SA
Austrian Herzog to coach Israel’s national soccer team
Austrian Andreas Herzog has been named Israel’s new football manager. The 49-year-old takes over from Elisha Levy, who was told last month his contract would not be renewed.
JACK MILNER
Levy was axed following a string of poor results which resulted in the team failing to qualify for both last year’s European Championships, and the World Cup.
Said Israel Football Association (IFA) President Ofer Eini, “I would like to thank Levy for his work. We had good moments, but also bad moments. We will give the next coach all the conditions required for success.”
Herzog has previously coached both the United States and the Austrian team as a caretaker coach, and also was in charge of the Austrian Under-21 side for two years.
The IFA put out a statement saying that an agreement had been reached “in principle between the parties, and at the forthcoming IFA management committee meeting, Herzog’s appointment will be put to a vote”.
His first match at the helm of the Israeli team will be in September, when Israel play in Albania in the first match of the new UEFA Nations League. From there, the team will travel to Belfast, where four days later, they will play a friendly against Northern Ireland, before playing Scotland in their second Nations League match in October.
Said Herzog, “It is a great honour and a wonderful opportunity for me to lead the Israel national team as head coach. I am certain that I will receive complete support so that I can contribute to the advancement of the team.”
Born in Vienna, Herzog started his career at local giants Rapid Vienna, but was on loan to city rivals First Vienna during the 1987/88 season. That move proved to be successful, and he was soon recalled to Rapid to start the 1988/89 season. He made his name at Rapid over the next few years, securing him a move to German Bundesliga side, Werder Bremen, where he spent eight years, divided into two periods by a season at Bayern Munich, where the team won the UEFA Cup, beating Girondins de Bordeaux in a two-legged final.
After returning to Rapid in 2002, he decided to end his career with Major League Soccer franchise Los Angeles Galaxy in 2004. Under Head Coach Sigi Schmid, Herzog played well, but following a mid-season coaching change, his playing time decreased and at the end of the season, in November 2004, Herzog announced his retirement from football.
A stylish attacking midfielder, Herzog was well known for his ability to score stunning free kicks.
He earned 103 caps for Austria, making him Austria’s most capped player. Herzog surpassed striker Anton Polster in May 2002 when winning his 96th cap against Germany. His last international was an April 2003 friendly match against Scotland.