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Avi Nimni

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Avi Nimni
Personal information
Height 1.88
Position(s) Midfielder, Second striker - Retired
Team information
Current team
 Maccabi Tel Aviv
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 December 2006

Avi Nimni (born April 26, 1972) is Maccabi Tel Aviv's highest ever scorer and is regarded as one of Maccabi Tel Aviv's greatest players ever. Until 2006, he served as the captain of the Israeli national football team. His number eight (8) shirt has become so symbolic (despite him wearing the number sixteen as a youth, because Uri Malmilian wore the number 8) that the club has recently announced that his number will be retired at the end of this season.[1]. Nimni is currently the general manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Early years

When Avi was approximately 7 years old he arrived at Maccabi Tel Aviv's training facility Kiriat Shalom. Instantly he fell in love with the beautiful game. Nimni played for every Maccabi youth team and also featured for the Israeli national youth sides.

At 17 he played his first game in the Liga Leumit[2] and was a regular for Maccabi's first team at 18. Whilst at Maccabi Nimni experienced much success becoming one of the most important players in side during this period.

In 1998 he inherited the Maccabi captaincy when the previous longserving captain Nir Klinger retired through injury. Klinger went on to become assistant coach at Maccabi.

Going abroad

Between the years of 1996-2001 Maccabi suffered dark times on the field winning only the Toto Cup in 1998. This was due partly to the absence of Nimni who was transferred in 1997 to Atlético Madrid. However, Nimni's time at the club was blighted by injury, and he returned to Maccabi after just 7 appearances.

A year later Nimni was loaned out to Derby County. Although Nimni set up a goal on his debut and also scored away to Everton[3] in what subsequently proved to be a handful of appearances, Derby decided not to purchase Nimni outright. They instead only signed fellow loanee Georgiou Kinkladze to ensure they had no more than 3 non-EU first-team players, and Nimni returned to Maccabi.

2000-2001

In 2000 the former Israel national coach, Shlomo Sharf, became Maccabi's coach. Sharf, well known for his temper, commented after the second game of the season in Maccabi's 2-2 draw to Hapoel Haifa saying "did you even see Nimni? I'm sure he didn't play! If it wasn't for the fans I would have substituted him at half-time". The next day Nimni spoke to Channel Five replied saying "there is a normal way of saying things not in a humiliating barbaric way". Sharf wanted to sell Nimni, however the chairman Lonny Herzikowicz declined the request, Sharf then resigned from his post.

Nir Klinger

At the beginning of the 2002 season Nir Klinger was appointed Head Coach of Maccabi. As a former Maccabi player he was well respected by the fans. He was nicknamed "The Soul" for playing in any situation despite being injured on many occasions.

Following Maccabi's 3-0 loss at home to Hapoel Be'er Sheva they went to play title holders Maccabi Haifa in the 14th fixture of the season. Astonishingly Klinger shocked the entire nation by naming Nimni on the bench, and replaced him with Baruch Dego. After an incredible game Maccabi emerged as 3-2 victors. Nimni remained on the bench for the remainder of the season only to watch Dego pick up the player of the season accolade.

After the 28th fixture Nimni gave an interview to a radio show claiming, "players told me that, if I played we would have had 15 points more". On hearing this Klinger sent him to the stands dropping him from the squad. During the 30th game of the season Dego broke his ankle with the fixture against Beitar Jerusalem looming. At the time Maccabi were in 1st place. They had exactly the same points as Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv but had a better goal difference of the three teams. Beitar took the lead after 32 minutes and doubled their score just a minute later. Beitar went into the half-time break 2-1 up after an own goal a minute before. Maccabi were watching the Championship slip from their grasp. However Nimni had other ideas and scored two goals leading Maccabi to a 3-2 win.

In the 32nd game Maccabi played Bnei Yehuda and Nimni scored a hat-trick and Maccabi won 5-0. After the match in an interview a reporter asked Klinger about Nimni, Klinger replied "do you want it in a phrase or a song; Avi Nimni is the king". In the final game of the season Maccabi faced Hapoel Petah Tikva. 40,000 spectators saw Nimni score leading Maccabi to a 3-0 win. Consequently they lifted the Championship. Despite being dropped earlier in the season Nimni finished the season as Maccabi's top goalscorer with 14 goals.

However not everything was rosy for Nimni. It was reported that he and teammate Tal Banin (ex-Brescia) had a bust-up. The team was divided between "Avi Nimni supporters" and "Tal Banin supporters". Nimni, Banin and Klinger all denied the reports that any altercation had occurred.

On August 13, 2003, Klinger called a press conference to be covered by all the media. He issued a statement along the lines that "the dispute between Nimni and Banin is destroing every good part in Maccabi, dividing the team, and causing nothing but anger between the players". He forced both Nimni and Banin out of the club.

The fans were outraged and for two years they came in black shirts as a sign of grief and holding signs saying: "8 is in our blood, Avi Nimni will always be in Maccabi". The fans were not satisfied despite winning the Cup and taking second place in the league resulting in the qualification to the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever.

After being kicked out at Maccabi, Nimni joined Beitar Jerusalem. He played at the Teddy Stadium for two years scoring 20 goals.

After two years of exile Nimni was brought back to maccabi in 2005 by none other than Nir Klinger, who resigned later that year.

2005-2006

Avi Nimni is considered as Maccabi's talisman and the fan's favourite. He started his comeback season on the right foot, by scoring the winning goal in the opening match of the season.

Nimni is Maccabi's all time top goalscorer, having scored 174 goals. He has scored 194 goals overall in the league, and he is now the number three of all time top goalscorer in Israeli football.

Honours

As a Player

  • State Cup (4):
    • 1993/94, 1995/96, 2000/01, 2001/02

As an Assistant Manager

Notes

  1. ^ Template:He icon "לא יהיה עוד 8 צהוב במכבי אחרי נמני". One.co.il. 2006-12-01. Retrieved 2006-12-01.
  2. ^ Up until 1999, the top division of Israeli football was the Liga Leumit; since then, it has been Ligat ha'Al
  3. ^ "Rams leave it too late". BBC. 12 February 2000. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
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