All-star makeover in Tel-Aviv

By Ofer Ronen-Abels

With Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC celebrating their centenary in 2005/06, they are determined to haul themselves above Maccabi Haifa FC to the top of the table, whatever the cost.

Bold plans
Nir Klinger unveiled his side's bold plans for next season at a press conference at a Tel-Aviv hotel on Tuesday, unveiling signings Avi Yechiel, Eyal Berkovic and Giovanni Rosso as well as returning Israel captain Avi Nimni, who has spent two seasons on loan at Beitar Jerusalem FC after a major row with the coach.

'Adult approach'
The two have been persuaded to settle their differences in the service of a common goal. Klinger explained: "Like a married couple that has problems, we have managed to patch up a glorious past, and live in the present, looking ahead to a bright future - that is the adult approach Avi and I adopted."

New side
Maccabi, who will enter the UEFA Cup as Israeli Cup winners, are determined to break all previous records by luring in 10,000 season-ticket holders with the promise of big names like Berkovic and Rosso, but the first thing they need to do is to persuade supporters that the new-look side will bear little resemblance to the one that thrived in Europe last season but finished eighth in the league, 31 points adrift of title-winning Maccabi Haifa FC.

Klinger's reassurance
"This team will be totally different from the group of players I had here last season," said Klinger. "Circumstances, forced us to field an experienced and less shiny team."

No primadonnas
However, the suggestion that the new side were some kind of all-star side was met with equally short shrift. "I heard terms like 'Dream Team' or 'Galacitcos' banded about butthis group of players will have to work hard in order to succeed," insisted Klinger. "Names and magic acts never won anyone anything."

'Biggest challenge'
Indeed, Israel's second most capped player of all time, who won the title in his first year at the club in 2002/03, is expecting an unusually hard season. "This is my fourth season as a coach at Maccabi and probably the biggest challenge of my career," he said.

Loose cannon
For some, his biggest challenge will be dealing with the outspoken Berkovic and Rosso. Berkovic, who has spent the last nine seasons in Great Britain with the likes of West Ham United FC, Blackburn Rovers FC, Manchester City FC, Celtic FC Southampton FC and Portsmouth FC, is a particularly loose cannon.

Double target
However, his anger at not being allowed to return to his boyhood club, Maccabi Haifa, to end his career could well work in Tel-Aviv's favour. Berkovic said: "We are here to win the double, anything less than that is just simply lying to our fans not good enough for a squad like this.

Berkovic taunt
"We have already brought this league which from the outside looked dead and burried, back to life," he added with customary bravado. "If all the so-called 'Galacticos' only play to 70 or 80 per cent of their ability we will still have an outstanding team. All the fans have to do is come and watch."

Joking aside
Whether that fighting talk will hold true when the season starts is a moot point. When Berkovic was asked what he would do when he was due to play at the modest stadiums in Petach-Tikva and Netanya, he replied jokingly: "I will tell Klinger that I am not feeling well and have a rest." If he is still laughing at the end of the season, it should be mission accomplished for Maccabi Tel-Aviv.