Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C.

Infobox Basketball club
color1 =Red
color2 =White
name =Hapoel Tel Aviv
nickname =
logo =
imagesize =
leagues =Liga Artzit
founded =1935
arena =Hadar Yosef Arena
(1,200 seats)
location =Tel Aviv
colors =Red and White
president = Shaul Eizenberg
coach = Shira HaElyon
championships =1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1969
website = http://www.hapoelta.org
h_pattern_b =
h_body =FF0000
h_shorts =FF0000
a_pattern_b =
a_body =FFFFFF
a_shorts =FFFFFF

Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. is an Israeli basketball club. The second most successful side in Israeli basketball, the club is currently in Liga Artzit, the third tier.

In 2007, former fans of the club established a new one, Hapoel Ussishkin, due to their unhappiness with the club's owners.

History

The club was founded in 1935, as part of the Tel Aviv branch of the "Hapoel" sports cooperative, the sports department of the Histadrut labour union.The 15 years following the foundation of the Israeli national league in 1954 are still considered as the golden age in the club's history. During which it has won most of its trophies and risen to become a dominant force in Israeli basketball. However, since then the club has failed to repeat its past success and was forced to watch as its bitter city rival Maccabi Tel aviv beat them constantly on the race to trophies and European glory.

In 1980 the club built the Ussishkin Arena in place of the open court that Hapoel used for home games since 1953, named after the adjacent street bearing the name of Menachem Ussishkin, a famous Histadrut leader. The uncomfortable conditions, along with the fact that Hapoel Tel Aviv's fans are considered amongst the most fanatic in Israeli sports, has contributed to the fact Ussishkin was known for an extremely hostile atmosphere for visiting teams.

In 1995 the Histadrut decided to suspend financial support of all its "Hapoel" sports teams, including Hapoel Tel Aviv. The club was sold to a group of private businessmen. Since 1998, it is under the ownership of Shaul Eizenberg, an Israeli businessman and former press officer of the Israel Football Association. Except for three years of financial support by Russian multi milioner Vladimir Gusinsky, the club has since consistently suffered from financial difficulties, mainly due to poor management. The result of this was an immediate deterioration in the club's status and stability, which led to relegation twice to the second league, in 1997 and 1999, and 2006. During this period the club also conceded its most humiliating defeat of all times by the hands of no less than local rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv by a staggering 54 points difference. This being part of a previously unthinkable streak of 9 defeats in one season to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

In 2006 Eizenberg decided to stop funding the team and thus the team started the season in the second decision.The situation wasn't improved in the coming season, in which the team, built almost entirely of youth players was relegated to the third division, wining only two games all season.

Local rivalries

For years "Hapoel" and "Maccabi" Tel Aviv were considered the top flight clubs of Israeli basketball. The Local derby matches between the two teams were always considered to be the most prestigious games in Israeli sports, and ones which led to a bitter and hateful atmosphere between fans of both clubs, often resulting in acts of mutual violence and Hooliganism.The tension between both clubs reached its peak in the 1980s. During this era they met for several times in the league's Play-off finals and state cup finals. Until this day, These matches are still regarded as the most exciting and attractive in Israeli basketball history.

During the years as Maccabi Tel Aviv strengthened its dominance in Israeli basketball and its status as the almost-eternal champions, "Hapoel" fans accused their rival's management of various wrongful doing, including offering bribes to referees, signing contracts with rival players during the regular season and playoff series, and receiving exaggerated funds from state television for broadcasting rights. With the decline of "Hapoel" in recent years the matches between both clubs became somewhat one-sided. This of course only led to the strengthening of hatred and repeated violent acts between the fans.

(2005/06) season

In a controversial decision, Hapoel Tel Aviv decided to hold its home matches at Yad Eliahu. With its current 11,000 seats capacity it is recognized for years to be the home of rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv. This decision follows a statement by the Club's Owner Shaul Eizenberg which stated "Hapoel" must move to a larger arena in order to repeat its past glory days. Also contributed to this decision were a somewhat strange change in policy of local police and municipal authorities. These declared the "Osishkin" arena to be unsafe and declared plans for demolishing it and building a boardwalk instead of the now Mythological arena.

This move is extremely opposed by the club's fans. After years of blaming the club's owner with its continuing deterioration, this move which is considered by most fans as treason of the club's legacy, caused them to announce they will not support the club in the new arena and under the current owners. The owner in return announced the club's fans to be "Hooligans who oppose progress" and announced the club will now try and seek new fans.

This unfortunate turn of events along with the notorious lack of competitiveness of the Israeli Basketball League, threatens the club's stability and its very existence.

Despite the fact that the team has managed to stay in the Israeli first league, it plays the new season (2006-2007) in the second league due to lack of funds.The lack of funds and managerial disorders, a completely new team based on youth players led to dismay and the team finished last in the second league and was relegated to the third division at the end of that season.

Honours

*National Championships
**Winners 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1969
*State Cup
**Winners 1962, 1969, 1984, 1993

Notable former players

The best player in "Hapoel"'s history is undoubtedly Barry Leibowitz. Coming from the ABA team of New Jersey Nets, Leibowitz is considered one of the best players ever in Israeli basketball. The most admired player by the club's fans is Shimon Amslaem, who played for the club during its glory days of the 1980s and the ill-fated years of the 1990s. He was known for his fighting spirit as well as his love for the fans and the club.

* Shimon Amsalem
* Danny Bracha
* Gideon Bendel
* Radenko Dobrash
* Jonathan Delzel
* Gershon Dekel
* Hayim Zlotikman
* Hayim Hazan
* Pinchas Hozez
* Mark Torenshine
* James Terry
* Boaz Yanai
* Mike Largey
* Doug Lee
* Barry Leibowitz
* Lavon Mercer
* Nenad Marković
* Ami Naui
* Terry Fair
* Amos Frishman
* Purvis Short
* Tomer Steinhour
* Shimon Shelach
* Ami Shelef
*David Thirdkill

Former managers

* Yeoshua Rosin
* Ralf Klein
* Zvika Sherf

External links

* [http://www.ultrashapoel.com/ "Ultras Hapoel" supporters organization]
* [http://www.safsal.co.il/eteam.aspx?id=10/ Hapoel Tel Aviv] Safsal.co.il coverage
* [http://www.hapoelta.org.il/ Hapoel Tel Aviv Official web site]