Avi Nimni

After the 28th fixture, Nimni gave an interview to a radio show claiming, "players told me that, if I played we would have had 15 points more".

On hearing this Klinger sent him to the stands dropping him from the squad.

During the 30th game of the season Dego broke his ankle with the fixture against Beitar Jerusalem looming.

At the time Maccabi were in first place.

They had exactly the same points as Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv but had a better goal difference of the three teams.

Beitar took the lead after 32 minutes and doubled their score just a minute later.

Beitar went into the half-time break 2–1 up after an own goal a minute before.

Maccabi were watching the Championship slip from their grasp.

However Nimni had other ideas and scored two goals leading Maccabi to a 3–2 win.

In the 32nd game, Maccabi played Bnei Yehuda and Nimni scored a hat-trick and Maccabi won 5–0.

After the match in an interview a reporter asked Klinger about Nimni, Klinger replied "do you want it in a phrase or a song; Avi Nimni is the king".

In the final game of the season Maccabi faced Hapoel Petah Tikva.

40,000 spectators saw Nimni score leading Maccabi to a 3–0 win.

Avi Nimni (אבי נמני; born 26 April 1972) is a former Israeli football player and Maccabi Tel Aviv's highest ever scorer.

He is regarded as one of Maccabi Tel Aviv's greatest players ever.

Between the years of 1996–2001, Maccabi suffered dark times on the field winning only the Toto Cup in 1998.

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.

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.

In 2000, the former Israel national coach, Shlomo Sharf, became Maccabi's coach.

Sharf, well known for his temper, commented after the second game of the season in Maccabi's 2–2 draw with Hapoel Haifa saying "did you even see Nimni? I'm sure he didn't play! If it wasn't for the fans I would have substituted him at half-time".

The next day Nimni spoke to Channel Five, replying "there is a normal way of saying things, not in a humiliating barbaric way".

Sharf wanted to sell Nimni, however the chairman Lonny Herzikowicz declined the request, and Sharf then resigned from his post.

At the beginning of the 2002 season, Nir Klinger was appointed Head Coach of Maccabi.

As a former Maccabi player he was well respected by the fans.

He was nicknamed "The Soul" for playing in any situation despite being injured on many occasions.

Until 2006, he served as the captain of the Israel national team.

His number 8 shirt has become so symbolic (despite him wearing the number sixteen as a youth, because Uri Malmilian wore the number 8) that Maccabi Tel Aviv has retired the number at the end of his active football career.

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.

Following Maccabi's 3–0 loss at home to Hapoel Be'er Sheva they went to play title holders Maccabi Haifa in the 14th fixture of the season.

Klinger shocked the nation by naming Nimni on the bench, and replaced him with Baruch Dego.

After an incredible game Maccabi emerged as 3–2 victors.

Nimni remained on the bench for the remainder of the season only to watch Dego pick up the player of the season accolade.