Rifaat Turk
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 September 1954 | ||
| Place of birth | Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1970–1972 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1984 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | ||
| 1983 | → Hapoel Ramat Gan (loan) | ||
| 1984–1986 | Hapoel Jerusalem | ||
| International career | |||
| 1976–1986 | Israel | 34 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1997 | Hapoel Tayibe | ||
| 2015– 2016 | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rifaat "Jimmy" Turk (Arabic: رفعت ترك; Hebrew: רפעת טורק, born 16 September 1954) is a retired Arab-Israeli footballer, manager, and a former Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv.[1] Turk was the first Arab to play for the Israel national team and to represent the country at the Olympic Games.
Biography[edit]
Football career[edit]
Born in Jaffa to Arab-Israeli parents, Turk was the son of a fisherman and dropped out of school during the eighth grade.[2] After being spotted by a scout in 1970 at the age of 16, he joined Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth team, and made his debut for the club in 1972.
The following year he made his debut for the Israel national team, and also became the first Arab to represent Israel at the Olympic games when he played in the football tournament of the 1976 Summer Olympics.[3] Turk was subjected to anti-Arab abuse during nearly every game he played.[4] In 1980, he was named Israel's player of the year.[2]
After leaving Hapoel Tel Aviv in 1984, Turk signed for Hapoel Jerusalem. He retired from playing in 1987,[2] and went on to manage several clubs, including Hapoel Tayibe, the first Arab club to play in the top division.
On 7 July 2015 replaced Nissan Yehezkel as Maccabi Ahi Nazareth's manager.[5] On 13 January 2016, he was fired from his job.
Honours[edit]
- Israeli Championships (1):
- 1980–81
Political career[edit]
Turk is a member of Meretz and was elected to the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality in 1998.[2] In 2003, he was elected the city's deputy mayor.[3]
Personal life[edit]
Turk's son Hanes is part of Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth system.
References[edit]
- ^ Gutman, Matthew (11 March 2003). "Rifat Turk named Tel Aviv's first Arab deputy mayor". Jerusalem Post.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d Rifat Turk: Scoring for Arab Israelis World Press Review, June 2003
- ^ a b 60 Sporting Heroes: No. 28 Rifat "Jimmy" Turk The Jerusalem Post, 7 April 2008
- ^ "England and Israel join for anti-racism football campaign". European Jewish Press. 7 March 2006. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
- ^ "Jimmy Turk signed to Ahi Nazareth". Double Pass. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
External links[edit]
- (in Hebrew) The Association for Sports, Culture and Education in Jaffa Archived 14 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
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- 1954 births
- Living people
- Israeli Muslims
- Israeli men's footballers
- Arab politicians in Israel
- Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. players
- Hapoel Jerusalem F.C. players
- Israel men's international footballers
- Olympic footballers for Israel
- Maccabi Akhi Nazareth F.C. managers
- Footballers at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- Arab-Israeli footballers
- Meretz politicians
- Footballers from Jaffa
- Deputy Mayors of Tel Aviv-Yafo
- Men's association football midfielders
- Israeli football managers
- Israeli people of Turkish descent
- Israeli Football Hall of Fame inductees