Yohai Aharoni Explained

Yohai Aharoni
Birth Date:8 June 1943
Position:Right winger
Youthclubs1:Hapoel Petach Tikva
Youthclubs2:Hapoel Mahane Yehuda
Years1:196?–1968
Clubs1:Hapoel Mahane Yehuda
Years2:1969–1970
Clubs2:Hapoel Petach Tikva
Caps2:18
Years3:1970–1971
Clubs3:Beitar Tel Aviv
Nationalyears1:1964–1965
Nationalteam1:Israel national team
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:1
Managerclubs1:Hapoel Mahane Yehuda
Managerclubs2:Hapoel Jaljulia
Managerclubs3:Hapoel Aliyah Kfar Saba

Yohai Aharoni (יוחאי אהרוני; born 8 June 1943) is an Israeli former football player and coach who played as a right winger. He is best known for playing in Hapoel Mahane Yehuda and Hapoel Petach Tikva in Israel's prime league. On the Israel national team, Aharoni contributed to Israel's only Asia Cup victory.

Club career

On 30 September 1967, Aharoni scored the first goal in Hapoel Mahane Yehuda's 5–2 defeat of Hapoel Ramat Gan in Israel's first tier of that era, the Liga Leumit.[1] In January 1968, Hapoel Petach Tikva pressured Mahane Yehuda, through the Petah Tikva Worker's Council of Israel's largest trade union, to trade Aharoni against three specific players of their own.[2] Mahane Yehuda refused the offer and Aharoni went on quarantine so he could be released from his club.[3]

After the quarantine, in 1969–70, Aharoni had 18 caps for Hapoel Petach Tikva, 17 of which were in the opening squad.[3] His Hapoel Petach Tikva debut was on 18 October 1969, in a 0–0 draw against Hapoel Haifa.[3] In the summer of 1971, after a season at Beitar Tel Aviv, he quit his playing career due to an injury.[3]

International career

Aharoni earned five caps for the Israel national team, scoring one goal against India in the 1964 AFC Asian Cup.[4] His first cap was on 26 May 1964 against the Hong Kong national team, a game that Israel won 1–0.[5] His last cap was a friendly game against the Netherlands on 26 January 1965, ending in a 1–0 loss for Israel.[5]

Managerial career

After his active playing career, Yohai Aharoni was a manager for Hapoel Mahane Yehuda, Hapoel Jaljulia, and Hapoel Aliyah Kfar Saba.[3] He also coached in Rosh Haayin.

Legacy

In 2021 Aharoni was included in the Star Boulevard of Hapoel Mahane Yehuda, highlighting 12 footballers who starred for the club while it played in Israel's prime league.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 19 : יוחאי אהרוני עט על כדור ריבאונד של זנדר. 1:0. [19: Yohai pounced on Zander's rebound ball. 1:0]. כל משחקי הפועל רמת גן בליגה הראשונה. All of Hapoel Ramat Gan's games in the first tier. Hapoel Ramat Gan. 11 September 2022. 26 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161026071353/http://www.hapoel-ramatgan.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/all_games1.pdf. dead.
  2. News: הפועל פ״ת מציע למחנה יהודה: 3 שחקנים תמורת יוחאי אהרוני. Hapoel Petach Tikva. Hadshot Hasport. Hapoel PT offers Mahane Yehuda: 3 players for Yohai Aharoni. January 1968.
  3. Web site: יוחאי אהרוני. Hapoel Petach Tikva. Hapoel Petach Tikva Museum. Yohai Aharoni.
  4. Web site: Yohai Aharoni. EU Football.
  5. Web site: אהרוני יוחאי. Aharoni, Yohai. Israel Football Association.
  6. News: Walla!. הפועל מחנה יהודה הנציחה את כוכביה המיתולוגיים. Asher. Goldberg. 15 December 2021. הערב (רביעי) הקבוצה המשחקת בליגה ב' קיימה אירוע הנצחה ל-12 כוכביה הגדולים ביותר וחנכה את "שדרת כוכבי הפועל מחנה יהודה" בנוכחות ראש העיר פתח תקוה רמי גרינברג, נציג מרכז הפועל וההתאחדות לכדורגל, מיכאל וייסמן ויו"ר העמותה ד"ר אמנון מעבי. [...] 12 כוכבי העבר אשר נבחרו לשדרת הכוכבים הם: משה גמליאל, שלמה בן דוד, שלמה צ'ובי שרעבי, מאיר מיס כהן, ציון אהרוני, עוזיאל ביטרמן, צבי אופנהיים, אלקנה שמן, יוחאי אהרוני, בני רצון, יגאל רצאבי, זכריה רצאבי.. Hapoel Mahane Yehuda has immortalized its mythological stars.