Rafi Cohen (footballer, born 1965)

Rafi Cohen (רפי כהן; born March 2, 1965) is an Israeli football manager and retired footballer,^[1][2] who currently serves as the assistant manager for the Israel national football team. He played in soccer for Hapoel Jerusalem, Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi Petah Tikva, Hapoel Petah Tikva, and the Israel national football team. He has formerly managed Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv, Hakoah Ramat Gan, Hapoel Ashkelon, Hapoel Petah Tikva, Hapoel Haifa, Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv, Sektzia Ness Ziona, Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan, Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon, and Maccabi Yavne. He won a bronze medal with Team Israel at the 1981 Maccabiah Games.

Rafi Cohen
רפי כהן

Personal information
Full name	Refael Cohen
Date of birth	(1965-03-02) March 2, 1965 (age 59)
Place of birth	Jerusalem, Israel
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1976–1980	Beitar Jerusalem
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1980–1982	Hapoel Jerusalem
1982–1985	Beitar Jerusalem
1984–1989	Maccabi Petah Tikva
1989–1994	Hapoel Petah Tikva	48	(10)
International career
1990	Israel	2	(0)
Managerial career
2001–2002	Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv
2002–2004	Hakoah Ramat Gan
2004–2005	Hapoel Ashkelon
2005	Hapoel Petah Tikva
2006	Hapoel Haifa
2008	Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv
2008–2012	Sektzia Ness Ziona
2012–2013	Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan
2013	Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon
2016–2017	Israel (assistant manager)
2019	Maccabi Yavne
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rafi Cohen

Medal record
Representing  Israel
Football
Maccabiah Games
	1981 Maccabiah	Football

Career

Born in Jerusalem, Cohen joined Beitar Jerusalem at the age of 11. As a senior, Cohen moved to Hapoel Jerusalem, where he played until he returned to Beitar, in 1982. In 1984 Cohen moved to Petah Tikva, where he played for Maccabi and Hapoel until his retirement in 1994.^[3]

Cohen was part of the Israeli team in the 1981 Maccabiah Games, winning a bronze medal, and made two appearances with the senior squad in 1990.^[4]

Following retirement from active football, Cohen stayed at Hapoel Petah Tikva as youth coach and assistant coach until 2000. In 2001 Cohen was appointed as head manager for Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv and led the team for 3rd place in Liga Artzit, just 3 points shy of promotion. The following season, Cohen was appointed as head manager of Hakoah Ramat Gan and led the club to promotion to second tier Liga Leumit. In 2004–05, Cohen once again won promotion from Liga Artzit, this time with Hapoel Ashkelon, while leading the club to the semi-finals of the State Cup and winning the 2004–05 Toto Cup Artzit.

Following his successes in third tier Liga Artzit, Cohen was appointed to coach Hapoel Petah Tikva in the Israeli Premier League, but was sacked after 8 matches.^[5] In 2009, Cohen once again won promotion from Liga Artzit with Sektzia Ness Ziona, and kept managing the team until 2012.^[6] At the beginning of the 2013–14 season, Cohen was appointed to coach Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon, but was sacked early after a few matches.^[7]

Honours

As player

• Israel State Cup
  • Winner: 1991–92
  • Runner-up: 1990–91
• Liga Leumit (top division)
  • Runner-up: 1989–90, 1990–91
• Toto Cup Leumit
  • Winner: 1989–90, 1990–91
• Maccabiah Football Tournament
  • Bronze medal: 1981

As manager

• Liga Artzit (third tier)
  • 2002–03 (with Hakoah Ramat Gan), 2004–05 (with Hapoel Ashkelon), 2008–09 (with Sektzia Ness Ziona)
• Toto Cup Artzit
  • 2004–05 (with Hapoel Ashkelon)

References

1. Cohen Refael IFA (in Hebrew)
2. Rafi Cohen – Manager Page walla.co.il (in Hebrew)
3. Within Two Years I'll Go on an Independent Route Hapoel Petah Tikva vs. Hapoel Jerusalem Programme, 18 December 1999 (in Hebrew)
4. Cohen Rafi IFA
5. Rafi Cohen Hapoel Petah Tikva Museum (in Hebrew)
6. Rafi Cohen Sacked from Coaching Ness Ziona Din Elmes, 19 February 2012, One.co.il (in Hebrew)
7. "Rafi Cohen was sacked: Budgetary problems caused unrest" (in Hebrew). ONE. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.