Andreas Herzog does not extend his contract as Israeli team leader and pulls his tent in the Mediterranean country. The Israeli Football Association now stands for the European Championship 2020 playoffs on October 8, 2020 against Scotland without a head coach and has to search again.
Herzog looks back on a beautiful time in which, despite the lack of great success, football euphoria could be rekindled in Israel. Nevertheless, the uncertainty is too great for him. Too much of the previous build was destroyed by Corona.
Herzog played a total of 16 games with Israel, of which only 6 could be won. In the EM 2020 qualification, they only finished fifth. Israel thus missed the direct ticket to EURO 2021 across Europe. However, the UEFA Nations League 2018/19 still gives you the chance to jump on the EM train and qualify for the finals for the first time.
Euphoria built up & destroyed
Andreas Herzog brought a breath of fresh air to Israeli football and sparked new euphoria in one of the easternmost countries of the European Championship qualification. In the group phase, the start was strong, but also weakened considerably. The euphoria remained, however, and a win against Scotland in the European Championship playoffs and the subsequent final opponents would probably have led to joy leaps by the Israeli football fans.
However, the Corona pandemic shifted everything. Herzog’s contract was frozen after qualification. All games of the national team had to be postponed. Now the 51-year-old has decided not to renew his contract and thus ends his time with the Israeli Football Association.
Uncertainty as one of the main reasons
For Herzog, in addition to the diminishing euphoria, there was also a second reason that made it difficult for him to continue: The uncertainty over the next few weeks and months is too great. What’s next for football in Europe? What if a second wave of the corona pandemic upset everything again?
All dates, like those of the EM playoffs in autumn 2020, were discussed and set by the associations. It remains to be seen whether these dates will be met. For “Herzerl”, as Andreas Herzog is also called, this no longer has any effects. He looks in the direction of club football and wants to fulfill his dream of acting as team boss in the German Bundesliga.
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