Urban Tiberias is one of the most interesting stories this season.
Beyond the fact that it is the leader of the national league, the project built by Miki Bitan and Aryeh Clemenzon went a step further, and the northern team reached the round of 16 of the State Cup finals - where they will meet Beitar Jerusalem tonight (Tuesday, 20:00) at Teddy.
Few remember the mythical group Hapoel Tiberias, which disbanded in the 1990s.
But now the Galilee city is again in the headlines with good connotations, and it has quite a few players with a past in the Premier League - such as Ben Vahva, Eli Bililit, Vicky Kahlon and above all the striker Ofir Mizrahi.
About a month ago he celebrated his 29th birthday, and with his time at Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Haifa, Iruni KS and even the Swiss Lugano, Mizrahi is still excited and clarifies in an interview with "Israel Hayom": "Tiberias has something to give against Beitar Jerusalem as well."
Ofir, for many years there have not been so many headlines about football in Tiberias.
"Definitely many years. The eighth-final game in Teddy, and there is excitement in the city. Wherever we go around the city, people say to us, 'We believe in you,' and now we have to show that there is someone to believe in. Beitar is in excellent shape, but so are we."
We don't come to be used as a decoration, but to give everything we have, in the hope of winning."
Ofir Mizrahi.
Leading the citizens of Tiberias, photo: Maor Alxalsi
What happens during your two years in Tiberias? You chose to go to the first league. You went up a league with them, and maybe you will go up again.
"Tiberias is a supportive club like a warm home. Owners have arrived who invest and give everything they need. Mickey Bitten and Aryeh Clemson give everything they need here. Two years ago this club almost fell apart and was relegated to the B League, but they came, they rebuilt, and we try to make them happy as much as possible .
"Tiberias has fans. It's a little hard to see that because we play outside the city. I know that a new stadium is being built here, and when that happens there will be 6,000-5,000 fans here every game."
Can you be some kind of Cinderella?
"We don't feel Cinderella. That's not the term. Most of the players in the squad have already played for Teddy, been in these places and believe that it can be done. It's not going to be easy."
"Everything worked out for me"
One of the considerations of Ofir Mizrahi to move to Tiberias was his getting closer to religion and keeping the Sabbath.
"Already in the Premier League I started to get stronger," he explains, "all my life I was a traditionalist, and even in the Premier League I kept Saturdays as much as I could. I found myself at the beginning of last season at home, training alone, and the offers from the Premier League were not what I expected and appreciated.
"There was such a campaign to bring in loanees, young people, and not pay the players properly. With a pregnant wife and two children, I wanted something different, and happily Tiberias came with a respectable salary, keeping the Sabbath, and I saw that they wanted me to move up to the league. To get an incubator, a shell, to return to loving the game Everything worked out for me."
Tiberias fans.
"When there is a new stadium, there will be 5,000-6,000 here in every game", photo: Maor Alxalsi
But didn't you want to be in the Premier League for a few more years?
"I'm not disappointed, I'm in the exact right place for me. To tell you that I don't think I can contribute to every team in the Premier League? Unequivocally, to every team in Israel. The games here are on Friday, but we don't travel on Saturday. My wife and I go a lot together, we close hotels At our expense when necessary, and at the club they respect me."
What will you do if you get promoted?
"I don't really know. It's still a long way off, and in the national league anything can happen. I'm sure that Tiberias will respect me, and no one will stand in my way to keep the Sabbath anymore. Just as now I pay out of pocket for hotels, Air B&B, so it's possible in the Premier League as well. With the help God it will happen."
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