An Israeli coach in England?
Israeli soccer fans and their British counterparts were equally amazed by Avraham Grant's appointment to coach Chelsea
By Shlomi BarzelIsraeli soccer fans and their British counterparts were equally amazed by Avraham Grant's appointment to coach Chelsea. The Israelis have become familiar with Grant over the past two decades. He has coached senior teams in the Premier League as well as Israel's national soccer team. The English, on the other hand, found themselves last Thursday with a new manager who was virtually unknown to them.
The question "Avram Who?" best captures British astonishment over the appointment. It encapsulates the two secondary questions: Who is Grant, and how is it possible that an Israeli will be coaching one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious teams?
Both questions are legitimate ones, for until last weekend, the English had little reason to devote attention to Grant. True, he has been involved in British soccer for the past 18 months - first as Portsmouth technical director, and then, as of this summer, in a similar post at Chelsea. But not even the wildest scenario ever envisioned such an eventuality - which, for the British, is quite apocalyptic. Considering Britons' lack of appreciation for Israeli soccer, it is not hard to understand their shock, disappointment and doubt about the appointment of this unknown.
Still, there was something out of line in how the British press handled Grant: It treated him as it would a garden variety soccer fan. The media's unabashed scorn, condescension and abuse replaced impartial reporting, which could have raised the same doubts as to Grant's suitability. Grant became a pinata for competing reporters and newspapers, each trying to out-swat the other.
Had they at least equipped themselves with information on Grant's past performance, one could have consoled oneself that the reporters were acting properly and not out of pure malice. But when a respected journalist asked Grant whether he thought that coaching an Israeli team through six Champions League games could attest to his ability to succeed at Chelsea, it served to expose British journalism's true colors - because Grant has never coached any team through the Champions League.
Spearheading the vicious assault on Grant was David Mellor, who once served as a minister in the British government. The gutters to which Mellor descended in his column in the Evening Standard raise serious doubts about the validity of the stereotype of the British as possessing good manners. Mellor called Israeli soccer "the bottom of the barrel" and described Grant as one of the former's "lowly products."
It may merit mentioning that Mellor had to leave his governmental post after barely surviving two public scandals. One involved adultery: The minister was said to have had extramarital sex with a television actress, whom he reportedly instructed to wear a Chelsea t-shirt while engaging in intercourse with him. Later on, evidence suggested that Mellor had gone on a free trip in 1990 that was paid for by the daughter of a Palestine Liberation Organization official. There was also a trip paid for by the ruler of Abu Dhabi. It was this that led to his resignation.
In the meantime, Mellor had had a confrontation with an Israel Defense Forces officer at a checkpoint in the territories during a visit there. He is a harsh critic of Israel, and is regarded as a staunch supporter of the Palestinian struggle against Israel.
But even disregarding Mellor's past and his disturbing presence in all of this, the handling of Grant's appointment by the British press reeks of xenophobia. In recent years, the British have increasingly been losing their national soccer to foreigners, who are manning more and more key positions in British soccer, including ownership of teams, coaches and managers. The same goes for the actual players. The local product is gradually losing the exclusive status the British once attributed to it. Grant, through no fault of his own, is perceived as the straw that broke the camel's back.
Complaints against the British hostility toward Grant are quite legitimate. But they represent a chance for us to look in the mirror, and we should take the opportunity. Israeli sport - which is still not considered a leader in any field - has seen quite a few foreign players and coaches entering its ranks. The treatment they received from the Israeli media included quite a few of the characteristics that proliferated in the past few days among the British media.
The impressive or unimpressive resumes that the foreigners who entered Israeli sports brought with them had little effect on the coverage they received here in Israel. After all, we, too, hasten to ask: "Who are they, anyway?"
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I suppose this is comment to Adam who urges us not to label any criticism of Israel as anti-semitism. Thanks for the advice buddy. Perhaps the criticism is being labelled as anti-semitic because it makes special mention of ethnicity rather than merely focussing on the man's qualifications. If they are insufficient, then this should be the focus. Perhaps you won't think me anti-british if I suggest your bad manners somehow relate to your mangled teeth. Afterall, I don't have to mention the word British to say this.
Avarm Grant is being criticised, because he lacks the necessary qualification and experience to manage a club the size of Chelsea. These journalists are paid to be opinion writers most of the time so there is no pretence of impartiality. The are simply writing what everyone across this country, and indeed the rest of the footballing world, is discussing; Why him? Also, I find the use of Mellor's name and the reasons for his dismissal in this article laughable. The writer implies he's anti-Semitic because he may be pro Palestinian/Arab. I dare anyone to find anything malicious that?s not truthful in both of his quotes mentioned. Compared to the EPL, Serie A, and La Liga, the Israeli league is very poor and Grant does not even have the honour of being the best Israeli born manager to have come out of that league. Please let's not turn what are perfectly valid criticisms into something sinister. Criticising Jews and Israelis for something other than religion is not anti-Semitic.
no eric i will not go away because you want me to.
no eric youre the twat for personally insulting me when i expressed my opinion. if you dont like it then go find another talkback
Eric, your statements are more shambolic and you may suggest nothing to me.
The fact is that Arsenal have spent less than most other Premiership clubs for many seasons, I dont know the figures but I'd bet you have this season as well. Many UK plyers are overpriced and bolshy with far too high a regard for themselves (see Beckham, Ash Cole, Pennant, Dyer etc). When Wenger arrived he noted Man U and Liverpools poilcy of poaching all the best young players and said that even with the building of the new training ground it would take many years to match them. Well in the next couple of years you will see the academy boys coming through and many of them are British. In the end of the day, Britain is a rich country with many more professional football clubs per capita than anywhere else. Couple that with the fact that we have the richest league in the world and the fact is, there just arent enough British players good enough. I dont really care. We've got history and we play the best football and we don't need to buy success. And Fabregras is from our academy(15)
The British press shreds anyone it wants, british or not. Avram Grant is an obvious easy target. When Mourinho arrived Chelsea, he had won 1 UEFA Cup, 1 Champions League and 2 portuguese championships with FC Porto in just 2 years. During the last 3 years, while in Chelsea, Mourinho won 2 Premier Leagues, ending Chelsea's 50 year desert cross, 1 England's Cup and reached Champions League semi-finals 2 times. Having Grant such a wider poor record (only 6 Champion League games played, no accomplishments in any major european league) compared with its predecessor Mourinho, makes him an easy target for the british press Just because he's a jew doesn't make it anti-semitism. He would be hit the same way if he was budist or something.
I am very pro Israeli but this particular Israeli, Grant, just happens to be a disgrace. Just a bad and ugly case of being an inconsequential henchman to a boss running positively wild. And if I am anti-Semitic for seeing this then may I burn in hell.
Matt: Relax Bati. You can obviously do what you want. But may I suggest stop cluttering this forum up with your shambolic and irrelevant posts - the choice is up to you. Twat. As to Rueben: from a Yid Hammer to a Yid Gooner - well said. May I even suggest that if Abramovich bought Daggenham and Redbridge or Scunthorpe they would win the champions league? PS At the same time Reuben, you have essentially bought your way to greatness as well - how many players from your academy do you have in youre lineup apart from Walcott once every other weekend? Does it not affect the clubs identity and alienates the fans which used to pride itself on showcasing North London's finest talent?
No Eric, I will not remain quiet for you. I will express my opinion whether you like it or not. If that's a problem for you then call Haaretz and apply for a job as talkback censor so that you will have control over who posts what.
No Eric I will not keep quiet for you. And if you don't like it I don't care.
It is not xenephobic at all to suggest Grant does not have the qualifications for the job. Chelsea (annoyingly) have the money to get any manager that is available (they actually beat Real to Jose M). Mourinho was a Champions league winner and Grant has v little Euro experience and never managed Israel in a finals. I am glad Chelsea have got themselves a boring manager, they have no history and only won anything because of some dubiously earned roubles. I mean Abramavich could have won the leaugue with Leyton Orient if hed spent that much money on them! I know Grant is only seen as a stop gap but hopefully he manage to ruin them so badly that it'll cost Roman another firtune to get them anywhere near the top again. Go on, do your worst Avram! From a Yiddisher Gooner
Eric I agrre with you for example when we sacked Coleman...I always supported him as a manager but i moved on when we found sanchez...of course the club comes first...no one is bigger than the club
To Matt - if you dont care about football than stay quiet and let the adults speak. I probably dont like 99% of the crap you like but its not my business. An Israeli coaching in England is culturally and politically important as well - football always carries much more with it then the game itself. Never trusted a man that didnt like football anyway. As to Mike - if Fulham sacked Lawrie Sanchez today, would you go on crying about it or support the team? CLUB FIRST, PLAYERS AND MANAGERS SECOND No one is bigger than the club. Chelsea fans are a disgrace.
Why are you afraid of the word antisemitism? Has it become politically incorrect to denounce it, as opposed to "xenophobia" wich IS politically correct? Better write an article on this, than on an unremarkable Israeli trainer training a team owned by a Jewish millionaire.
As much as I dislike Chelsea, (being a Fulham fan) Im going to stick up for them here and the press. the british press absolutely shred anyone and everyone in Sport, just because Grant happens to be Jewish means bugger all, to follow in the footsteps of the so called 'special one' was gna be hard for anyone, let alone someone without a UEFA coaching licence!!! Oh RE: Matt #11 alot of people care about 'english soccer'...actually if you knew anything you would call it English Football.
I certainly don't.
I think the Brits would behave like this regardless of whether he was Israeli or not. Seems his wife is far more interesting and has already got in the papers! Besides as I understood it Grant is just a stop gap, so nothing to get so worked up about!
the promotion of this grant(?) as a Chelsea coach surprise everybody including all Israelis. Simply because he doesn't have the necessary qualification to be there. And it was revealed that he's the friend of this Abramovech, so has we know in Israel, there's little "combina" here. But the critics in England has nothing to do with xenophobia, I think even the press was very causious about it because it involve Jews. Other wise, it will be more than that.
The British Press-- xenophobic? Such fine upstanding publications as The Sun, The Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph in anything other than open-minded embrace, nay celebration, of anything from outwith the British Isles? Surely some mistake there!
As a West Ham supporter the attitude of Chelsea fans just confirms everything I always thought of them - Spoiled, posh, passionless toss pots who dont really know what it is like to truly support a club. Whatever happened with Jose is irrelevant now - he is gone and its time to support your club. But instead they jeer the man that bought them trophies with his money. If you love Jose more than your own club then go follow him around and support him. Supporting a club is bigger that one man alone and thats what happend at Chelsea and all of this poncy talk about the "special one". When West Ham sacked Pardew most West Ham fans were gutted but we still gave full support to the club and management. Chelsea Fans = Spoiled, passionless wankers. Abromivich should take all of his money and let CHelsea return to what they really were - a slightly better than average club.
I think there are a couple of points here: Some areas of the tabloid British press do indulge in some pretty xenophobic behaviour, but the accusation of anti-semitism is taking the charge too far. After all, Arsene Wenger was similarly vilified when he took up his post at Arsenal, and he has achieved much since then. It is for Grant to prove that he can go on and do the same - and I hope he succeeds. It's also true to say that many in Britain doesn't know a great deal about Israeli football, but that's not necessarily criminal; most Israelis would agree that the two leagues are different in many respects. As everyone knows, a number of Israeli players have graced the U.K. leagues and have played exceptionally well for some of the best teams. Lastly, Mellor's an idiot - I agree with you wholeheartedly on that point.
As an Arsenal fan I like the idea of David Mellor having sex while the girl was wearing a Chelsea shirt. It's all a storm in a tea cup. Avram Grant is only a stop gap till the Russian finds a real coach to manage Chelsea. He'll be gone and forgotten pretty soon.
Abergil, no doubt you are another sports journalist in the UK with your most excellent command of the English language. I would expect no less of a country that gives opportunity to all. However Avram Grant is so much better qualified than David Mellor to hold down a paid post with anything concerning the beautiful game. You should remember the FA has an ongoing campaign against racism in sport and that includes anti semitic attitudes and comments.
The English have the inaniliabe right to raise eye brows (and knowing the British, their nasty double entente) when Grant was nominated above and beyond many shortcoming the greatest of which, Mr. Grant does not really have the "Official Qualifications" We knowe how pricky and nasty the Israel Footbal Union are about that fact. Just look around behind most of the bencjes: tell me who you are (what is your ethnic origines) and I'll tell you what will be the extent of overlooking your qualifications. Excep, England is a Land of opportunity: the seat goes to the most talented person, while in Israel: yopur ethnic belonging buys you any high fukllutin job, everywhere in the Land of our Forfather. Sorry: the Great British are in their good standing to suspect Mr Grant's doubtful accreditations.
One of the most puzzling aspects of British soccer commentary is how David Mellor has risen to be such a prominent commentator. This flabby resemblance of a potato with glasses and protuding yellow teeth, which has been has dropped with distaste on a couch, has obviously never kicked a ball in his life. A failed Tory policician disgraced by his affair with a short sighted but highly ambitious woman, (I mean most women shudder at the very sight of him) had found a new career as a football pundit by the sole fact that he claimed to be a Chelsea supporter . He thinks sports fans are too stupid to notice that he is simply a mountebank getting a free ride for his stinking opinions in the sports pages.
Xenophobia my behind! I heard that someone also said that the Jew should go home! Well, the Jew should take chelsea and stuff it up the fan's jew-hating behinds.