Otto Schlefenberg ( he, אוטו שלפנברג) (1917-1991) was an
Austrian-
Israeli footballer and manager. He is best known for his years at
Maccabi Haifa where he started his managerial career.
Playing career
Born in Austria, Schlefenberg played in
Hakoah Vienna before moving to
Mandatory Palestine, where he joined
Maccabi Haifa, for whom he made his debut in 4 May 1940, in a
Liga Bet match against
Maccabi Binyamina. In 1950, Schlefenberg withdrew from active play.
Coaching career
Schalfenberg re-arranged Maccabi Haifa's youth team, Maccabi Shlomo Haifa, and coached it for two years before being appointed as head coach for the club in 1952, a post he held for the next two years, promoting many of the youth team's players, such as
Jonny Hardy
Yonatan "Jonny" Hardy (June 2, 1934 - November 6, 2017) was a former Israeli footballer. He is best known for his years at Maccabi Haifa where he started his football career as well as his managerial career.
Childhood
Though born in Haifa, Hard ...
and
Avraham Menchel to the senior side.
After leaving Maccabi Haifa, Schlefenberg coached
Hapoel Tiberias,
Maccabi Hadera and
Maccabi Pardes Hanna. In 1962 Schlefenberg returned to Maccabi Haifa, as a replacement for coach
Alex Forbes
Alexander Rooney Forbes (21 January 1925 – 28 July 2014) was a Scottish football player and manager.
Playing career
Forbes was born in Dundee. As a teenager he worked in the dockyards and played junior football for Dundee North End. He sig ...
and led the club to winning its first major trophy, the
State Cup
The Israel State Cup ( he, גביע המדינה, ''Gvia HaMedina''), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in Football in Israel, Israeli football, run by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
The State Cup was first he ...
.
Schlefenberg resigned from coaching Maccabi Haifa in February 1963, and later coached
Hakoah Ramat Gan
Hakoah Maccabi Amidar Ramat Gan Football Club ( he, מועדון כדורגל הכח מכבי עמידר רמת גן) is an Israeli football club based in Ramat Gan. The club is currently in Liga Alef South division and plays at the Winter Stadiu ...
,
Hapoel Ashkelon,
Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Netanya F.C. ( he, מועדון כדורגל מכבי נתניה, ''Football Club Maccabi Netanya'') is an Israeli football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club was a founding member of the Israeli League in 1949. Afte ...
,
Hapoel MahaneYehuda,
Hapoel Sderot and
Hapoel Kiryat Malakhi.
The Wolf is Full and the Sheep is Whole
Ya'akov Brosh, Davar, 6 February 1972, Historical Jewish Press
Honours
Player
* Liga Bet (second tier):
** 1946–47
Coach
*Israel State Cup
The Israel State Cup ( he, גביע המדינה, ''Gvia HaMedina''), is a knockout cup competition in Israeli football, run by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
The State Cup was first held in 1928 as the People's Cup. Because it involve ...
:
** 1961–62
*Israel Super Cup
The Israel Super Cup, also known as the Champion of Champions ( he, אלוף האלופים, Aluf HaAlufim), is an Israeli association football club competition played as a single match between the winner of the latest Israeli top league champion ...
:
**1962
Events January
* January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand.
* January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism.
* January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wors ...
(shared)
* Liga Bet (third tier):
** 1963–64 (with Hapoel Ashkelon)
** 1966–68 (with Hapoel Sderot)
References
External links
*
Profile and biography of Otto Schlefenberg on Maccabi Haifa's official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schlefenberg, Otto
1991 deaths
Austrian Jews
20th-century Israeli Jews
Jewish footballers
Austrian footballers
Israeli footballers
Israeli people of Austrian-Jewish descent
SC Hakoah Wien footballers
Maccabi Haifa F.C. players
Maccabi Haifa F.C. managers
Hapoel Ashkelon F.C. managers
Hakoah Maccabi Ramat Gan F.C. managers
Maccabi Netanya F.C. managers
Hapoel Mahane Yehuda F.C. managers
Association football midfielders
1917 births
Austrian football managers
Austrian emigrants to Mandatory Palestine