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National Team Coach: The countdown.

5K views 80 replies 12 participants last post by  Ariel 
#1 ·
Since October 31st or more precisely 111 days when Israel drew Switzerland and were out of chances to qualify for the World Cup, we are waiting for the decision of who will be the next Israeli coach.
The excuse was that IFA were under elections, but it has been a while and still no decision.

Avi Luzon, is keeping the rumours as low as possible, but the media speculates a foreign coach and among them, Roberto Donadoni, Fatih Terim, Frank Rijkard and Ronald Koeman.
On the other side the only Israeli candidate that appears ready is Eyal Berkovic, who went to the media after surprising silence (Berkovic is not known exactly to be smooth in his opinions) said that he wants to be the NT coach and that there isn´t the necessity of bringing an "expensive foreign coach who will still get to know the players will be too late in the campaign", the former talented playmaker continued saying that "football is a simple game and it begings with the heart, if you don´t have it you don´t reach anywhere, i always played in the NT with my heart and under my command the NT will play like this".
 
#4 ·
You mean Eyal or me? :D Just kidding.

Don´t know if he understands more about tactics tehn Grant or Kashtan, but he definitely understands very well the players mentality (especially the Israeli one). And above all he has the soul and heart and he will transmit it to the players. He won´t be afraid to face anyone.

I believe it would be a good gamble, plus he has the players support.
 
#7 ·
Could be. But actually Berkovic is that way and will always be. He doesn´t think, he speaks what ever comes to his mind, sometimes it is the plain truth, but sometimes he should just keep quiet.

I could agree with you on the tactical issue, he maybe isn´t the best tactician and that is why in his interview he stated he would have two assistant coaches, one to take care of defense, other from offense and Berkovic would be the one to decide on the issues based on the reports.

He would actually be a type of motivational and confidence booster, someone who understands the player mentality. Plus, the players are all for him.
 
#11 ·
Berkovic is good, but then again we need to see where his plans are. Berkovic cannot make the love/hate relationship with players. You gotta be on track.

A foreign coach is good but how much would he know about Israel? Koeman is alright, but i'd rather have keegan if it was an option....

That being said, we need someone who can have the balls to call in young players and atleast tell the vintage players or the players you would see to take a hike and improve their game.

Right now players dont see eye-to-eye with the team. We dont have players who actually want to play and we have proof of that...nothing really gets people in a momentum to represent the NT anymore and if it was down to it a foreign coach might be tempting to the players over an Israeli one.

I suggested that Berkovic should be Assistant Coach and a foreign coach should lead us so that we can do crazy improvements to our practice that no one has seen in Israel before!
 
#12 ·
I suggested that Berkovic should be Assistant Coach and a foreign coach should lead us so that we can do crazy improvements to our practice that no one has seen in Israel before!
That wouldn´t be bad. Berkovic would be his consultant and getting the foreign coach to get to know the Israeli players well, while the latter would be the tactician.

The problem is Berkovic isn´t exactly the person known to be easy going and depending on the tense atmosphere of the qualifiers (believe me the pressure is bigger than ever) they could get on a harsh discussion.

The players want Berkovic, at least most of them do.
 
#13 ·
I want no part of Berkovic. As an assistant coach, he'll undermine the coach, feel underutilized, criticize the coach and the management openly in the media. He's a loose canon. I want no part of him until he learns to behave himself professionally. The guy is off the hook right now.
 
#14 ·
Yes, in this part there is a bit of risk. If he only had a less stronger personality maybe it would work. But i don´t think he would accept to be assistant, he stated he wants to be the head coach.

And now it is too late for him to learn how to behave this is his way since a player and in part most eople want him in the NT because he doesn´t fear anyone and he wouldn´t play cowardly.
 
#16 ·
Benayoun was like 23 or 22 when Berkovic left the NT
 
#17 ·
Given the fact that Donadoni has agreed in principle to accept the job if offered, and they are also looking at Klinnsman and Rijkard, I dont see why the IFA should even consider Berkovic, especially since he has almost ZERO coaching experience, and is an idiot.

The NT does not need Berkovic. They need a foreign coach with no bias.
 
#18 ·
I dont see why the IFA should even consider Berkovic, especially since he has almost ZERO coaching experience, and is an idiot.
LOL
Kashtan had a SH*TLOAD of coaching experience and was a bigger idiot.

I say we should give Berkovic a chance, simply because we've already tried the "experience" option... too many times... LOL You guys all know the results so there's no point of going into detail, but I have to say that our last campaign for the World Cup was just an EPIC FAIL, courtesy of one of Israel's most "experienced" coaches. That speaks for itself...

I watched Berkovic's press conference and he's clearly taking this very seriously. The fact that he mentions appointing an offensive and defensive coach shows that he's put a lot of thought into it. He knows that he has only 1 feature that no other Israeli coach has... And that is attitude. Most of the NT players want him and when they feed off of his attitude, Israel will be a very difficult team to deal with.

We have the talent. Our talent pool is expanding and more Israelis are playing abroad. The one thing we're missing is attitude. Our players give the other teams too much respect and they simply don't believe in themselves. That's exactly where Berkovic comes in...
 
#21 ·
Somestimes i think the best manager/coach is the fans and the spectators...they have nothing to lose, risk it all and know each player not by their off pitch attitude, but by their strenght like we analyze here on XT.

Fortunately, that day will never happen...but Berkovic is someone who discusses and points about the highs and lows of a good team like i said....and i think he is the no holds bar, all risk on the table type guy...

Danadoni sounds good....
 
#25 ·
Berkovic is an option because of his "hutzpa". He is fearless with the media (actually he currently works there), has no fear against the top teams. And that is the reason why many fans, part of the media wants him as coach.

It is a gamble and there won´t be middle terms, or we will fail badly or we will have success.
 
#26 ·
This is not between who is qualified and who has the love of the people.

This is someone who can put the money where his mouth is......
For so long we were promised a birth...atleast in Playoffs or snapping into the finals for so long....everything was used...easy teams, crucial games, being better when only tieing....who can break this and actually get us there?

Cause there is 1000 ways of making the scenario for Israel, but in the end it is down to the basis ....who can win and who cant......
 
#28 ·
Squad called for Romania friendly!

Without Dror Kashtan i guess, the squad was picked for the Romania friendly. (What a mess made by the IFA)

Keepers:

Dudu Aouate( Mallorca)
Nir Davidovich (Maccabi haifa)

Defenders and sidebacks:

Klemi Saban (Maccabi Netanya)
Eyal Meshumar (Maccabi Haifa)
Dedi Ben Dayan (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
Yoav Ziv (Lokeren)
Dekel Keinan (Maccabi Haifa)
Avi Strul (Lokeren)
Tal Ben Haim (Portsmouth)

Midfielders:

Avihai Yadin (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
Bibras Natkho (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
Gili Vermut (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
Biram Kiyal (Maccabi Haifa)
Tamir Cohen (Bolton)
Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool)

Forwards and Strikers:

Shlomi Arbeitman (Maccabi Haifa)
Itay Shechter (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
Omer Golan (Lokeren)
Elyaniv Barda (Genk)
Roberto Collauti (Borussia Monchengladbach)
 
#30 ·
the forwards look good. Arbeitman and Shechter. Should be fun :)
 
#33 ·
Whats going on with Jose Pekerman now-a-days? he should be considered
 
#34 ·
Yes, i was thinking about his option these days. It would be intresting, he has experience with a big NT like Argentina, works well with young talents (he was the one who launched Messi in the NT) and is Jewish, he would have a connection with our NT, it wouldn´t be any other job.
 
#35 ·
but then again.....he has no real trophies to prove his worth. And how old is he? 63 now?
 
#36 ·
Certainly younger than Kashtan and more titles than Berkovic as coach. He has a lot of experience with youngsters and was a professional player aswell.

He was coaching a Mexican team until December. As far as i know he is free now, so he could be an interesting option.
 
#37 ·
Pekerman to the Israel NT.

He knows the biggest accomplishment he can do is just to get them to the finals...than he can lose 5-0 and 6-0 to random teams......
 
#39 ·
Game is in Israel?
 
#40 ·
Two foreign coaches are arriving in Israel the next days to talk with Avi Luzon: Winfried Schaefer and Louis Fernandez.

The latter is already known by the Israeli fans, who led Beitar Jerusalem for one season and is known to have a tough personality and inventive tactical schemes.

Meanwhile, the German coach Schaefer has coached in the Bundesliga, but never a top considered team. One of his highs in career was when he led Cameroon for the 2002 World Cup.

In the last years, Schaefer coache din the arab world for al ahly and al ain.

What do you guys think? Better options than Berkovic?
 
#42 ·
Rather have Berkovic....
what happens to the big names we were supposed to have?
 
#44 ·
Apparently the big names were only rumours and speculation or declined the Israeli offer.

From Schaefer and Fernandez the latter looks more interesting since he already coached in Israel (even if it was only one season).

But still, don´t have the confidence that they would qualify us.
 
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