Grundman posing with 1973–74 State Cup |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ya'akov "Yankeleh" Grundman יעקב גרונדמן |
||
| Date of birth | 20 July 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Poland | ||
| Date of death | 24 May 2004 (aged 64) | ||
| Place of death | Israel | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| Bnei Yehuda | |||
| National team | |||
| 1961–1964 | Israel | 8 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | |||
| Hapoel Haifa | |||
| Maccabi Netanya | |||
| Bnei Yehuda | |||
| Hapoel Tel Aviv | |||
| Hapoel Beersheba | |||
| Shimshon Tel Aviv | |||
| 1988–1992 | Israel | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Ya'akov "Yankeleh" Grundman (Hebrew: יעקב "יענקל'ה" גרונדמן; 20 July 1939 – 24 May 2004) was a Polish-born Israeli professional football player and manager.[1]
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Grundman was born in Poland before the outbreak of World War II.[2] After the Nazi invasion of Poland, Grundman's family went into hiding.[2] They were taken in by a Polish farmer in Proszowice who let them stay in a two metre by two metre ditch.[2] Grundman spent three years hiding in the ditch. Many times going weeks at a time before getting something to eat.[2]
At the end of the war, Grundman's father returned to work in the flour business and owned a small bakery.[2] The Grundman's shared profits with the Polish farmer and before making aliyah to Israel, they gave him their business and two houses.[2] Upon arrival to Israel, the family settled in the Hatikva Quarter of Tel Aviv.[3]
Growing up in Hatikva Quarter, Grundman joined the local side, Bnei Yehuda.[3] Being the only Ashkenazi Jew in the squad, Grundman was nicknamed "The Pole."[3] Grundman was part of the squad as they achieved promotion for the first time to the Liga Leumit in 1959.[3]
After retiring as a player, Grundman began a career as a manager, winning the double with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 1977, as well the israeli league in 1980 with Maccabi Netanya and the State Cup with Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv in 1968, and with Hapoel Haifa in 1974. The peak of his managerial career was when ha, alongside Itzhak Schneor had jointly coached Israel between 1988 and 1992, and were one goal short of qualifying for the 1990 world cup.
Grundman spent years in the hospital fighting cancer. In 2004, IFA chairman, Itche Menahem presented him with the FIFA Order of Merit.[3] Grundman passed the next day.[3] Before the funeral, his coffin was brought to Ramat Gan Stadium so that the public could pay their respects.[3] On 27 March 2004, three days after Grundman's death, the Israeli national team held a moment of silence for Yankeleh before their friendly match against Georgia in Tbilisi.[4]
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