Players - Avi Cohen

Avi Cohen
Birthdate: 14 November 1956
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
Date of death: 28 December 2010
Nationality: Israel
Other clubs: Maccabi Tel Aviv (1975-79), Maccabi Tel Aviv (2 / 1981-87), Rangers (1987-88), Maccabi Tel Aviv (3 / 1988-90), Maccabi Netanya (1990)
Signed from: Maccabi Tel Aviv
Signed for LFC: £200,000, 13.07.1979
International debut: 22.09.1976 vs. Greece
International caps: Israel 51/3 - 17.02.1988
Liverpool debut: 15.09.1979
Last appearance: 21.02.1981
Debut goal: 03.05.1980
Last goal: 03.05.1980
Contract expiry: October 1981
Win ratio: 41.67% W:10 D:9 L:5
League games / goals / assists: 18 / 1 / 1
Total games / goals / assists: 24 / 1 / 1

Player Profile

Abraham "Avi" Cohen was the first foreign player to represent Liverpool since South African Doug Rudham arrived 24 years earlier. His transfer successfully concluded six months of Liverpool interest in the player. They had received glowing reports about the defender and in February 1979 he spent a week training with the club under the watchful eye of manager Bob Paisley. He joined Liverpool in the summer and due to Ray Kennedy's absence, he was given an early debut at Leeds on 15 September 1979 on the left side of midfield. Cohen didn't feature again until the end of the season as the champions had a fairly settled side who went on to clinch its second consecutive championship against Aston Villa. It was a day of mixed fortunes for the Israeli left-back. After David Johnson had given the Reds an early lead, Cohen had the misfortune to slice an attempted clearance over Ray Clemence's head into his own goal. But five minutes after the interval, he made up for his error by driving a low shot into the Kop goal to give Liverpool a lead they didn't surrender.

Cohen played in 14 League matches the following season when Alan Kennedy was out injured and rarely on merit. He stirred up controversy when he decided to play against Southampton on 20 September 1980 that fell on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Cohen was lambasted by the Israeli media. Cohen didn't feature from February onwards as Liverpool went on to win their third European Cup and returned to Israel in November. He moved back to Britain in May 1987 playing one season for his old teammate, Graeme Souness, at Rangers. Cohen managed several teams in Israel from 1990-2001 and the former Israeli captain was the chairman of the Israel Professional Footballers Association for over five years. Avi tragically died only 54 years of age on 29 December 2010 following a motorcycle accident in Israel. Kenny Dalglish remembered his old colleague: "Avi was a lovely man who will be remembered fondly by everyone at Liverpool who knew him. He quickly integrated himself into the football club when he joined us and spent a lot of time learning English which really made him popular. He was well liked by all the lads and although he didn't spend a long time at the club, he certainly left his mark and no-one will forget how he helped us win the League against Aston Villa."
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 18 2 1 3 0 24
1979-1980 4 1 0 0 0 5
1980-1981 14 1 1 3 0 19
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
2 180 Aston Villa
2 180 Everton
2 180 Middlesbrough
2 180 Brighton & Hove Albion
2 180 Oulun Palloseura
1 90 Crystal Palace
1 90 Swindon Town
1 90 Wolves
1 90 Leicester City
1 90 WBA
1 90 Arsenal
1 90 Ipswich Town
1 90 Leeds United
1 90 Southampton
1 90 Manchester City
1 90 Nottingham Forest
1 65 Birmingham City
1 54 Aberdeen
1 44 Stoke City
Total Started/substitutions
21 Started
9 On the bench
3 Substitute
0 Substituted
Total Venue
12 Away
11 Home
1 Neutral
Total Competition
18 League
3 European Cup
2 FA Cup
1 League Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
24 10 9 5 41.7% Bob Paisley
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 1 0 0 0 0 1
1979-1980 1 0 0 0 0 1
1980-1981 0 0 0 0 0 0
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Opponent
1 Aston Villa
Total Started/substitutions
1 Started
0 Substitute
Total Competition
1 League
Total Goal minute period
1 46-60 minutes
Total Goal origin
1 Open play
Assists per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 1 0 0 0 0 1
1979-1980 0 0 0 0 0 0
1980-1981 1 0 0 0 0 1
A more detailed look at the player's assists
Total Opponent
1 Manchester City
Total Competition
1 League
Total For player
1 Kenny Dalglish
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 15.09.1979 Leeds United Elland Road League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 50 03.05.1980 Aston Villa Anfield League
Related Articles
Dear Yossi

Former Liverpool defender Avi Cohen - the first Israeli to play for Liverpool - has penned a letter to fellow countryman Yossi Benayoun following his transfer to Anfield.

Reds spread net across Europe

An article from the Liverpool Echo on 3 February 1979.

Avi beats the freeze and impresses Bob

An article from the Liverpool Echo on 17 February 1979.

Related Quotes

"When Avi came in for training, he found that his peg was next to Kenny Dalglish‘s. Avi repeatedly said to Kenny, ‘Me, you, same.’ Kenny replied in his broad Glaswegian, ‘What do you mean by that?’ 'You learn English like me, Ken'..."

Avi Cohen felt Kenny Dalglish was just as incompetent in English as himself

Scrapbook
Avi Cohen on his way for a trial in February - from 22 January 1979
Avi Cohen on his way for a trial in February - from 22 January 1979
Avi suits Anfield Style - 22 February 1979
Avi suits Anfield Style - 22 February 1979
Avi's working visit in 1996
Avi's working visit in 1996
Cohen impresses the Reds - 17-24 February 1979
Cohen impresses the Reds - 17-24 February 1979
Cohen joins
Cohen joins
Diplomat Paisley - 22 May 1984
Diplomat Paisley - 22 May 1984
Focus on Avi Cohen
Focus on Avi Cohen
Reds focus from 27 January 1979
Reds focus from 27 January 1979
We'll go anywhere for the player we want, says Bob Paisley in the Echo on 3 February 1978
We'll go anywhere for the player we want, says Bob Paisley in the Echo on 3 February 1978
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Maccabi Tel Aviv 1974-1975 Israel 1 134 10 134 10
Maccabi Tel Aviv 1981-1987 Israel 1 158 4 158 4
Rangers 1987-1988 Scotland 1 7 0 12 0
Maccabi Tel Aviv 1988-1990 Israel 1 31 1 31 1
Maccabi Netanya 1990 Israel 1 3 0 3 0
Total 333 15 338 15