This decade is considered Maccabi Tel Aviv’s “Golden Age”, in which they won five championships and four State Cups. The “Golden Age” actually began with the establishment of the State of Israel, with Maccabi Tel Aviv winning the league title in the 1949/50 season. The deciding match of the season was the second Tel Aviv derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv, which Maccabi won 1-0 thanks to a goal from striker Yossef (Yossele) Merimovich that sealed Maccabi Tel Aviv’s first post-independence championship title.

Watch Yosef Goldshtein discuss the 1950’s:

Merimovich was just one member of a squad of outstanding players that left Maccabi Tel Aviv unchallenged in their domination of the Israeli Premier League during the 1950s. That squad included the likes of defenders Itzik Shnior and Eli Fuchs, goalkeeper Avraham Bendori, Yosef Goldshtein, striker Tzvika Stodinski and of course the club’s legendary centre forward Yehoshua (Shaya) Glazer.

The 1951/52 season was Maccabi’s second league title after the establishment of the State, which they won by eight points ahead of Maccabi Petah Tikva, though they lost the State Cup final. That loss only inspired them to win an historic first double in the 1953/54 season, once again winning the league ahead of Maccabi Petah Tikva. That year’s Cup final provided them with the opportunity to put in one of their most devastating performances, crushing their opponents Maccabi Netanya 4-0 with a brace from Glazer and individual goals from Stodinski and midfielder Israel Halivner.

The league was composed of 22 Matchdays with each win earning the club 2 points instead of today where 3 points awarded for a victory. Of the 44 points available Maccabi collected 38 with a record of 16 wins and 6 draws as Jerry Beit HaLevi’s squad went undefeated. The Yellow & Blue game is only 11 goals (the least in the league) and scored 59 goals (the most in the league) while Maccabi Petah Tikva came in 2nd place with 32 points.

At the end of the season, Maccabi played Italian side Lazio in a pair of friendlies in Israel as they fell 3:1 in the first contest and 1:0 in the second. The following campaign Maccabi played a friendly against Lazio in Rome where the match ended in a goalless draw.

Jordi Cruyff, the Yellow & Blue Head Coach addressed the media ahead of his club’s Championship Playoff match at Maccabi Netanya in Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al action on Tuesday night at 19:30 at the Netanya Stadium:

“The week has been a good and calm week. Stability has been positive and like always, tomorrow is an important game and every game is like kind of a final. We have to think about ourselves and go game by game.”

Fighting as an organization for the title:
“It’s about the fans, the club and we are professionals who will fight for the title. We don’t win titles for people but for the organization, for everyone involved. We will focus on the 90 minutes and be stable for the full game. We have to just try and win games.”

Reaction of the team after the coaching announcement:
“We looked at how the team reacted and they have been training well, competing for positions and I’m pleased as to how the week has been.”

About Maccabi Netanya:
“They have talented players who play positive and fresh football and we have to be very alert because with one action they can cause issues. They play good football and are one of the positive points of the Israeli league. They play the same home and away and it’s a plus point for the league as they play to win.”

Maccabi’s issues over the past season:
“We suffer ourselves when we can’t kill off the game and we show irregularities during the game like against Hapoel Haifa where we had a good first half but not a good second half. A team will have a half chance and then take the 3 points.”

About Netanya’s attackers Eran Levy and Dia Saba:
“I think that they are the attackers that make the defining point but without the other 9 players they wouldn’t be able to reach that point. They build up from behind and have a lot of talent. In the end it’s about the whole team.”

Bnei Yehuda and Netanya battling every game:
“They will play 100% every game and everybody fights for their own team and to win games. There is a lot of motivation to be the champions as well as the 2-4 positions. I expect everyone to play their best the rest of the season.”

Eli Dasa, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s right defender spoke about a myriad of topics including his injury, his connection with Vidar Kjartansson, the desire to win the title and his contribution to Maccabi:

“Every player wants to be in a place where they say that you can make a difference. It’s always great to hear compliments but it’s also important that if you want to reach the highest levels you need to do your best. You also have to take into account matches like when we played in Ashdod and I didn’t perform the way I wanted to, it was disappointing. On one hand as a defender I did a good job because we kept a clean sheet but on the other I didn’t have a great game on the attack. You have to understand that there are expectations and that you have to meet them week in and week out. It’s a challenge.”

Returning from injury:
“I’m naturally a strong person and one that will always fight and battle even when I’m under pressure or when I think I’ll lose hope. But actually the exact opposite occurs. I get stronger just as when I came back form my injury. I came back much stronger and I’ll be even more helpful to the team. It was difficult for me as the club was going through a tough time and it was painful as we weren’t fighting for the title yet. We had some poor matches and we were disconnected from the fans.

I hoped that the team would get back on track before I returned, so I made a goal for myself that when I did return I would do everything to help the club get back to the top. There was talk that I’d have to have surgery and that was something that was never even an option. There were other rumors that I was going to retire and I just had to laugh at those. It was just a case that I needed time to heal. Since we are at a club that knows how to keep information confidential and when there is no news that’s when the rumors usually begin.”

Playing well together with Vidar Kjartansson:
“We connected well last season as I assisted on one of his braces and they began a Facebook page in Iceland called “King Dasa”. I know that when I go into the attacking zone I can send the ball into the box and I know that he will be there. He trusts me and he knows that when I have the ball he can make his move and go to a place where I’ll deliver the ball. It’s a huge plus for me that he can score as it helps my stats. He’s an amazing striker and I don’t think that I’ve ever had such a connection with another player before. VIDASA.”

Fighting for the title:
“We’re all hungry to bring the league title back to Maccabi from the physiotherapists, doctors, staff, players and the media team, we all want it especially after the past two seasons. We came back from the dead this campaign and we feel the support from the fans and the club. We want to bring back the championship.”

Despite the two week break, Maccabi FIRST members voted Eli Dasa as the HISENSE March Player of the Month.

Avi Rikan came in second while Dor Peretz was third in the voting.

Did you vote for Dasa?
Today, Sunday April 1st at 17:00 you’ll receive an SMS with a trivia question. Whoever answers correctly first wins the 32″ TV from HISENSE. Don’t miss out.

April 3: Maccabi Netanya – Maccabi Tel Aviv (19:30 Netanya Stadium)
After the international and Passover break, Maccabi gets back to Israel Premier League action when they visit the Diamond City side for a Championship Playoff clash. The Yellow & Blue will look to get back on the winning track and cut the lead at the top of the table. You don’t have tickets yet? Click here to buy yours.
Also on the site – Blast from the Past: When Maccabi scored 5 goals in a half
April 9: Maccabi Tel Aviv – Hapoel Beer Sheva (21:00 Netanya Stadium)
Matchday 3 of the Championship Playoffs will see the Yellow & Blue host their southern rivals in an important title race match. Maccabi defeated Beer Sheva the last two times that they played at the Netanya Stadium (Toto Cup and League) while the Reds won their Turner Stadium contest during the first round of matches.

April 16: Beitar Jerusalem – Maccabi Tel Aviv (21:00 Teddy Stadium)
The club’s calendar continues with another high profile match just a week after facing Beer Sheva. The last time Maccabi visited Teddy Stadium they took home a 2:1 victory.

April 19: Yon Haatzmaut
The State of Israel celebrates its 70th Birthday and Maccabi is also getting into the festive mood. Over the next month the Official Website and App will look back at the club’s history over the past 70 years and it will be worth the wait.

April 21: (Date and Time be confirmed) Maccabi Tel Aviv – Bnei Yehuda (Netanya Stadium)
The first round of the Championship Playoffs will end with the Yellow & Blue hosting the Little Derby against Yossi Abuksis and his side. The last time they met the match ended in a goalless draw.

April 28: (Date and Time be confirmed) Hapoel Haifa – Maccabi Tel Aviv (Sammy Ofer Stadium)
The month will end with a return date against the Haifa Reds. The match will mark the first game of the second round of the Playoffs.

And that’s not all!
April 1-5 – GAMERZ Festival at the convention center
Are you ready for an amazing Gaming Festival? We’re definitely ready to go as you’ll be able to check out the Maccabi merchandise stand at the festival. Two of the players will also pay a visit during the week, so make sure you keep checking the club’s Official social networks to see which stars will be stopping by!

Spring is here and so are some brand new T-shirts
Maccabi’s Spring Collection has arrived at the Official Stores and there are some fantastic new styles for the Yellow & Blue fans. To make the season even sweeter we’ve begun with a great sale – Buy 2 Shirts for only 119 NIS! You can pick them up at the Official Stores at Cinema City Rishon Le’Zion, Kiryat Shalom and via the Online Shop.