Category: Match day program EN
Maccabi’s Hungarians
During the 1990’s, foreign players began to ply their trade in helping strengthen Israeli football. Many of them came from Eastern European countries as Hungary became a very poplar place for scouts in the mid to late-90’s. Over the course of the years, three Hungarian players wore the Yellow & Blue and just ahead of the return leg against Ferencvaros is the perfect time to take a look back at the trio.
Ferenc Horvath
The lanky Hungarian arrived at Maccabi near the end of 2000 from Energie Cottbus of the German Bundesliga. The Hungarian International took part in back-to-back State Cup victories in 2000/01 and 2001/02 and scored 12 goals in 64 appearances. Horvath is also familiar with Maccabi’s Europa League foe, Ferencvaros after playing for the Budapest based side for two seasons between 1996-1998. Today, the former Yellow & Blue is the coach of Balmazújvárosi FC in Hungary. Let’s look back to when Horvath scored a brace in a 6:0 win over Tzafririm Holon during the 2000/01 campaign:
פרנץ הורבאט כובש צמד
Alek Nilash
Just like Horvath, Nilash also played for Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ferencvaros. The attacking midfielder was the first Hungarian to play for Maccabi and arrived in Israel during the 1997/98 campaign. Nilash played one season for the Yellow & Blue and made 26 appearances while scoring 4 goals before continuing his career with SC Ashdod for the following four years. Check out his marker in a 4:1 victory over Hapoel Beit Shean:
1997/98: נילאש כובש נגד בית שאן
Adam Vezer
The third Hungarian who played for Maccabi was keeper Adam Vezer who came to the club ahead of the 2000/01 campaign. After making 150 appearances with Honved Budapest, the shot stopper played 14 matches for the Yellow & Blue in his only season with the team. Vezer then went on to play two years with Beitar Beer Sheva before continuing his career, primarily in Cyprus.
Adam Vezer is in the center ()
Something New is Beginning / Eitan Tibi
The first home match of the season is always extra special and different than any other game; the excitement of something new about to begin. Seeing the fans in the stands as they come to cheer us on gives us the strength we need to meet their expectations. Over the past number of years we have made a tradition of Maccabi’s participation in the group stages of European competitions and the fans’ expectations that we will again advance to that stage is exactly what our goal is.
Last Thursday in Hungary, I recorded my 53rd appearance as a central defender for Maccabi in Europe. As someone who holds the Club record for European matches played, I admit that I’m excited as if this is my first game.
Our opponent this evening showed in the first leg that the challenge will not be a simple one. I have no doubt that Eliran Atar’s goal, although is was the equalizer, gave us, the players a huge lift ahead of the second leg.
We have a squad that has made a number of changes over the summer. From the new coaching staff who are still learning who we are and we are learning who they are, to the new players who are acclimating very well to the team. Last month we began understanding what the demands of the coach are, his expectations and how he wants to see Maccabi play. At the end of the day, we all have the same goal. But from the first match to the last match, we aren’t going to be looking at the past and the distant future, just the here and now.
Jair Amador and Enric Saborit are two of my new defensive partners and they have quickly become part of the team. After the first leg draw in Hungary, it’s clear to all of us that at home, with our supporters and especially by being together, we can reach our goals this season.
Earlier, I explained about the excitement of the first home match, but I can’t end without addressing how excited I am about playing in the brand new kit. In my first season with Maccabi, I played with a striped shirt and the campaign ended with the Club’s first title in 10 years. I can promise that again this season you’ll see a Maccabi that is hungry to recreate the same success as in my first campaign at the Club. This season we are all 100% Maccabi.
Final Preparations: Maccabi is ready for Ferencváros
The battle for a trip to the second round. Maccabi Tel Aviv host’s Ferencváros this evening (20:00) in the return leg of their first round Europa League tie following a 1:1 draw in the first meeting last week in Budapest.
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תקציר אלטרנטיבי| מכבי – פרנצווארוש
Maccabi enters the contest with an away goal thanks to Eliran Atar’s late strike, but Vladimir Ivic’s players know that their Hungarian opponent won’t make their lives easy in the home match.
Striker Itay Shechter will be available for the Serbian boss after missing out on the first leg. A Maccabi victory or a goalless draw will send the Yellow & Blue into the second round where they would most probably face Radnicki Nis from Serbia as they are leading their qualification tie by 4:0 over Gzira United of Malta following their first match.
The Head Coach Vladimir Ivic addressed the first leg result when questioned that a goalless draw will be enough to see Maccabi through due to the away goal: “Our target is to win the match. We have to concentrate from the first to last minute of the game and fight from the start to the end in order to win the game. I know that the Maccabi fans will be the 12th man.”
Dor Micha added: “We all know how critical this match is. I really believe in this squad and I’m very optimistic about this coming campaign. I think that the first match against Ferencváros was pretty even and they are a good team. At our home and with our fans it will be a totally different story.”
One of our own/ Dan Margalit bids adieu to Jordi
As soon as we saw the name “Cruyff” we were enchanted. Johan Cruyff, the legendary father of course. But it didn’t take long for the name “Jordi” to also become a super brand.
I only met him once and it was at the home of an Israeli relative who studied with him in Holland and I was impressed that Israel was difficult for him and was threatening and perhaps also too small for him. However, not for long. He remained a foreigner but he became part of us, the Yellow & Blue Maccabis and maybe even a bit Israeli. Certainly he didn’t abandon us in times of war.
He arrived during a tough time. Many long years of despair and disappointment that even the legacy of the name “Maccabi” was a burden to us and our generation, our children and our grandchildren; perhaps the Yellow & Blue wasn’t what it was and won’t be what it was.
Then came Jordi and became very soon our Archimedean point, the crane that would lift the hopes and dreams of a whole world like in years past, which he himself was not part of its rich heritage. 
Our self-confidence returned slowly. Another cup. Another championship. Another successful match. Another new player who met expectations. Just like everything in the world, in football and in every branch of life, there would of course be difficult arguments and anger and resentments of this man who received the keys to our club. But in the moments of crisis there was always another achievement. Another streak. Everything is forgiven. Everything is forgotten.
He only worked at Maccabi for six seasons and I look at the trophies and titles that he brought to the club and I know in my heart that if we had been promised half when he arrived at Kiryat Shalom we would have welcomed him with open arms. All the more so that he made his mark with these championships and cups and we didn’t even give up on the Toto Cup.
But as in all areas of management and leadership and in all areas of life there comes the painful moment of saying goodbye; success is not eternal. But when I look at the overall picture, I feel that I can sing “Tzahov Oleh” together with Jordi and add Naomi Shemer’s song “Sometimes the party ends/the lights go out”.
I hope that Maccabi will always find a place in his heart. Thank you Jordi.
Trivia: How much do you know about Maccabi during the Cruyff era?
The Numbers: Maccabi home matches during the Cruyff Era
The upcoming home match against Beitar Jerusalem will be their 108th in the Cruyff Era. Over the previous 107 contests, there have been plenty of interesting facts and stats. Let’s take a look at some of them from the past 6 seasons.
