Eli Fuchs

{{short description|Israeli footballer and manager}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Eli Fuchs<br/>אלי פוקס | image = | fullname = Eliyahu Fuchs | birth_date = 1924 1 January | death_date = 1992 | height = {{convert|1.86|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}} | position = Midfielder | currentclub = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = | years2 = 1954–1955 | clubs1 = Maccabi Tel Aviv | clubs2 = Maccabi Haifa | caps1 = | caps2 = 48 | goals1 = | goals2 = 9 | nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = Israel | nationalcaps1 = 9 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | manageryears1 = 1954–1956 | manageryears2 = | manageryears3 = 1968–1969 | manageryears4 = 1977 | managerclubs1 = Maccabi Haifa | managerclubs2 = Maccabi Netanya | managerclubs3 = Olympiakos Nicosia | managerclubs4 = Maccabi Haifa | managerclubs5 = Port Elizabeth | managerclubs6 = AC Omonia }}

'''Eli Fuchs''' ({{langx|he|אלי פוקס}}; 1924–1992) was an Israeli international football player and manager of Maccabi Haifa. Aside from managing in Israel, he has managed clubs in South Africa and Cyprus. He died at 1992 as an Arkia employee.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strack-Zimmermann |first=Benjamin |title=Eli Fuchs (Player) |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/29625/Eli_Fuchs.html |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=www.national-football-teams.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Biography == Fuchs was discovered by coach Egon Pollak and began playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in 1941. His younger brother, Yona, also played for the team. As a player, Fuchs, who stood 1.86 meters tall, starred in the role of half back (midfielder), and was also the longtime captain of the team, winning five championships and four cups. Fuchs also made nine appearances for the Israel national football team between 1948 and 1954, some of them as team captain.

In 1954, he left Maccabi Tel Aviv following a dispute with the management and coach Jerry Beit haLevi, and began coaching, first as a player-coach at Maccabi Haifa,<ref>{{cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Asher |date=18 October 2003 |title=The final remembered for the conflict and the man who did not play in it, Eli Fuchs |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/misc/1.917903 |newspaper=Haaretz |language=he}}</ref> where he introduced an attacking and attractive style of play, with modern ideas for football tactics.

In 1959, an announcement was made about his appointment as coach of the Israel national team, but shortly before departure for a friendly match in Wrocław against Poland, the Israel Football Association decided instead to appoint the Hungarian-Jewish coach Gyula Mándi, while Fuchs refused to serve as his assistant.

After his time at Maccabi Haifa he coached several teams in Israel, including Hapoel Kiryat Haim,<ref>{{cite news |date=15 July 1962 |title=Eli Fuchs to coach Hapoel Tel Aviv |work=Davar |language=he}}</ref> Maccabi Petah Tikva,<ref>{{cite news |date=15 July 1962 |title=Eli Fuchs to coach Hapoel Tel Aviv |work=Davar |language=he}}</ref> Hapoel Tel Aviv,<ref>{{cite news |date=15 July 1962 |title=Eli Fuchs to coach Hapoel Tel Aviv |work=Davar |language=he}}</ref> Hapoel Jerusalem,<ref>{{cite news |date=26 July 1964 |title=Eli Fuchs to remain at Hapoel Jerusalem |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=15 February 1965 |title=Why Eli Fuchs resigned from Hapoel Jerusalem |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> Beitar Tel Aviv,<ref>{{cite news |last=Rosenblat |first=Israel |date=9 September 1965 |title=Eli Fuchs promises: Beitar will play real football this season |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> Hapoel Ashdod,<ref>{{cite news |date=30 January 1979 |title=Eli Fuchs trains Hapoel Ashdod |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> Hapoel Acre,<ref>{{cite news |date=18 June 1974 |title=Eli Fuchs to coach Be’er Sheva and Acre |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> Maccabi Netanya,<ref>{{cite news |date=18 April 1971 |title=Eli Fuchs to coach Netanya |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> Hapoel Kiryat Shmona (advisor),<ref>{{cite news |date=29 April 1976 |title=Eli Fuchs – advisor to Hapoel Kiryat Shmona |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> Hapoel Be’er Sheva,<ref>{{cite news |last=Binder |first=Uri |date=25 May 1975 |title=Be’er Sheva – a success story |work=Davar |language=he}}</ref> Maccabi Sha’arayim,<ref>{{cite news |last=Dayon |first=Roni |date=23 May 1983 |title=Doctors’ strike prevented surgery for Yossi Mizrahi |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv,<ref>{{cite news |date=29 April 1976 |title=Eli Fuchs – advisor to Hapoel Kiryat Shmona |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> Beitar Jerusalem,<ref>{{cite news |last=Basok |first=Mordechai |date=17 September 1978 |title=Eli Fuchs dismissed from Beitar Jerusalem |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> a second stint at Maccabi Haifa,<ref>{{cite news |last=Rosenblum |first=Mordechai |date=22 May 1977 |title=Maccabi Haifa players wept after relegation match in Yehud |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref> and more.

Fuchs also coached in Wits University Apollon{{cite news |date=29 March 1966 |title=Sabin will lecture at the Weizmann Institute |work=HaTzofe |language=he}} and Port Elizabeth in South Africa,{{cite news |last=Triwisch |first=Menachem |date=6 December 1967 |title=Greetings from the Israelis in South Africa |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}} as well as Olympiakos Nicosia and Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus, with relative success, winning a championship in South Africa and both a championship and runner-up in Cyprus. In 1960 his Omonia team lost the title by a single point following an appeal by Anorthosis Famagusta, which was awarded the championship instead.<ref>{{cite news |date=3 July 1960 |title=Discus stuck in referee’s leg prevented Israeli record |work=Al HaMishmar |language=he}}</ref> In addition, Fuchs reached a cup final in Cyprus with Olympiakos.<ref>{{cite news |last=Goren |first=Yehuda |date=2 June 1978 |title=The 13th match brought no luck |work=Ma’ariv |language=he}}</ref>

In the late 1980s, Fuchs also wrote sports columns for the newspaper ''Hadashot''. In 1992, Fuchs died at the age of 68 of cardiac arrest, while working as a maintenance employee at Arkia airlines, where he worked after retiring from football. He was buried at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eli Fuchs grave |url=https://www.gravez.co.il/%D7%A7%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/5501AAA8-1C6D-463D-860D-FA99AEE63E56 |website=Gravez}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fuchs, Eli}} Category:1924 births Category:1992 deaths Category:Israeli men's footballers Category:Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. players Category:Israel men's international footballers Category:Maccabi Haifa F.C. players Category:Israeli football managers Category:Maccabi Haifa F.C. managers Category:Maccabi Netanya F.C. managers Category:Hapoel Ashdod F.C. managers Category:AC Omonia managers Category:Olympiakos Nicosia managers Category:Expatriate football managers in Cyprus Category:Expatriate soccer managers in South Africa Category:Israeli expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus Category:Israeli expatriate sportspeople in South Africa Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Israeli expatriate football managers Category:20th-century Israeli sportsmen Category:Burials at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery