Northern Ireland v Israel

Words Liam Blackburn

ISRAEL THE COACH The Israel national team appointed Austrian Andreas Herzog last month, a man they know all too well from his playing days.

the box. Herzog, his country’s captain that night, smashed the ball low into the net to break Israeli hearts and ensure Austria finished as the group’s runners-up instead. Eli Ohana, the chairman of the committee in charge of finding a new boss for Israel, explained they had been inspired by one of the Home Nations’ managers when selecting Herzog. “Herzog has little experience as a senior coach but Gareth Southgate did not have much experience either and look what he has accomplished,” Ohana said in The Jerusalem Post. » » Austria’s most capped player, Herzog scored 26 times in 103 internationals for his country. » » Played in two World Cups for Austria - in 1990 and 1998 - and scored a penalty against Italy in the tournament 20 years ago. » » Featured for Rapid Wien, Werder

He won league titles with Rapid Wien (Vienna) and Werder Bremen and spent the 1995-96 season playing for German giants Bayern Munich. Like Northern Ireland trio Pat Jennings, Aaron Hughes and Steven Davis, Herzog is also an international centurion having appeared in a record 103 games for Austria. He would end his playing career after a season with MLS club Los Angeles Galaxy in 2004, where he provided seven assists and scored five times, before he turned to coaching. Initially Austria’s caretaker coach, Herzog, who turns 50 this week, then worked as his country’s assistant and Under-21s boss prior to joining United States manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s coaching staff in 2011. Herzog was also in charge of the US Under-23s team when they tried, unsuccessfully, to qualify for the Olympics two years ago, but he had been without work until the Israel Football Association offered him a route back recently. He was already familiar to Israeli fans, though their memories are not fond ones as it was Herzog’s goal for Austria in 2001 that denied Israel a victory that might have seen them reach the 2002 World Cup. Israel were leading in the final qualifier and were just minutes from reaching a play-off to get to Asia when they conceded a free-kick just outside

Bremen, Bayern Munich and Los Angeles Galaxy across an 18-year playing career. » » Has held coaching posts in Austria and the United States but this job is Herzog’s first senior managerial role.

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