Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C.
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| הפועל תל אביב
Hapoel Tel Aviv |
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| Founded | 1935 |
| Arena | Usishkin |
| City | Tel Aviv |
| Team Colors | Red/White |
| Owner | Shaul Eizenberg |
| President | |
| Head Coach |  Effi Birenboim |
| Assistant Coach | Ami Navi |
| European Championships | - |
| Israeli Championships | 5 |
| Israeli State Cups | 4 |
| Official Website | http://www.hapoelta.org.il/ |
Hapoel Tel Aviv is an Israeli basketball club. It is considered the second largest club in Israel in terms of trophies and followers. It was established as part of the Tel Aviv Histadrut branch.
In 1995 it was sold to private businessmen, and since then it has suffered from financial problems which led to its relegation twice to the second division and a boycott by most of its fans, blaming the current owners for the club's poor status.
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[edit] History
"Hapoel" (i.e. the worker) Tel Aviv basketball club (Hebrew: מועדון הכדורסל הפועל תל אביב), or "Hapoel" ,is the second largest basketball club in Israel. It was founded in 1935, as part of the Tel Aviv branch of the "Hapoel" sports cooperative, the sports department of the Histadrut labour union. The 15 years following the foundation of the Israeli national league in 1954 are still considered as the golden age in the club's history. During which it has won most of its trophies and risen to become a dominant force in Israeli basketball. However, since then the club has failed to repeat its past success and was forced to watch as its bitter city rivals Maccabi Tel aviv beat them constantly on the race to trophies and European glory.
In 1980 the club built the "Usishkin" arena, named after Menachem Usishkin, a famous Histadrut leader. With 2000 seats, it is generally considered as an architectural disaster due to its lack of air conditioning and poor facilities. The uncomfortable conditions, along with the fact Hapoel Tel Aviv's fans are considered amongst the most fanatic in Israeli sports, has contributed to the fact "Osishkin" is known for an extremely hostile atmosphere for away teams.
In 1995 the Histadrut decided to suspend financial support of all its "Hapoel" sports teams, including Hapoel Tel Aviv. The club was sold to a group of private businessmen. Since 1998, it is under the ownership of Shaul Eizenberg, an Israeli businessman and press officer of the Israel Football Association. Except for three years of financial support by Russian Billionaire Vladimir Gusinsky, the club has since consistently suffered from financial difficulties, mainly due to poor management. The result of this was an immediate deterioration in the club's status and stability, which led to relegation twice to the second league, in 1998 and 2000. During this period the club also conceded its most humiliating defeat of all times by the hands of no less than local rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv by a staggering 54 points difference. This being part of a previously unthinkable streak of 9 defeats in one season to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
[edit] Local rivalries
For years "Hapoel" and "Maccabi" Tel Aviv were considered the top flight clubs of Israeli basketball. The Local derby matches between the two teams were always considered to be the most prestigious games in Israeli sports, and ones which led to a bitter and hateful atmosphere between fans of both clubs, often resulting in acts of mutual violence and Hooliganism. The tension between both clubs reached its peak in the 1980's. During this era they met for several times in the league's Play-off finals and state cup finals. Until this day, These matches are still regarded as the most exciting and attractive in Israeli basketball history.
During the years as Maccabi Tel Aviv strengthened its dominance in Israeli basketball and its status as the almost-eternal champions, "Hapoel" fans accused their rival's management of various wrongful doing, including offering bribes to referees, signing contracts with rival players during the regular season and playoff series, and receiving exaggerated funds from state television for broadcasting rights. With the decline of "Hapoel" in recent years the matches between both clubs became somewhat one-sided. This of course only led to the strengthening of hatred and repeated violent acts between the fans.
[edit] Current season (2005/06)
In a controversial decision, Hapoel Tel Aviv decided to hold its home matches to the Yad Eliahu basketball Arena. With its current 10,000 seats capacity it is recognized for years to be the home of rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv. This decision follows a statement by the Club's Owner Shaul Eizenberg which stated "Hapoel" must move to a larger arena in order to repeat its past glory days. Also contributed to this decision were a somewhat strange change in policy of local police and municipal authorities. These declared the "Osishkin" arena to be unsafe and declared plans for demolishing it and building a boardwalk instead of the now Mythological arena.
This move is extremely opposed by the club's fans. After years of blaming the club's owner with its continuing deterioration, this move which is considered by most fans as treason of the club's legacy, caused them to announce they will not support the club in the new arena and under the current owners. The owner in return announced the club's fans to be "Hooligans who oppose progress" and announced the club will now try and seek new fans.
This unfortunate turn of events along with the notorious lack of competitiveness of the Israeli Basketball League, threatens the club's stability and its very existence.
Despite the fact that the team has managed to stay in the Israeli first league, it plays the new season (2006-2007) in the second league due to lack of funds.
[edit] Last year's roster
| 4 | |
Gerry Gandel | Power forward |
| 5 |  |
Marcus Hatten | Shooting guard |
| 6 | |
Roy Nitzan | Center |
| 7 | |
Doron Sheffer | Point guard |
| 8 | |
Eran Itzhak | Shooting guard |
| 9 | |
Jeron Roberts | Small forward |
| 10 | |
Gili Mosinzon | Small forward |
| 11 | |
Mushon Yaakusi | Power forward |
| 12 |  |
Igor Simin | Small forward |
| 13 | |
Erez Katz | Point guard |
| 14 |   |
Rodger Farrington | Power forward |
| 16 | |
Iftach Buchman | Small forward |
| 23 | |
Gal Eitan | Point guard |
| 33 |   |
Herve Lamizana | Center |
[edit] Israeli achievements
- National Championships
- 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1969
- State Cups
- 1962, 1969, 1984, 1993
[edit] European achievements
- Champions Cup
- Korac Cup
- FIBA EuropLeague
- 2004 3rd place
[edit] Noted players
The best player in "Hapoel"'s history is undoubtedly Barry Leibowitz. Coming from the ABA team of New Jersey, Leibowitz is considered one of the best players ever in European and Israeli basketball. The most admired player by the club's fans is Shimon Amslaem, who played for the club during its glory days of the 1980's and the ill-fated years of the 1990's. He was known for his fighting spirit as well as his love for the fans and the club.
- Shimon Amsalem
- Danny Bracha
- Gideon Bendel
- Radenko Dobrash
- Jonathan Delzel
- Gershon Dekel
- Hayim Zlotikman
- Hayim Hazan
- Pinchas Hozez
- Mark Thorenstein
- James Terry
- Boaz Yanai
- Mike Largey
- Doug Lee
- Barry Leibowitz
- Lavon Mercer
- Nanad Markovitz
- Ami Naui
- Terry Fair
- Amos Frishman
- Purvis Short
- Tomer Steinhour
- Shimon Shelach
- Ami Shelef
- David Thirdkill
[edit] Noted managers
- Yeoshua Rosin
- Ralf Klein
- Zvika Sherf
[edit] External links
- "Ultras Hapoel" supporters organization
- Hapoel Tel Aviv Safsal.co.il coverage
- Hapoel Tel Aviv Official web site
