Soon, everything will be shuffled again: the January transfer window opens, and with it – always – the opportunity to seek reality. Find the right addition, the edge of improvements from the mistakes of the summer, the possibility of doing better than what was done. And all these years an attempt has been made to get the “fuel additive”, as Reuven Atar once called it, the extra that can upgrade a good team to a champion team. So in honor of the opening of the window, and perhaps also under the influence of Omar Atzili’s media move to Maccabi Haifa, here you have it – five stories about five big transfers made in the current window, and the teams’ fans will never forget.
Fifth place: Alan Masudi to Maccabi Tel Aviv, January 2008
It’s a little hard to remember today, but when it came to the winter of the 07/08 season, Maccabi Tel Aviv was really lost. The hallucinatory start to the season, the quarrels between Lonnie Hercikovic and Roni Mana (including Philip Solomon who jumped in the middle) and Avi Nemani who stood between the field and the podium, left the Maccabees shuffling, as the club slipped to the bottom. How extreme was the situation? Maccabi started the season with no less than seven games without a win, and at some points was even considered a candidate for relegation.
But then came January – Alex Schneider took the position of owner in place of Hercikovich, Maccabi got some money to strengthen, and went for the Congolese (who has already gained a name for himself in a variety of other teams, and started the season at MS Ashdod). It ended with six goals in 15 appearances, spectacular cooking in the derby – and Maccabi, which all season flirted with the red line, finished in sixth place.
In fourth place: Dimitar Talkisky and Aline Topozakov for Hapoel Tel Aviv, January 2008
The same month, the same city – a different color. Along with Maccabi, Hapoel Tel Aviv also experienced a difficult season opener. Guy Luzon, who arrived as a young and fresh coach, failed quite badly. Petah Tikva ended his career fairly quickly, and was replaced by Eli Gutman – a coach with a rich record (championship at Hapoel Haifa, trophy with Hapoel Beer Sheva) who returned to Israel after a short exile in Cyprus. Guttman changed the verb completely, also through the reinforcement – and especially the pair of Bulgarian players.
The brake added stability to the defense, and Talkisky? He is remembered by Hapoel fans as one of the most beloved foreigners who played in the media, including an actor’s song to the tune of Ofra Haza’s “Yad Beid” (“Dimitar all the way”) – mainly thanks to two magic moments: a crazy goal in the Tel Aviv derby in front of goal 11 From the air to the connections in the 1: 3 victory), and an even more memorable personal operation, plus a chip, on the head of Betar Jerusalem – which dreamed of championship celebrations. On penalties), Talkisky and Topozakov did break up pretty quickly – but Hapoel took off for the historic doubles team of Guttman, Schechter, Vermouth – and another player, who will still appear on our list.
In third place: Hanan Maman to Hapoel Beer Sheva, January 2018
Maman, for those who forgot, a second generation footballer – Baruch’s son, did not really find himself as a senior footballer in our league. He played in the big clubs, including Betar and Hapoel Tel Aviv, but got lost on the grass. Until the transfer that helped him soar at last. This happened in the winter of the 17/18 season, when Barak Bachar’s Hapoel Beer Sheva needed a shot in the arm. At the end of the civil year, she did lead the table, but is still very close to the rest of those who blew her neck – Hapoel Haifa, Betar Jerusalem of Tabib and Ben Zaken and of course the nemesis Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Then, Bachar and Alona pulled out Maman – from the team that was then in second place with less points – and what they got is invaluable: Maman finished a record season with 12 goals, eight of them (!) In a Beer Sheva uniform in half a season – including a particularly important goal against Beit ” R. Jerusalem Teddy, in a game that actually closed the championship story.Man will continue his career, Maman will want to remember less – he did not really find his place at Turner the following year, rolled in Betar and now plays for Hapoel Haifa, and tries to find the magic touch of that end of season again In the capital of the Negev.
In second place: David Solari for Kiryat Shmona, January 2012
An actor who has become a currency of language. Since he arrived, to this day it has been said that every team is looking for its “solar” in January – that is, the purchase that can bring a championship on its own. And this is exactly what the Argentine, the brother of the legendary Santiago Real Madrid, did: Ran Ben Shimon’s team did lead the table until January, but from this month it really took off – through its superstar.
Solari scored five goals in the league, but even more than that he added experience and quality to a team that wanted the most unexpected championship that has been here (at least in the modern era). Remember especially the goal he scored, one month later, for Bnei Yehuda’s net – that memorable slalom that ended with a kick for connections, and made it clear to those who needed clarification: Kiryat Shmona will end this season as champion. Solari played a crucial part in this, not only through the goulash in the Galilee.
And in first place: Eran Zehavi and Rada hack for Maccabi Tel Aviv, January 2013
Jordi Cruyff claims, to this day, that this is the biggest signing in the history of Maccabi Tel Aviv. In the winter of 2013, Maccabi Tel Aviv of Oscar Garcia entered when it was desperate to strengthen. Although it remained in first place, the awakening from Maccabi Haifa and Arik Benado made the (village) waves – and Mitch Goldhaar decided to pull out: in one window, two players arrived at the club who changed the hierarchy of Israeli football until then.
Rada Fritza, the veteran Swedish striker who has become one of the favorite strikers of Maccabi fans ever; And about Eran Zehavi, there really is nothing to exaggerate: From that moment on, he became the senior Israeli footballer, making Maccabi Tel Aviv the strongest club in Israel.
Contrary to many people’s beliefs, the influence of Zehavi and Periza was already seen that season – the Israeli scored seven goals in half a season, the Swede added another eight, and alongside the particular strike with Eliran Atar, both – in fact – brought the club his first degree after ten years barrenness. Later, Zehavi took two more championships, a break was signed to Paco’s historic treble (with the same crazy hat-trick in the cup final against BS in Sami Ofer). Both were engraved in gold letters at the Yellow Club. One of them might even come back one day.
