and avcours, two of the greatest players ever to play in Maccabi. The first one Aleksandr " Shura" Uvarov, goalkeeper of the Soviet Union team, came to Maccabi in the season of 1991-92 and stayed until today in the club. And the Best player ever to play in Maccabi Tel Aviv, Avi Nimni. In the 1991-92 Season Maccabi won their first championship for the first time since 1979. The following year, Maccabi entered UEFA Champions League Qualifying round (Israeli teams and the national teams moved to play in the UEFA Competitions). Maccabi beat Maltese champions F.C. Valleta (3:1 on agg) only to lose in the second round to Belgian champions Club Brugge (4:0 on agg). Maccabi lost in the State Cup final to Maccabi Haifa.

After reaching the second place in the league at 1993-94 season the club entered the Cup Winners Cup. after beating Icelandic Cup Holder Kaflevick Maccabi lost to Bundesliga's Leaders that time, Werder Bremen (2:0 on agg). At the end of that Year, Maccabi defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv in the State Cup Final 2:0, thanks to Itsik Zohar and Nir Klinger's goals. In 1994-95 Maccabi Won another championship under the management of Avraham Grant. Grant left for Hapoel Haifa and instead came Dror Kashtan. his first task was to lead the Club for the UEFA Champions League. Maccabi needed only one round of qualification, but managed to lost to the Swiss champions Grasshoppers, after a 1:1 draw in Zurich, Maccabi came home and lost 1:0 in front of a packed house in Bloofield Stadium. Maccabi Finished the 1995-96 with their last "Double" after clinching both Championship and Cup. In the start of the 1996/7 season, Maccabi sold to Lony Herzikovich that fired Dror Kashtan and brings back Avraham Grant back. Again in the UEFA Champions League Qualification Maccabi lost in the last round, this time to Turkish side Fenerbache S.K. In Ramat-Gan Stadium Maccabi lost 1:0, and draw in Istanbul 1:1. Avraham Grant stayed as a coach until 2000 than left the club. in those days Maccabi was a mid-table team, and their crowd hated Grant, Maccabi by the way only won one thing, Toto Cup in the 1998-99 season where they finished second in the league to Hapoel Haifa.


2000 until today

At the start of the new Millennium, Maccabi wanted to bring back the championship to Tel Aviv. They've signed Israeli International Tal Banin from Brescia of the Serie A, Hungarian goalkeeper Ádám Vezér, Slovakian midfielder Jozef Valachovič, Georgian defender Giorgi Devadze, Georgian striker Klementiy Zitiashvili (who was loaned to Tzafririm Holon). With Polish defensive midfielder Grzegorz Wędzyński, Avi Nimni, Kobi Refua and former Barcelona and Tenerife Bosnian star Meho Kodro making up the first team, Maccabi thought they will win the title. Former international coach Shlomo Sharf was also signed. In the first game of the season Maccabi won, but after a draw in Kiryat Eliezer Stadium against Hapoel Haifa, Maccabi's star Avi Nimni and manager Shlomo Sherf got into a fight, and in the end the manager was fired[2]. Nir Levine was appointed instead of Sharf, however, The club didn't manage to stay at the top. Maccabi purchased Baruch Dego from F.C. Ashdod (Then named Ironi Ashdod) for $1 million. Also, instead of the foreign players signed by Sharf Russian midfielder Andrey Tikhonov and Hungarian Striker Ferenc Horváth were signed. Maccabi started to show good form, but it was too little and too late. Maccabi demolished Beitar Jerusalem 7:0, Irony Rishon Le-Zyion 10:1 and won the Israeli State Cup for the first time since 1996 after beating Maccabi Petah Tikva 3:0 in front of 35,000 fans at the Ramat-Gan Stadium. The following year Maccabi finished again in the middle of the table, but won another cup after beating Maccabi Haifa in the final after Penalty shoot-out (5:4). Maccabi Made it to the UEFA Cup second round after beating Kaunas from Lithuania and Dinamo Zagreb from Croatia but lost to Dutch side Roda JC (5:3 on agg).

Nir Levin left the Club and Nir Klinger, one of Maccabi's icons, was appointed to replace him. Nir Klinger's philosophy was to let the youngsters play. Klinger placed Reuven Oved, Moshe Mishaelof, Kobi Musa, Tal Ben-Haim, Avi Strool and several others play in the starting line-up. Klinger also signed Brazilian midfielder Bruno Ries, and Chilean and Mauricio Aros. To bolster its attack, Maccabi signed Latvian Striker Andreas Prochonenkovs from Maccabi Kiryat Gat after he scored 7 goals in 2001-02 season to join Chilean forward Rodrigo Goldberg. Maccabi didn't started the season well and in the crucial game against Maccabi Haifa Avi Nimni was benched. Maccabi won without him 3:2, and got back in the championship race. Nimni continued to be benched, and the crowd, despite Maccabi being in first place, didn't like it. - 5 games to the end of the league Baruch Dego, the best player of the season broke his leg. Nimni who led the team in scoring (up until that stage he had 9) replaced him in the line-up. He scored twice to lead Maccabi to a 3:2 win against Beitar Jerusalem in Teddy after trailing 0:2. In the next game against Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv, Nimni scored a hat-trick and Maccabi won 5:0. In the decisive game, Maccabi, in front of 37,000 at Ramat-Gan Stadium, beat Hapoel Petah Tikva, 3:0. Nimni scored the third goal, and helped to secure Maccabi's first league title since 1995/6. It was the first time that the championship was decided on goal difference (Maccabi Tel Aviv +34; Maccabi Haifa +32).

In the 2003-04 season, Maccabi's star player Avi Nimni[3] was kicked from the team after the team failed to beat M.S.K Zillina[4], Slovakian Champions in the UEFA Champions League 2nd Round of Qualification. Klinger's excuse was that Nimni himself and Tal Banin created camps inside the team and tare it apart. Maccabi's fans didn't forget it, decided to wear black for the entier season and put an X on Nir Klinger. Maccabi finished the season second in the table, and thanks to the sucssesfull of Hapoel Tel Aviv (UEFA Cup 2001/2) and Maccabi Haifa (UEFA Champions League 2002-03) in Europe, Israel was granted a second spot in the UEFA Champions League 2004/5 season. Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated HJK Helsinki (1:0 on agg) thanks to Liran Cohen's goal in the 87th minute and a same from Ghanaian John Painstil from the line in the last minute. Maccabi faced Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki on the 3rd round. Maccabi won in Greece 2:1, after that got a technical win because PAOK played inleegal player (match awarded 3:0) and at home Maccabi finish the job with a 1:0 victory that sent them to the UEFA Champions League for their first time in history. It was the second team ever from Israel to participate in the Champions League. Maccabi Played with Bayern Munchen, Juventus and Ajax, in what was called "Death Group". Maccabi defeated Ajax 2:1[5] and drew 1:1 with Juventus. In the Israeli Premier League Maccabi finished in the middle of the table but won the State Cup after beating Maccabi Herzeliya on Penalty Shoot-out 5:4.

In the start of 2005-06 Maccabi knew that they had to bring back the crowd, and decided to bring back their star player Avi Nimni. Macabi Also signed Eyal Berkovic from England club Portsmouth, Avi Yechiel from Hapoel Petach Tikva, BlessinG Kaku from Bolton, Eugin Trica from Steaua Bucaresti, Uruguay defender Christian Gonzales, Striker Jose Duarte and Đovani Roso from Maccabi Haifa. The crowd responded as well, a record of 11,000 season ticket were sold. The club didn't sucsseded and Klinger sent home. His replacement was Duth coach Ton Kannen who signed Georgian striker Georgi Kinkladze and Albanian Elvin Bagiri, but the team was a disaster and the record was a home loss to Second Division Hapoel Akko 4:0 in the State Cup.

At the end of the season, in May 2006, Eli Cohen was signed as the coach of Maccabi. He led the team for the 3rd place, meanwhile the season the club recorded a 20 games without losing. In the 2007–08 Maccabi played in UEFA Cup there they lost to Andoran side FC Santa Coloma 1:0 in the first leg but won 4:0 in the second leg. Maccabi were eliminated from Europe by Kayseri Erciyespor from the Second Division in Turkey (4:2 on agg). Cohen was sent home after a loss in the Israeli League and the club sunked in the buttom. Nir Levin came back after Cohen's dissmisial. Maccabi was saved eventually from relegation.

At the middle of the season Maccabi Tel Aviv were finally taken from the hands of Lony Herzikovich. Jewish Billionaire, Alex Shnaider, former owner of F1[6] team "Jordan" and the owner of the Midland Group, bought 80% of the club and the other 20% left with the Organization of Maccabi Tel Aviv. At the End of 2007–08 year, Maccabi's Best Player ever Avi Nimni retired from football. He led the Club in scoring and was the second all-time scorer in the Israeli League. He won 4 Championships and 5 Cups with Maccabi. Nimni also ended as Maccabi's Tops Scorer with 174 goals. Maccabi Also retired his Number "8". as of Today Avi Nimni is the Director of Football in the club, alongside Chairman Aviv Bushinsky and Uzi Shaya.

For the 2008–09 Maccabi invested a lot of funds to bring back the championship. Their financial is estimated with 14 Million Euros. Ran Ben-Shimon was signed as Manager from Hapoel Kiryat-Shmona, Maor Bozaglo was bought for 2.5 Million Euro[7], Lyberian Star Dulee Johnson came from AIK Solna, Armenian Striker, Ilya Yavuryian came from Bnei Shaknin for 550K, Bulgarian/Croatian defender Igor Tomasic came from Levski Sofia and Argentinian/Israeli player Guillermo Israelevich also for 550K came from Hapoel Kfar sava.

On November 2, 2008, Manager Ran Ben-Shimon was fired[8] from the club after he managed to lead the team for 2 wins out of 8 games. Marco Balbul, which had no expirience, named as the new manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv. After beating Hapoel Tel Aviv (1:0) in the Toto Cup semi finals, and F.C. Ashdod (1:0) in the final, Maccabi won its 3rd Toto Cup.

Goldhar Era

For The Upcoming 2009-10 Season Maccabi Tel Aviv have signed Yuval Avidor, Liran Strauber and Roni Gafni. The Club sold Dulee Johnson back to AIK Solna and few other players. On August 4, 2009 it was announced that Mitchell Goldhar[9], Canadian-Jewish multi-millionaire has bought 100% of the club from Shnaider and Maccabi Tel Aviv Organization.The team finished the season 3rd which gave the team a spot a 2010–11 UEFA Europa League 2nd qualifying round. But the big point difference from the Champions H.T.Aviv and runners-up M.Haifa encourged the team owner to Mitchell Goldhar to make changes.

By the end of 2009-10 season Mitchell Goldhar and Maccabi's management decided to make a change that would bring the team back to be top contender in Israeli football. To back up this decision Maccabi made massive squad changes[10] bringing in five Israeli national team squad members :Roberto Colautti, Yoav Ziv[11] , Klemi Saban , Avi Strul[12] and Barak Yitzhaki[13] as well Eliran Atar[14] was bought for $1.2m. Four new quality foreign players were signed :Haris Medunjanin, Albert Baning, Djibril Sidibe[15], Nivaldo. Maccabi released over 10 players from last year squad including all five foreigners and home grown players Lior Jan and Yuval Shpungin. Those changes made great expectations from the press as well from the fans that backed up the team with buying over 8,500 season tickets so far and the club expects to sell over 10,000 season tickets. - - At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Maccabi made a major upset at the UEFA Europa League third qualifyng round beating Olympiacos on away goals, when, after a 2-1 loss in the first leg at the Karaiskakis Stadium, they achieved one of their greatest wins at the European scene with 1-0 over the Greek side at the Bloomfield Stadium, securing a spot at the playoff round.[16]


Supporters and rivals

Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters against Montenegrin club FK Mogren Budva

Maccabi has three main fan organizations, the 12th Player (founded 2000), Ultras Maccabi 96 (founded 1996) and Supreme Ultra Boys (SUB 11) (founded 2002). Maccabi fans have an agreement known as 'brotherhood' with the fans of Ajax thanks to the hospitality of both sides from the 2004-2005 season until today. Maccabi's Groups are located in Gate 11 besides the "12th Player" who left for Gate 8.

Maccabi's main rivals are Hapoel Tel Aviv, the country's second most successful club. The matches between the teams gain a lot of attention in the Israeli public and are referred to as the "Big Tel Aviv Derby" (as opposed to the "Small Tel Aviv Derby", matches between Bnei Yehuda and Maccabi or Hapoel). Other rivalries include, to a lesser extent, those with Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Haifa.

Stadium

Main article: Bloomfield Stadium

Maccabi Tel Aviv play their home matches in 15,700-capacity Bloomfield Stadium in the Tel Aviv. Maccabi's training facilities located Kiryat Shalom, in the southern part of the city. The team's owner at the time, Alexander Schneider, decided to move the offices of the club outside of the training facilities and also build a new training facilities for the club.


Current squad

Maccabi Tel Aviv Starting 11 in their 4-4-2 formation


As of 30 June 2010

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Israel ISR Liran Strauber (C)
2 DF Israel ISR Klemi Saban
3 MF Cameroon CMR Albert Baning
4 DF Brazil BRA Nivaldo
5 DF Israel ISR Nisso Kapiloto
6 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Haris Medunjanin
7 MF Israel ISR Guillermo Israilevich
9 FW Israel ISR Barak Yitzhaki
10 FW Israel ISR Yuval Avidor
11 MF Israel ISR Maor Buzaglo
13 FW Israel ISR Abed Al-Hamid Hatam
14 DF Israel ISR Yoav Ziv
15 FW Israel ISR Yaniv Azran
16 FW Israel ISR Eliran Atar
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF Montenegro MNE Savo Pavićević
18 DF Israel ISR Ronny Gafney
19 MF Israel ISR Dor Malul
20 MF Mali MLI Djibril Sidibé
21 MF Israel ISR Shiran Yeini
22 GK Israel ISR Guy Solomon
23 MF Israel ISR Zion Zemah
24 FW Israel ISR Roberto Colautti
25 DF Israel ISR Maor Halabi
26 DF Israel ISR Avi Strool (VC)
27 MF Israel ISR Moshe Lugasi
28 MF Israel ISR Tamir Cahlon
29 MF Israel ISR Reef Peretz
31 GK Israel ISR Mike Chen


Foreigners 2010-11

Only up to five non-Israeli nationals can be in an Israeli club squad. Those with Jewish ancestry (e.g. Guillermo Israilevich), married to an Israeli (e.g. Roberto Colautti) or have played in Israel for an extended period of time, can claim a passport or permanent residency which would allow them to play with Israeli status.

Squad changes for 2010/11

In

Out


Retired numbers

Honours

Records

  • Seasons in top division - 60 (1949 - present)
  • Lowest league position - 12 (1987-88)
  • Win record for season - 30 (1966-68)
  • Loss record for season - 13 (1999-2000)
  • Most points in a season - 88 (1993-94)
  • Most goals in a season (club): - 103 (1949-50)
  • Most goals in a season (player) - 26 (Yehoshua Glazer 1955 and Giora Spiegel 1967)
  • Biggest win - 13--0 vs Maccabi Rishon LeZion, 1950
  • Biggest defeat - 10-0 vs Macacbi Haifa, 1988
  • Biggest home win - 13:0 vs Maccabi Rishon LeZion, 1950
  • Biggest home defeat - 4-0 vs Hapoel Acre, 2006
  • Biggest away win - 7-0 vs Hapoel Haifa, 1994
  • Biggest away defeat - 10-0 vs Macacbi Haifa, 1988
  • All-time top scorer - Avi Nimni, 174

Managerial history

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.thisisanfield.com/blog/2007/07/09/forgotten-heroes-avi-cohen/
  2. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/news/maccabi-tel-aviv-to-pay-shlomo-scharf-nis-1-25-million-1.73826
  3. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/soccer-maccabi-ta-kicks-out-avi-nimni-and-tal-banin-1.97158
  4. ^ http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=88445,print.htmx
  5. ^ http://www.ajax-usa.com/matches/2004-2005/ajax-hit-rock-bottom-in-tel-aviv-2-1-stumble-at-maccabi.html
  6. ^ http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2007/8/6631.html
  7. ^ http://www.il-sports.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=214:maor-buzaglo-officialy-maccabi-player&catid=85:ligat-haal
  8. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/homecoming-for-ben-shimon-1.274018
  9. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/soccer-regime-change-at-maccabi-tel-aviv-still-waters-run-deep-pockets-1.281478
  10. ^ http://lvironpigs.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/fc-maccabi-tel-aviv/
  11. ^ http://israelfootball.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/yoav-ziv-signs-with-maccabi-tel-aviv-gal-alberman-to-follow/
  12. ^ http://israelfootball.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/transfer-newsrumours-22/
  13. ^ http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/News.asp?ID=1081&lang=en
  14. ^ http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/News.asp?ID=1074&lang=en
  15. ^ http://israelfootball.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/transfer-newsrumours-25/
  16. ^ "Maccabi Tel-Aviv stun Olympiacos". UEFA. www.uefa.com. 2010-08-05. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
  17. ^ Israel - List of Cup Finals RSSSF
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maccabi Tel Aviv (Association football).
Achievements
Preceded by Champions of Asia
1969 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Champions of Asia
1971 		Succeeded by

Template:UEFA Europa League

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