So, Eyal Berkovic won’t be the Israeli national team coach, despite a passionate and somewhat cheap attempt at bullying the Israeli football authorities into hiring him. Eyal’s best efforts were saved for a recent press conference, where he loudly and proudly staked his claim for the job. Apparently it fell on deaf ears, as this week saw the appointment of Luis Fernandez (who?), a Frenchman who has previously coached Beitar Jerusalem, one of Israel’s leading club sides, and had some success on the continent in his early days as a manager.
My opinion: he should have got the job. OK, some might think he’s a bit of a little squirt (as his old rival Eli Ohana, who also played in Europe, put it “a small man with a big mouth”), but let’s face it, Israeli football isn’t going anywhere fast and at least the guy has some passion. Quite a chunk of the Israeli public was also behind him, but seriously, who thought he’d actually get the job?
With that job gone, perhaps Eyal will throw his hat into the ring for the next elections? He’s got the mouth, the chutzpah, hell yeah, even the criminal record – Eyal Berkovic for PM!