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22-year-old Israel international defender/midfielder AVI COHEN drew a considerable amount of attention, and not just in Great Britain, when signed by contemporary continental powerhouse FC LIVERPOOL, the European Cup champions in 1977 and 1978, from FC Maccabi Tel Aviv for 200,000 English pounds in the summer of 1979. (Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
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It was a glorious time for English First Division football in Europe and, particularly, for the BOB PAISLEY-managed FC LIVERPOOL in the summer of 1979.
The Reds, the reigning domestic title holder, had lifted the coveted and prestigous European Cup of Champions for a second consecutive season in 1978 after carrying off the UEFA Cup in 1976. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forrest won the European Cup in 1979 and would defend their crown for the upcoming 1979-80 campaign. The Heysel disaster was still half a decade away and a few more European honors were yet to be had by the to-be-banished English football teams.
Liverpool had not had an overseas player on the books at Anfield in 35 years when the versatile 22-year-old Israel international AVI COHEN transferred to the English club in the summer of 1979. Israeli players were still a rarity on the European professional football scene at this point in time. And so it was a great honor, to have a contract with a club of such stature, when Cohen became the first Israeli ever to play in the English First Division.
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Cohen, of course, made only 24 appearances with the first team his two seasons with Liverpool. The Israeli international was preferred at the back by the Reds’ manager Paisley and competition for a place was stiff with the likes of World Cup defenders ALAN HANSEN of Scotland and England’s PHIL NEAL about. Cohen was always seen by Liverpool as a left fullback.
It is interesting to note that the man who basically kept Cohen on the bench at Anfield, left back ALAN KENNEDY, scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute to defeat Spanish giant Real Madrid 1-0 in the 1981 European Cup Final at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
Real Madrid had created a big sensation with the signing of England international striker LAURIE CUNNINGHAM (# 11) from First Division club West Bromwich Albion for a pricey 950,000 English pounds in the summer of 1979. Cunningham was only the second black player to ever wear the national team shirt of England and was the first British player ever signed by Los Blancos. “The Black Pearl” had an impressive first season but battled injury and subsequent controversy his second; the 25-year-old striker returned barely in time for the 1981 European Cup Final against Liverpool.
The other high-profile legionnaire in Real Madrid’s line-up was ULI STIELIKE of West Germany, winners of the 1980 European Championships. The match in Paris was not, in fact, the first time the 26-year-old midfielder had faced FC Liverpool in the Final of a European Cup. Four years earlier, Stielike had appeared with Borussia Moenchengladbach at the 1977 Final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
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(Bob Thomas/Getty Images) — In the summer of 1981, the squad of English side FC LIVERPOOL pose for the annual team photograph at Anfield with the League Cup (left) and European Cup (right) captured during 1980-81 campaign; not long after this photo was taken, Israel international defender AVI COHEN was sold by the Reds back to FC Maccabi Tel Aviv for 100,000 English pounds.
FC LIVERPOOL
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Back row — Avi COHEN, Steve OGRIZOVIC, Alan HANSEN, Bruce GROBBELAAR, Mark LAWRENSON, Ian RUSH.
Middle row — Asst Mgr Joe FAGAN, Kevin SHEEDY, Richard MONEY, David FAIRCLOUGH, Ray KENNEDY, David JOHNSON, Alan KENNEDY, Asst Mgr Ronnie MORAN.
Front row — Craig JOHNSTON, Graeme SOUNESS, Kenny DALGLISH, manager Bob PAISLEY, Phil THOMPSON, Terry MCDERMOTT, Sammy LEE.
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1981 European Cup Final
1-0 v Real Madrid (Spain)
LIVERPOOL : Clemence ; A. Kennedy, Thompson, Hansen, Neal ; R. Kennedy, Souness, McDermott, Lee ; Dalglish (Case 87′), Johnson
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A few players from the Paris European Cup championship team preceded Avi Cohen and had already left FC Liverpool when the above team photograph was shot in the summer of 1981.
England international goalkeeper RAY CLEMENCE (61 caps) had already been sold to Tottenham Hotspur for 300,000 English pounds.
Substitute midfielder JIMMY CASE had been swapped to Brighton & Hove Albion for MARK LAWRENSON in a deal worth 450,000 English pounds.
Reserve defender COLIN IRWIN had been shipped to Swansea City for 340,000 English pounds.
In the meantime, the famous Clown Prince, Zimbabwe international goalkeeper BRUCE GROBBELAAR had arrived at Anfield in March of 1981 from the Vancouver Whitecaps of the old North American Soccer League for a transfer fee of 250,000 English pounds.
And, Australian midfielder CRAIG JOHNSTON had been purchased by Liverpool from Middlesborough for 650,000 English pounds.
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