Avi Nimni

Early years

Nimni was approximately seven years old when he joined Maccabi Tel Aviv's training facility in Kiryat Shalom. Nimni played for every Maccabi youth team and also featured for the Israeli national youth sides. At 17 he played his first game in the Liga Leumit and was a regular for Maccabi's first team at 18. Whilst at Maccabi Nimni experienced much success becoming one of their most important players during this period. In 1998, he inherited the Maccabi captaincy when the previous long-serving captain Nir Klinger retired due to injury. Klinger went on to become assistant coach at Maccabi.

Going abroad

Between 1996 and 2001, Maccabi suffered dark times on the field winning only the Toto Cup in 1999. This was due partly to the absence of Nimni who was transferred in 1997 to Atlético Madrid. However, Nimni's time at the club was blighted by injury, and he returned to Maccabi after just seven appearances. A year later Nimni was loaned out to Derby County. Although Nimni helped set up a goal on his debut against Arsenal and also scored away to Everton, in what subsequently proved to be a handful of appearances, Derby decided not to purchase Nimni outright. They instead signed fellow loanee Giorgi Kinkladze to ensure they had no more than three non-EU first-team players, and Nimni returned to Maccabi.

2000–2001

In 2000, the former Israel national coach, Shlomo Sharf, became Maccabi's coach. Sharf, well known for his temper, commented after the…

Scores and results list Israel's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nimni goal.

As player

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Israeli Premier League: 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2002–03 State Cup: 1993–94, 1995–96, 2000–01, 2001–02 Toto Cup: 1992–93, 1998–99

Individual

Israeli Premier League top scorer – 2000–01

As manager

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Toto Cup: 2008–09