ISRAEL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Avram Grant's Chelsea success story is "one in a million".

Record ID: 397272

  • Title: ISRAEL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Avram Grant's Chelsea success story is "one in a million".
  • Date: 20th May 2008
  • Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (MAY 18, 2008) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOURNALIST AVI MELLER SAYING: "Israel is divided between appreciating, admiring and hating Avram Grant."
  • Embargoed: 4th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: People,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA743AEV1JFXK57REXGGMU8EZDI
  • Story Text: Israeli soccer players, journalists and fans voice their hope that Avram Grant, Chelsea's manager seen by many as Israel's emissary in Europe, will lead Chelsea to a historic victory in Wednesday's Champions League final.
    Avram Grant's success at Chelsea is a "one in a million" story said Israeli coach Nir Levin ahead of Wednesday's (May 21) Champions League final against Manchester United in Moscow.
    Grant replaced the flamboyant Jose Mourinho last September and although a swift downfall was predicted for the Israeli. However Grant led Chelsea to within a whisker of winning the English league title and has taken the club to its biggest ever match in Moscow.
    "Nobody could have imagined three years ago that Avram will be the head coach or the manager of Chelsea. If you ask anybody about it he would have said you were crazy. So it's one in a million story," said Nir Levin, coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, a club at which Grant also had success in the 1990s.
    Like many Israelis who see Grant as an emissary for their country, Levin will watch Wednesday's clash closely in the hope that Chelsea can win one of the most coveted trophies in world soccer. He said that Grant has the ability to get the win.
    "He can shout at you and he can demand from you, but it's all because he wants to to play better," said Levin, who played under Grant.
    Maccabi midfielder Avi Nimni, whom Grant appointed as Israel captain when he coached the national team, also speaks highly of his mentor.
    "He is also a symbol and also like a consul of sports for Israel in the world because Chelsea is a top club," Nimni said.
    The 36-year-old Nimni who retired at the weekend after a successful 18-year playing career, said Grant's success could raise the profile of Israeli soccer.
    "I don't think that there are some supporters of football that, all over the world, that don't know who Avram Grant is and that he is Israeli and he's very very important for Israeli football," he added.
    Nimni said there are some in Israel who are "a bit jealous"
    of Grant but added he hoped others would follow his example by coaching and playing at top clubs.
    But not all Israelis will be rooting for Grant. Journalist Avi Meller, a leading local expert on English soccer, said that even in Israel there is much opposition to Grant.
    "Israel is divided between appreciating, admiring and hating Avram Grant," he said.
    Meller said that even some Israeli Chelsea supporters want the Blues to lose on Wednesday so that Grant will be sacked.
    "There are Chelsea supporters in Israel who want Chelsea to lose to Manchester United at the Moscow Champions League final in order that Grant will not continue. They cannot digest the fact that an Israeli from their country, with no pedigree at all, has come and taken the club from them. Not for them, but from them," Meller said.
    But on May 11 a group of Israelis gathered at a local bar in the coastal city of Tel Aviv to watch the final clashes of the English Premier League season. Some supported Chelsea in their match against Bolton and said they joined the club after Grant was appointed manager.
    "Since Avram Grant got to Chelsea I feel like I was born in London or something, since he is there," said Israeli fan Saul Cohen.
    "We will see you in Moscow. Go on you blues," cheered his fellow fan Shay Lau.
    Meller said that while Grant was the complete opposite to Mourinho in terms of media appeal, he felt the Israeli had made his mark where it mattered most: with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
    However he added: "he still needs probably more time. If he does get the time, if he does change the style into attractive football, if he does play the Arsenal and the Man. United way with new players next season, I'm sure Mourinho in the end will be all forgotten and Grant will be judged by his qualities."
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