Eyal Berkovic
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Eyal Berkovic | ||
Date of birth | 2 April 1972 | ||
Place of birth | Regba, Israel | ||
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) |
Attacking midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1982–1988 | Maccabi Haifa | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1989–1996 | Maccabi Haifa | 128 | (25) |
1996– | → Southampton (loan) | 28 | (4) |
1996–1999 | West Ham United | 65 | (10) |
1999–2001 | Celtic | 32 | (9) |
2001-2003 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | (2) |
2003–2004 | Manchester City | 56 | (7) |
2004–2005 | Portsmouth (loan) | 22 | (2) |
2005–2006 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 25 | (2) |
Total | 367 | (61) | |
International career | |||
1990 | Israel U18 | 1 | (0) |
1991–1993 | Israel U21 | 11 | (1) |
1992–2004 | Israel | 78 | (9) |
Managerial career | |||
2014–2015 | Hapoel Tel Aviv (general manager) | ||
2020– | Hapoel Petah Tikva (general manager) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Eyal Berkovic (or Berkovich,
As a player he was an
Following retirement he was appointed as general manager of
Early life
Berkovic was born in
Club career
Maccabi Haifa
Berkovic started his career at
Southampton
For the 1996–97 season, Berkovic signed on a season-long loan for English club Southampton.[8] He proved to be a big influence, and was a major part of a 6–3 victory in 1996 over Manchester United, as he scored twice and got three assists.[9]
West Ham United
The next season, he was signed by manager
Striker John Hartson had a prolific 1997–98 season for West Ham[13] helped by Berkovic's assists.[14] In a training ground bust-up between the two,[10] Hartson kicked Berkovic in the head, after Berkovic had punched Hartson in the leg as he attempted to help Berkovic to his feet after a crunching tackle. The incident was captured on camera.[15] Berkovic said of the incident "if my head had been a ball, it would have been in the top corner of the net".[16] Hartson was fined £20,000 for the incident and suspended for three games.[16]
Celtic
Soon after the incident, he was signed for £5.75 million by
Manchester City
In July 2001, Berkovic joined Manchester City for a reported fee of £1.5 million.[21] He made his debut in August 2001, scoring one goal in a 3–0 home win against Watford.[22] In his second game for the team he suffered an injury which prompted the team to sign Ali Benarbia, an additional playmaker. When Berkovic returned, the City team began to play with both playmakers in a 3–5–2 formation with Kevin Horlock operating in the anchor midfield position. This was a successful formation, earning City promotion in emphatic style, with 99 points and a record 108 goals. In an FA Cup game against then-Premiership team Ipswich Town, Berkovic scored a volley goal set up by Benarbia from a corner and City beat the team in the league above them 4–1.
The following season when City were in the Premiership, Berkovic was instrumental in a 3–1 victory over local rivals
Portsmouth
A fallout with manager Keegan saw him move to Portsmouth for £500,000 in January 2004.[24] His first game for Pompey was against Manchester City, whom he helped beat 4–2. Berkovic soon established himself in the first team at Pompey where he was reunited with former West Ham United manager Redknapp, who described him as a "special footballer".[25] Berkovic became a vital part of Portsmouth's drive for FA Premier League survival, scoring his first goal against Tottenham Hotspur.[26]
However, despite scoring against Fulham in the league[27] and Leeds in the League Cup,[28] he failed to hold down a regular starting place in the team for the 2004–05 season, and in January 2005 left Portsmouth. He had been linked with a move to Crystal Palace but instead decided to return to the country of his birth. He wanted to return to Maccabi Haifa but was rejected, leading him to a decision to sign for rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Maccabi Tel Aviv
The return to Israel opened with promise as the 2005–06 season was the 100th anniversary for
Berkovic announced his retirement from professional football on 7 May 2006.
International career
Berkovic gained 78 caps and scored 9 goals for the senior Israel national team.[citation needed]
Media career
From 2007 until 2023, Berkovic hosted a popular sports radio program along with Ofira Asayag.[32]
In November 2017, the two began to present a weekly television show on Friday evenings, called Ofira and Berkovic, on Keshet Channel 12. The show achieved high ratings, but critics scolded the interviewers' vulgar style. Several interviews caused public controversy, such as with trans model Stav Strashko, or with rapper Dudu Faruk.[33] Berkovic quit the show in 2023. Shortly after, he signed a contract with Reshet13, which made him one of most highly paid TV personalities in Israel.[34]
Management career
In the summer of 2006 he was appointed as the general manager of
In May 2014 he was appointed as general manager of Hapoel Tel Aviv. In January 2015 he resigned following a break-down in his relationship with club owner, Haim Ramon.[36]
On 11 May 2015, Berkovic became the owner of Hapoel Rishon LeZion from Liga Leumit, he paid $385,000 for the ownership of the club.[37]
Overseas career statistics
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Southampton | 1996–97[38] | Premier League | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 35 | 6 | |
West Ham United | 1997–98[39] | Premier League | 35 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | 46 | 9 | |
1998–99[40] | Premier League | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | ||
Total | 65 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | 79 | 10 | |||
Celtic | 1999–2000[41] | Scottish Premier League | 28 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[a] | 1 | 33 | 10 |
2000–01[42] | Scottish Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[a] | 3 | 9 | 3 | |
Total | 32 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 42 | 13 | ||
Blackburn Rovers | 2000–01[42] | First Division | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 2 | |
Manchester City | 2001–02[43] | First Division | 25 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 31 | 7 | |
2002–03[44] | Premier League | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 29 | 2 | ||
2003–04[45] | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
Total | 56 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 67 | 9 | ||
Portsmouth | 2003–04[45] | Premier League | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | |
2004–05[46] | Premier League | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 13 | 2 | ||
Total | 22 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 28 | 3 | |||
England & Scotland total | 214 | 34 | 21 | 3 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 265 | 45 |
Honours
Maccabi Haifa
- Liga Leumit: 1990–91, 1993–94
- Israel State Cup: 1990–91, 1992–93, 1994–95
- Toto Cup: 1993–94
West Ham
Celtic
Blackburn Rovers
- 2000–01
Manchester City
Individual
- Israel Footballer of the Year: 1994
- PFA Team of the Year: 2001–02 First Division[47]
See also
References
- ^ "Eyal Berkovic". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Jeremy Last. 60 Sporting Heroes for 60 Years. Jerusalem Post.
- ^ Johnson, William (6 February 2001). "Souness hopes success can snare Berkovic". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
- ^ "ברקוביץ': אהיה מאמן נבחרת, אין רגש לחיפה". 2 April 2022.
- ISBN 9781455516117– via Google Books.
- ^ "Berkovic finds paradise lost on cup trail with Souness".
- ^ "Israel – Player of the Year". Rsssf.com. 21 January 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ [1] Archived 18 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Sinai, Allon (5 August 2006). "Berkovic announces retirement". jpost.com. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ^ a b "Berkovic, Eyal: Jews In Sports @ Virtual Museum". Jewsinsports.org. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ "Eyal Berkovic". whufc.com. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
- ^ "Eyal Berkovic". Westhamstats.info. 2 April 1972. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ "Premier League 1997–98". Westhamstats.info. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ "Eyal Berkovic 1997/98 statistics". Premier League. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Martin Thorpe (2 February 1999). "Hartson hit by ban and fine". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ a b Harris, Nick (2 February 1999). "Football: Hartson fined pounds 20,000 by FA – Sport". The Independent. London. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ Robertson, Rob (6 December 1999). "Hearts warn their fans about racial and religious abuse of opponents". heraldscotland.com. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- ^ "QPR 1–3 Blackburn". BBC. 7 April 2001. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
- ^ "Grimsby fail to halt Blackburn". BBC. 24 April 2001. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
- ^ Ronen-Abels, Ofer (8 February 2000). "Berkovic astonishes Celtic fans, admits Rangers are champions". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
- ^ "Berkovic ready to be Maine man". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 23 July 2001. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ^ Walker, Paul (11 August 2001). "Manchester City 3 Watford 0". sportinglife.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ^ "UK: City's Berkovic faces inquiry over fan gesture". Sports Illustrated. 4 October 2002. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
- ^ "Portsmouth 4-2 Man City". BBC Sport. 10 January 2004.
- ^ "Pompey sign Berkovic". BBC Sport. 8 January 2004. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- ^ "Tottenham 4–3 Portsmouth". BBC. 7 February 2004. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
- ^ "Portsmouth 4–3 Fulham". BBC. 30 August 2004. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
- ^ "Portsmouth 2–1 Leeds". BBC. 26 October 2004. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Tel-Aviv braced for big game on UEFA.COM". En.uefa.com. 16 September 2005. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ Goldberg, Asher (28 October 2010). "Soccer / Berkovic signs with Mac. TA – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News". Haaretz. Israel. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ Wistrich, Robert S. "Nir Klinger resigns from Mac Tel Aviv". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ "אופירה מרחיבה את הסינדיקציה: תכנית הספורט של רדיו ת"א תשודר גם בירושלים". Ice (in Hebrew). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- .
- ^ בוקר, רן (31 December 2023). "חוזה המיליונים של אייל ברקוביץ' ברשת: כ-200 אלף שקלים בחודש". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ Solomon, Sharon (27 July 2006). "Eyal Berkovic quits Maccabi Netanya". jpost.com. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ^ "Berkovic, Hapoel Tel Aviv split amid hail of insults". www.jpost.com. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ^ "אייל ברקוביץ' רוכש את הפועל ראשון לציון".
- ^ "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Eyal Berkovic in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "PFA teams send Hatters mad". The Guardian. 15 April 2002. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
External links
- Eyal Berkovic at Soccerbase
- "Berkovic signs with Maccabi (Tel-Aviv)" at Eurosport.com