Berkovic, Eyal – The Celtic Wiki

Personal

Fullname: Eyal Berkovic
aka: The Little Princess
Height: 5.07ft
Weight: 10.06 st
Born: 2 April 1972
Birthplace: Haifa, Israel
Signed: 8 July 1999
Left: 21 July 2010
Position: Midfielder
Debut: […]
Internationals: Israel
International Caps: 82
International Goals: 14

Biog

“Berkovic was so intent on pulling out of a tackle that at Rangers we nicknamed him ‘The Grasshopper’.”
Andrei Kanchelskis

The controversial but undoubtedly talented Eyal Berkovic has the likely unwanted distinction of being one of the most disliked Celtic players ever by the Celtic fans ourselves, a point mirrored at certain of the other clubs he has played for as well.

He arrived at Celtic Park in the summer of 1999 in a £5.75 million move from West Ham United. The capture of the Israeli star was meant to signal an exciting new era for the Hoops under new management ‘Dream Team’ of coach John Barnes and Director of Football, Kenny Dalglish. In Israel he had the nickname of “The Magician“! The nicknames he was to gather away from Israel in Scotland (and England) were to be less polite and far more colourful.

Berkovic had impressed enough in highlights during his spell in England with Southampton and the Hammers to have most Celtic fans wetting their lips in anticipation of the season ahead. But despite showing fleeting glimpses of his talent the little midfielder failed to settle into a Celtic side which struggled badly in the league after the loss of talisman Henrik Larsson to an horrific leg break in Lyon on October 21. However much of that was down to lack of efforts on his part.

As 1999 drew to a close Berkovic strung together some excellent performances to inspire Celtic to an unbeaten run which gave the fans renewed hope for the new Millennium. That hope was soon dashed as Celtic and Berkovic emerged from the mid-winter shutdown looking decidedly off key. Rumours were rife that Berkovic was a troublemaker and that the Celtic dressing room was far from a happy place.

Just how unhappy was made painfully clear on Tuesday February 8th 2000 when a pathetic Celtic were humiliated in front of the Club’s fans at Celtic Park by First Division Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup third round. The 3-1 defeat to the Highlanders was the final straw for Celtic fans who had by this time witnessed one too many spineless displays from Berkovic and some of his equally lavishly paid team-mates. He was said to be in the thick of it, in what was to be a highly tense half-time barracking in the changing rooms.

While that match signalled the end for John Barnes, Berkovic would stick around a little while longer. He continued to tease the fans with moments of magic. His performance against Kilmarnock in the April of that season was simply scintillating as he ran the Ayrshire side ragged as Celtic recorded a 4-2 victory. Even then he spoiled matters by making unwarranted & undignified gestures to a Hoops support which with some justification had previously demanded more effort from their big money signing. Even post-match he refused to apologise which exacerbated matters, or as he ridiculously & unconvincingly put it:

“I believe my celebrations were misinterpreted but I can assure our fans that my actions were a way of expressing my excitement.”

Despite some brief cameos of genius, they could not disguise Berkovic’s generally infuriating lack of heart/effort and petulant behaviour, and when Martin O’Neill was appointed as Celtic manager in June 2000 everyone knew time would soon be up for the immature Berkovic. Didn’t exactly help when he started selling some sanctimonious stories to the press on his time at Celtic.

O’Neill used the Israeli sparingly and by the start of 2001 he was barely on the fringes of the Celtic first team. In February – a year after the Caley debacle – Berkovic headed to Blackburn on loan and most Celtic fans would have happily paid the taxi fare to take him to Lancashire. He eventually left for good in the summer of 2001, joining Manchester City for £1.75 million. By then he had made 38 appearances for the Hoops, scoring 8 goals.

There can be few Celtic players who had promised so much, only to deliver so little, and then for all to wish he was to be booted out.

Sad fact is that the above summary has had to concentrate on matters heavily away from the matches. Despite the negatives, there were some positives too. Some fine performances displayed the undoubted talent he had, and his two goals in the 4-2 defeat v Rangers showed that when he was up for it, he had the determination and dig to succeed. He had the chutzpah to dazzle, but also frustrate, which was to be as much a strength as a weakness. At Celtic, he had become too much for anyone to handle, and actually it was the same everywhere he went.

Post-Celtic
It wasn’t just at Celtic where he went on to become a persona non grata. At West Ham (prior to joining Celtic) he had been involved in an infamous spat with later Celtic playing great John Hartson, who booted Berkovic in the mouth.Some wish he’d hit him harder. Berkovic’s autobiography “Ha-Kosem” sparked controversy within the Israeli football scene because of the sharp one-sided and blunt/crude criticism of many of its figures. In 2006, he left a club he played for in Israel due to “poor professional relations” (says it all).

He once had a spat with his club manager at Man City (Kevin Keegan) which developed into a very public falling out (not too dissimilar to the situation at Celtic), and the following comment from him clearly shows his then odious mentality:

“I don’t see any reason why Kevin didn’t play me because I was the best player in training for six months and everyone knew that. Man City’s 45,000 supporters knew I had to play but Kevin was behaving like a big baby. I told him that and I think he deserves the sack.”

Berkovic’s appetite for confrontation continued even after football. He was found guilty of assaulting the coach of his son’s schoolboy team, after his son was substituted in a game in 2007. Berkovic had screamed at the referee: “I’ll screw you, I’ll see you are finished. I’ll come after you for the rest of your career.” You couldn’t make it up, could you? He unconvincingly explained his outburst by saying: “Etzioni [the coach] humiliated my son so I humiliated Etzioni!“.

If he had any intelligence or at least some common sense he’d probably have seen that there was one common denominator causing the problems in all this (i.e. himself), but some would argue that it likely just passed him by and he would remain unlikeable more than anything else.

However, after some time since leaving Celtic and retiring from football first team action, he actually has seemed to have more respect for Celtic than when he was here (let’s hope it’s the same for other clubs too). To fellow prospect Beram Kayal he gave a good report on the club which helped to foster his transfer to Celtic. So for that at least the Celtic support respect him (just hope he can sort himself out now as well).

Playing Career

Club	From	To	Fee	League		Scottish Cup		League cup		Other
Blackburn	06/02/2001	08/05/2001	Loan
Celtic	08/07/1999	21/07/2001	£ 5,750,000	29 (3)	9	1 (0)	0	0 (2)	0	4 (3)	4
West Ham	02/06/1997	08/07/1999	£1,750,000
			goals / game	0.15		0.14		0.19		0.44
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League Cup

1999-00

Quotes

“Celtic deserve to have this success as they are a really big club. They are one of the biggest clubs I played for in my career and I know there are many good people there. When I look to my time there it was difficult for the club in many ways with Rangers having success but it did not dilute my enjoyment. Any good news they get is good for me and I am so happy they are going to win the title.”
Eyal Berkovic (2012)

Somebody arranging to pick him up from training to go out for a meal. Martin O’Neill comes running out of Barrowfield after them
“Eyal Eyal come back. You’re playing tonight”
“What, has somebody died?”
“No, it’s a league cup game and I’m rotating and you’re playing”
“But I’ve arranged to go out. You’ll need to pay for the babysitter”
(Anecdote provided to TheCelticWiki from a member of the Glasgow Jewish community who is also a Celtic supporter)

“I LOVED the atmosphere of the Glasgow derby. Some footballers don’t enjoy the big occasion, they shy away from it. Eyal Berkovic, who Celtic bought from West Ham when John Barnes was managing the club, was someone who never seemed to fancy a Glasgow derby. Berkovic was so intent on pulling out of a tackle that at Rangers we nicknamed him ‘The Grasshopper’. He was a skilful player but in those kinds of games the crowds valued fight more than delicate displays of skill.”
Rangers player Andrei Kanchelskis https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/15490567.andrei-kanchelskis-rangers-players-called-celtics-eyal-berkovic-the-grasshopper-because-he-avoided-tackles/

Pictures

Player Pictures

Articles

Eyal Berkovic admits assaulting football coach who substituted his son in schoolboy match

By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 2:28 AM on 5th March 2009

Former West Ham and Manchester City midfielder Eyal Berkovic was found guilty yesterday in an Israeli court of assaulting the coach of his son’s schoolboy team.

The incident happened in November 2007 after a match in which Berkovic’s son Lior, then nine, was substituted early in the game by Maccabi Herzliya coach Danny Etzioni.

In front of dozens of other parents, former Israel star Berkovic, 36, screamed at Etzioni: ‘I’ll screw you, I’ll see you are finished. I’ll come after you for the rest of your career.’

Immediately after the incident Berkovic said: ‘Etzioni humiliated my son so I humiliated Etzioni.’

Berkovic, who also played for Southampton, Celtic, Blackburn, and Portsmouth until his retirement two years ago, was sentenced to serve 100 hours’ community work and ordered to pay Etzioni £400 compensation.

Eyal was doomed at Celtic the day he praised Gers; AGENT BLAMES FLOP ON BIG MOUTH.

Daily Record 2001

Byline: ANTHONY HAGGERTY EXCLUSIVE

EYAL BERKOVIC’S agent Pinhus Zahavi last night insisted the Israeli made the biggest mistake of his life when he praised Rangers just after signing for Celtic.

Celtic cut their losses and offloaded the misfit to Manchester City at the weekend in a cut-price pounds 1.5million deal – pounds 4.25m less than they paid for him in 1999.

The 29-year-old playmaker, signed from West Ham for a then Scottish record pounds 5.75m during the ill-fated reign of John Barnes and Kenny Dalglish, was reputed to be on pounds 100,000 per month

Zahavi claimed Celtic fans hated Berkovic because of his links with the last Celtic regime – and the Press fanned the flames before his client even kicked a ball.

But the agent insisted Berko had no regrets about joining Celtic. Zahavi said: “Eyal made the biggest mistake of his life when he praised Rangers after signing for Celtic. That soured his future with the club, especially with the fans.

“Eyal is not a politician and did not understand the delicate relationship of the Old Firm. What did he say that was so bad? Nothing.”All he said was Rangers were a very good team, which they were as they were the dominant force in Scotland.

“But Eyal has no regrets. It was a great move for him at the time but he became a victim of what happened to Barnes and Dalglish.

“He was a product of their era and suffered a lot because of it. Then Martin O’Neill came in and he was not accepted. He quickly realised there was no chance he would play regularly.

“And Eyal felt the fans were easily influenced by the Press and that’s one of the main reasons why they turned against him.”

The former Southampton star – who had been trying to leave the club for more than a year – earned a reputation for being a lazy whinger and a bad influence in the dressing room.

A move to Blackburn fell through at the end of last season. But the writing was on the wall when he had a public slagging match with O’Neill about his lack of first-team opportunities.

Berkovic was never a popular figure among the Parkhead faithful and many had never forgiven him for making a fisted gesture to the fans after scoring against Kilmarnock two season ago

He was booed by Celtic supporters in his final appearance for the club in a friendly against QPR at Loftus Road nine days ago.

But Zahavi said: “Eyal still feels Celtic are a fantastic club. He is desperately disappointed he did not make it as a Celtic player.

“He had a very bad time in Glasgow because of the supporters but he loved Celtic very much and talks very highly of them.”

Zahavi maintained Berkovic is delighted to be given the chance to resurrect his career at Maine Road under Kevin Keegan.

Berkovic will sign a four-year contract with the First Division side subject to a medical.

Zahavi said: “Eyal is delighted that his future is finally sorted out.

“He just loves to play football and all he ever wanted to do in Scotland was play for Celtic.”

Football: Berkovic may leave Celtic

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/football-berkovic-may-leave-celtic-28356673.html
July 05 2008 04:14 PM

CELTIC midfielder Eyal Berkovic has revealed that he plans to quit the club in the near future if he continues to be ignored by boss Martin O’Neill.

The Israeli, who criticised O’Neill’s style of football, hopes Blackburn manager Graeme Souness will come in for him after talk of a move earlier in the season.

And he claimed that a number of English Premiership sides were also interested in signing him.

The former Southampton and West Ham man was, at £5.75million, Scotland’s most expensive player until Chris Sutton’s arrival in the summer.

Berkovic scored and was man of the match for his country against Bosnia last week but was back on the bench on his return to Celtic Park, watching his team-mates beat St Mirren and then St Johnstone to extend their SPL lead.

He said: “Celtic do not play my type of game because Martin is looking for the long ball more than the short ball and a more physical game.

“But I think Martin is a very good manager and you can’t say anything about him because the team are playing very well.”

Berkovic insisted he was happy to continue to fight for a place in the team, but added that if the situation does not change by Christmas he will ask for a move.

He said: “It’s very difficult for me to be on the bench. Also, I have got my international career to think about.”

Berkovic would not name the other clubs he said were interested but made it clear he would not move to any team just to get first-team football.

Blackburn were linked with a move earlier in the season but although nothing materialised on that occasion, Berkovic is hoping he can link up once more with Souness, the man who signed him for Southampton.

He said: “I’ve got a good relationship with Graeme – he is a very good manager. We are very similar in our characters.”

Berkovic says his Celtic days are over

Celtic’s Israeli midfielder Eyal
Thu Jan 18 2001 – 00:00
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/berkovic-says-his-celtic-days-are-over-1.372088

Celtic’s Israeli midfielder Eyal

Berkovic says he has no future at the club and that he will probably never play for the Scottish side again.

Speaking on Israel’s Channel 5 sports channel on Wednesday, he told interviewer Danny Inbar: “There is no way back for me… my time is up at Celtic.”

But Berkovic said that he was in no hurry to leave the club: “I’m not going to give up my chance to make as much money as possible, because in four or five years when my career is over that (the money) is all that I will have left.

“I have a family… I’m not going to give anything up for them. If I have to suffer, then I will (in order to secure our future). I will not forfeit a single shekel at Celtic.

“I have a contract and it should be honoured.”
ADVERTISEMENT

Berkovic said he was open to offers from other clubs and that he had been approached by Turkish side Besiktas, but that his wife did not want to move from Scotland to Turkey.

I WAS JUST EXCITED; Sign storm Berko won’t say sorry.

2001, Daily Record

SHAMED Celt Eyal Berkovic refused to say sorry yesterday for making obscene gestures to Hoops fans during his side’s 4- 2 win over Killie on Sunday.

And, amazingly, the Israeli claimed he was only “expressing excitement” after he scored the third goal.

The Celt’s obscene antics were directed at fans in the Jock Stein Stand.

The pounds 5.75-million Scottish record signing would not apologise as he attempted to explain his way out the controversy through a press statement.

He said: “I very much appreciate the support I have received both from within the club and from the wider Celtic support.

“I would like to thank all the supporters for the applause they gave me when I scored on Sunday night.

“I do not feel the Celtic support have seen the best of me yet. I very much want to deliver for them on the park and I intend to do so.

“I believe my celebrations were misinterpreted but I can assure our fans that my actions were a way of expressing my excitement.

“I think that I have had better performances but we all played well and, personally, it was nice to be back. Every time I play for Celtic I give 100 per cent.”

Fans’ chief Peter Rafferty refused to accept that the 28-year-old’s actions were a bizarre form of celebration.

He said: “I can’t see any reason why he would have wanted to take that line of action after his goal.

“I find it very strange that he would be so indignant to his own supporters but it would appear that what he was doing wasn’t intended as a compliment.

“I don’t know what was going through his head.”