Post by Salem6 on Feb 12, 2004 12:40:11 GMT
By OFER RONEN-ABELS
FIFA President Sepp Blatter assured IFA chairman Itche Menahem that Israel would host matches on home soil in the forthcoming World Cup qualifying campaign. Israel has not played an official international match at home in 2 years.
Menahem, who met with Blatter at the world football governing body's offices in Zurich on Wednesday, was told, "There has been no change in my position, the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign will take place in Israel."
During Blatter's visit to Israel last June for the IFA's 75th anniversary, the FIFA supremo promised that international football would return to Israel.
UEFA, the European football governing body, placed a ban on hosting matches in Israel, which was imposed in March 2002, and is still in force. As a result, both the Israeli national team and clubs competing in European Cup competitions have been forced to host matches at neutral venues.
According to an official press release issued by the IFA on Wednesday, UEFA's Chief Executive Lars Olson said that "Israel's security issue will be reevaluated in April."
The fact that all Israeli teams were knocked out of European competitions this season means that there is no urgency in making an early decision. The IFA added, that Olson said "in the meantime, UEFA intends to coordinate its stance with FIFA ahead of the qualifiers."
A senior UEFA official speaking on condition of anonimity explained that both bodies would have to coordinate inorder to avoid confusion. "It doesn't make sense that Israel will host a World Cup qualifier in Tel Aviv on September 4 while clubs would be forced to host matches abroad" he told The Jerusalem Post.
Since friendly matches fall under FIFA's jurisdiction, the national team is able to play at home. Next week the squad will host Azerbijan at Ramat Gan's National Stadium.
Ahead of the friendly, national team coach Avraham Grant held his weekly double training sessions which included a practice match against the Under-21 team. The talking point of the morning session was the earthquake, which caught the team in the dressing room before training. In the evening, Grant's team beat Moshe Sinai's Under-21s 3-1 in a display which was far from convincing.
Maccabi Haifa's Yaniv Katan (40) put the senior team upfront with a powerful strike. Abed Rabah and Kfir Udi, who were both introduced after the interval, combined to double the score in the 50th minute. Rabah of Hapoel Petah Tikva curled in a cross which was powerfully volleyed home by Bnei Yehuda's Udi.
Eight minutes later, Rabah sent another dangerous cross which was deflected by Moshe Misahelov into his own net for the third. Four days before the Tel Aviv derby at the National Stadium, Mishaelov's teammate at Maccabi, Roi Dayan, beat Hapoel's keeper Shavit Elimelech with a deadly strike to cut the deficit in the 74th minute.
Grant said that he will speak to Eyal Berkovic of Portsmouth before deciding whether or not to call up the 32-year-old playmaker for the Azerbijan match. Even though he intends to announce his final squad over the weekend, Grant called up three other foreign based players – Racing Santander duo Yossi Benayoun and Omri Afek and Istanbulspor's Pini Balili.
Shortly after the match, Grant refused to discuss the dressing down he received on Tuesday from his boss Menachem over the unauthorized visit to the African Nations Cup in Tunisia last week. "I do not intend to mix or discuss my private life while at the national team" Grant insisted.
Before leaving for Switzerland, Menahem held a a stern and forthright conversation with Grant in connection with the coach's unanounced trip.
The IFA chief was surprised to learn of Grant's unexpected trip to the North African republic from an exclusive report by the hebrew daily Yediot Achronot.
Grant didn't only refrain from seeking the IFA's permission to visit a country that has no diplomatic relations with Israel, but according to some officials, who refuse to reveal their identity, he lied about his intentions.
When hearing of the news initially, Menahem was stunned at being misled by his coach. The conversation between the two, took place in secret far from the media's gaze, and ended with a slap on the wrist and a demand for more accountability.
"The chairman made it clear to the coach that he is on the job 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and in future he will have to coordinate his every move," an IFA statement read. Menahem later told reporters that there were no pleasantries in the long and frank discussion with Grant. "The official statement says it all, but this was no easy meeting... I made the case for the national team and reiterated the procedures which must be followed," Menahem said.
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1076506711635&p=1006953079949
FIFA President Sepp Blatter assured IFA chairman Itche Menahem that Israel would host matches on home soil in the forthcoming World Cup qualifying campaign. Israel has not played an official international match at home in 2 years.
Menahem, who met with Blatter at the world football governing body's offices in Zurich on Wednesday, was told, "There has been no change in my position, the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign will take place in Israel."
During Blatter's visit to Israel last June for the IFA's 75th anniversary, the FIFA supremo promised that international football would return to Israel.
UEFA, the European football governing body, placed a ban on hosting matches in Israel, which was imposed in March 2002, and is still in force. As a result, both the Israeli national team and clubs competing in European Cup competitions have been forced to host matches at neutral venues.
According to an official press release issued by the IFA on Wednesday, UEFA's Chief Executive Lars Olson said that "Israel's security issue will be reevaluated in April."
The fact that all Israeli teams were knocked out of European competitions this season means that there is no urgency in making an early decision. The IFA added, that Olson said "in the meantime, UEFA intends to coordinate its stance with FIFA ahead of the qualifiers."
A senior UEFA official speaking on condition of anonimity explained that both bodies would have to coordinate inorder to avoid confusion. "It doesn't make sense that Israel will host a World Cup qualifier in Tel Aviv on September 4 while clubs would be forced to host matches abroad" he told The Jerusalem Post.
Since friendly matches fall under FIFA's jurisdiction, the national team is able to play at home. Next week the squad will host Azerbijan at Ramat Gan's National Stadium.
Ahead of the friendly, national team coach Avraham Grant held his weekly double training sessions which included a practice match against the Under-21 team. The talking point of the morning session was the earthquake, which caught the team in the dressing room before training. In the evening, Grant's team beat Moshe Sinai's Under-21s 3-1 in a display which was far from convincing.
Maccabi Haifa's Yaniv Katan (40) put the senior team upfront with a powerful strike. Abed Rabah and Kfir Udi, who were both introduced after the interval, combined to double the score in the 50th minute. Rabah of Hapoel Petah Tikva curled in a cross which was powerfully volleyed home by Bnei Yehuda's Udi.
Eight minutes later, Rabah sent another dangerous cross which was deflected by Moshe Misahelov into his own net for the third. Four days before the Tel Aviv derby at the National Stadium, Mishaelov's teammate at Maccabi, Roi Dayan, beat Hapoel's keeper Shavit Elimelech with a deadly strike to cut the deficit in the 74th minute.
Grant said that he will speak to Eyal Berkovic of Portsmouth before deciding whether or not to call up the 32-year-old playmaker for the Azerbijan match. Even though he intends to announce his final squad over the weekend, Grant called up three other foreign based players – Racing Santander duo Yossi Benayoun and Omri Afek and Istanbulspor's Pini Balili.
Shortly after the match, Grant refused to discuss the dressing down he received on Tuesday from his boss Menachem over the unauthorized visit to the African Nations Cup in Tunisia last week. "I do not intend to mix or discuss my private life while at the national team" Grant insisted.
Before leaving for Switzerland, Menahem held a a stern and forthright conversation with Grant in connection with the coach's unanounced trip.
The IFA chief was surprised to learn of Grant's unexpected trip to the North African republic from an exclusive report by the hebrew daily Yediot Achronot.
Grant didn't only refrain from seeking the IFA's permission to visit a country that has no diplomatic relations with Israel, but according to some officials, who refuse to reveal their identity, he lied about his intentions.
When hearing of the news initially, Menahem was stunned at being misled by his coach. The conversation between the two, took place in secret far from the media's gaze, and ended with a slap on the wrist and a demand for more accountability.
"The chairman made it clear to the coach that he is on the job 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and in future he will have to coordinate his every move," an IFA statement read. Menahem later told reporters that there were no pleasantries in the long and frank discussion with Grant. "The official statement says it all, but this was no easy meeting... I made the case for the national team and reiterated the procedures which must be followed," Menahem said.
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1076506711635&p=1006953079949