Rafi Cohen (football manager)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Refael Cohen | ||
| Date of birth | March 2, 1965 | ||
| Place of birth | Jerusalem, Israel | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1976–1980 | Beitar Jerusalem | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1980–1982 | Hapoel Jerusalem | ||
| 1982–1985 | Beitar Jerusalem | ||
| 1984–1989 | Maccabi Petah Tikva | ||
| 1989–1994 | Hapoel Petah Tikva | 48 | (10) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2001–2002 | Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv | ||
| 2002–2004 | Hakoah Ramat Gan | ||
| 2004–2005 | Hapoel Ashkelon | ||
| 2005 | Hapoel Petah Tikva | ||
| 2006 | Hapoel Haifa | ||
| 2008 | Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv | ||
| 2008–2012 | Sektzia Nes Tziona | ||
| 2012–2013 | Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan | ||
| 2013 | Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon | ||
| 2016– | Israel (assistant manager) | ||
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
Rafi Cohen is an Israeli football manager and retired footballer.[1][2]
Career
Born in Jerusalem, Cohen joined Beitar Jerusalem at the age of 11. As a senior, Cohen moved to Hapoel Jerusalem, where he played until he returned to Beitar, in 1982. In 1984 Cohen moved to Petah Tikva, where he played for Maccabi and Hapoel until his retirement in 1994.
Following retirement from active football, Cohen stayed at Hapoel Petah Tikva as youth coach and assistant coach until 2000. In 2001 Cohen was appointed as head manager for Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv and led the team for 3rd place in Liga Artzit, just 3 points shy of promotion. The following season, Cohen was appointed as head manager of Hakoah Ramat Gan and led the club to promotion to second tier Liga Leumit. In 2004–05, Cohen once again won promotion from Liga Artzit, this time with Hapoel Ashkelon, while leading the club to the semi-finals of the State Cup and winning the 2004–05 Toto Cup Artzit.
Following his successes in third tier Liga Artzit, Cohen was appointed to coach Hapoel Petah Tikva in the Israeli Premier League, but was sacked after 8 matches.[3] In 2009, Cohen once again won promotion from Liga Artzit with Sektzia Nes Tziona, and kept managing the team until 2012.[4] At the beginning of the 2013–14 season, Cohen was appointed to coach Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon, but was sacked early after a few matches.[5]
Honours
As player
- Israel State Cup
- Liga Leumit (top division)
- Toto Cup Leumit
- Winner: 1989–90, 1990–91
- Maccabiah Football Tournament
- Bronze medal: 1981
As manager
- Liga Artzit (third tier)
- Toto Cup Artzit
- 2004–05 (with Hapoel Ashkelon)
References
- ↑ Cohen Refael IFA (Hebrew)
- ↑ Rafi Cohen – Manager Page walla.co.il (Hebrew)
- ↑ Rafi Cohen Hapoel Petah Tikva Museum (Hebrew)
- ↑ Rafi Cohen Sacked from Coaching Nes Tziona Din Elmes, 19 February 2012, One.co.il (Hebrew)
- ↑ "Rafi Cohen was sacked: Budgetary problems caused unrest" (in Hebrew). ONE. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.