View source for Nir Klinger

{{Short description|Israeli footballer and manager}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Nir Klinger
| image = ניר קלינגר 1.jpg
| caption = Klinger in 2018
| full_name = 
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1966|05|25|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Haifa]],<ref>[https://www.mhaifafc.com/playerPage?h=1&PlayerId=1920 Player profile] in Maccabi Haifa's website</ref> Israel
| position    = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = 1977–1984
| youthclubs1 = [[Maccabi Haifa F.C.|Maccabi Haifa]]
| years1 = 1984–1990
| clubs1 = [[Maccabi Haifa F.C.|Maccabi Haifa]]
| caps1  = 136
| goals1 = 16
| years2 = 1990–1998
| clubs2 = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| caps2  = 220
| goals2 = 26
| nationalyears1 = 1987–1997
| nationalteam1 = [[Israel national football team|Israel]]
| nationalcaps1 = 83
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| manageryears1 = 1998–2000
| managerclubs1 = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 2000–2002
| managerclubs2 = [[Beitar Avraham Be'er Sheva F.C.|Beitar Be'er Sheva]]
| manageryears3 = 2002–2005
| managerclubs3 = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| manageryears4 = 2006–2007
| managerclubs4 = [[Enosis Neon Paralimni FC|Enosis Neon Paralimni]]
| manageryears5 = 2007–2008
| managerclubs5 = [[AEK Larnaca]]
| manageryears6 = 2008–2009
| managerclubs6 = [[AEP Paphos FC|AEP Paphos]]
| manageryears7 = 2009
| managerclubs7 = [[AEL Limassol]]
| manageryears8 = 2009–2010
| managerclubs8 = [[Nea Salamis Famagusta FC|Nea Salamina]]
| manageryears9 = 2010–2011
| managerclubs9 = [[Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C.|Hapoel Be'er Sheva]]
| manageryears10 = 2012
| managerclubs10 = [[Enosis Neon Paralimni FC|Enosis Neon Paralimni]]
| manageryears11 = 2012–2013
| managerclubs11 = [[Hapoel Haifa F.C.|Hapoel Haifa]]
| manageryears12 = 2013–2015
| managerclubs12 = [[FC Ashdod]]
| manageryears13 = 2015–2016
| managerclubs13 = [[Maccabi Sha'arayim F.C.|Maccabi Sha'arayim]] (general manager)
| manageryears14 = 2016
| managerclubs14 = [[Maccabi Sha'arayim F.C.|Maccabi Sha'arayim]]
| manageryears15 = 2016
| managerclubs15 = [[Hapoel Haifa F.C.|Hapoel Haifa]] (general manager)
| manageryears16 = 2017–2018
| managerclubs16 = [[Hapoel Haifa F.C.|Hapoel Haifa]]
| manageryears17 = 2018–2019
| managerclubs17 = [[Beitar Jerusalem F.C.|Beitar Jerusalem]]
| manageryears18 = 2019–2021
| managerclubs18 = [[Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C.|Hapoel Tel Aviv]]
| manageryears19 = 2021–2022
| managerclubs19 = [[Maccabi Petah Tikva F.C.|Maccabi Petah Tikva]]
| manageryears20 = 2022
| managerclubs20 = [[Hapoel Haifa F.C.|Hapoel Haifa]]
}}
'''Nir Klinger''' ({{langx|he|ניר קלינגר}}; born 25 May 1966) is an Israeli [[association football|football]] coach and former player.

During the 1990s, Klinger served as Captain for [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] and the [[Israel national football team]].

He was the coach of [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] for three seasons, before resigning under pressure on 5 December 2005. As coach of Maccabi, Klinger won the Israeli championship and an Israeli state cup.

== Playing career ==

=== Club ===
A product of the [[Maccabi Haifa F.C.|Maccabi Haifa]] youth team, he was a defensive player. He made his league debut for Maccabi on 3 November 1984 against [[Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan F.C.|Hakoah Ramat Gan]], when he came on as a substitute in the 80th minute.

He spent six seasons with Maccabi Haifa before moving to Maccabi Tel Aviv for eight seasons. He won two Israeli championships with Maccabi Haifa and three championships and another two [[Israel State Cup]] with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

He retired due to injury during the 1997–98 season.

=== International ===
Klinger made his debut for [[Israel national football team|Israel]] on 18 February 1987 in a 1–1 draw with [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]]. He scored his first goal against [[Wales national football team|Wales]] in a 3–3 draw on 8 February 1989. His last appearance was on 31 March 1997 in a 3–0 win over [[Luxembourg national football team|Luxembourg]].

In total, Klinger played 83 caps for the [[Israel national football team|Israel national team]] between 1987 and 1997, and captained the team from August 1992 until March 1997.

== Managerial career ==
In 1998 Klinger was appointed assistant to [[Avram Grant]] at Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 2000, he became manager of second division [[Beitar Avraham Be'er Sheva F.C.|Beitar Be'er Sheva]], leading them to third place (their highest ever position).

In 2002, he left the club to return to Maccabi as manager. In his first season Maccabi won the title. They finished runners-up the following year, and won the State Cup in 2004–05. On 5 December 2005 he resigned as manager.

Klinger led Maccabi Tel Aviv to the UEFA Champions League group stage in the 2004–05 season as a manager, as the team beat [[HJK Helsinki]] and [[PAOK Thessaloniki]] in the qualifying rounds. Maccabi played against former European champions: Juventus, Ajax Amsterdam and Bayern Munchen. Maccabi managed to get one victory over Ajax Amsterdam 2–1 and held Juventus into a draw, 1–1.

In 2006, he was appointed manager of Cypriot club [[Enosis Neon Paralimni FC|Enosis Neon Paralimni]], but resigned in September 2007. Soon afterward, he was appointed manager of [[AEK Larnaca]], but was fired in October 2008 after poor start of the season. He finished with Paralimni and Aek in the 4–5 place in the Cypriot premier league.

In the [[Cypriot First Division 2008–09|2008–09 season]] he was appointed manager of newly promoted [[AEP Paphos]] and under his management the team was able to avoid relegation.

On 24 May 2009, Klinger signed a three-year contract with [[AEL Limassol]].

While managing AEL Limassol, a crucial derby match against [[Anorthosis Famagusta FC|Anorthosis Famagusta]] fell on the [[Jew]]ish holiday, [[Yom Kippur]]. Klinger, who defines himself as a faithful Jew, advised the club's management of the importance of the holiday and that he would miss the match along with his assistant, [[Felix Naim]], who was also Jewish.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ya'akov |last=Ziv |script-title=he:בגלל יוה"כ: ניר קלינגר עשוי להחמיץ את הדרבי מול פמגוסטה |trans-title=Because of Yom Kippur: Nir Klinger Will Miss The Derby Against Famagusta |url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/3/ART1/946/086.html |newspaper=Ma'ariv |date=23 September 2009 |access-date=24 September 2009 |language=he }}</ref> The club tried to have the match moved to accommodate them.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michal |last=Grundland |script-title=he:קלינגר: לא אאמן ביום כיפור, יסתדרו כאן בלעדיי |trans-title=Klinger: I Will Not Coach On Yom Kippur, They Should Be Fine Without Me |url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/3/ART1/946/086.html |publisher=One.co.il |date=24 September 2009 |access-date=24 September 2009 |language=he }}</ref>

On 23 May 2012, Klinger was appointed the manager of [[Hapoel Haifa F.C.|Hapoel Haifa]].,<ref>{{cite news |title=Nir Klinger signed a one year contract with Hapoel Haifa |url=http://www.one.co.il/Article/200206.html |publisher=. ONE |date=23 May 2012 |access-date=23 May 2012 |language=he}}</ref> and brought the team to a ninth -place finish.

On 19 May 2013, Kilinger was appointed the manager of [[F.C. Ashdod]]. He was sacked following the 2014–15 season, after the team was relegated to the second-tier [[Liga Leumit]].

On 15 November 2015, Kilinger was appointed the general manager of [[Maccabi Sha'arayim F.C.|Maccabi Sha'arayim]], a club from [[Liga Alef]] (third tier), he signed a contract for three years.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michal |last=Grundland |script-title=he:ניר קלינגר מונה למנהל המקצועי של שעריים |trans-title=Klinger |url=http://doublepass.sport5.co.il/story.php?id=14253 |publisher=doublepass.co.il |access-date=15 November 2015 |language=he }}</ref> On 22 November 2016, he was appointed as the manager of the club while [[Salim Tuama]] got the job as his assistant.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.one.co.il/Article/16-17/1,2,32,0/281499.html?ref=hp|title = מחפוד עזב את שעריים, ניר קלינגר מאמן זמני}}</ref> On 6 December 2016, Klinger decided to leave Sha'arayim, and became the general manager of [[Hapoel Haifa F.C.|Hapoel Haifa]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.one.co.il/Article/282369.html|title = קלינגר התפטר משעריים, אופיר חיים קיבל פנייה}}</ref>

==Honours==

===As player===
* [[Israeli Premier League]]: 1984–85, 1988–89, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96
* [[Israel State Cup]]: 1993–94, 1995–96
* [[Toto Cup]]: 1992–93
* Member of the [[Israeli Football Hall of Fame]] (2009)
*[[Footballer of the Year - Israel|Israeli Footballer of the Year]] : 1989

===As manager===
* [[Israeli Premier League]]: 2002–03
* [[Israel State Cup]]: 2005, 2018
* [[Toto Cup]]: 2012–13
* [[Toto Cup|Toto Cup (Leumit)]]: 2016<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://football.org.il/TotoCup/Pages/TotoCupGameDetails.aspx?TOTO_CUP_GAME_ID=484219 |title=The Israel Football Association |access-date=8 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919074636/http://football.org.il/TotoCup/Pages/TotoCupGameDetails.aspx?TOTO_CUP_GAME_ID=484219 |archive-date=19 September 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== References==
{{Reflist|35em}}

{{Israeli Footballer of the Year}}
{{Navboxes|title=Nir Klinger managerial positions|list1= 
{{Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. managers}}
{{AEK Larnaca managers}}
{{AEL Limassol Managers}}
{{F.C. Ashdod managers}}
{{Beitar Jerusalem F.C. managers}}
{{Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Klinger, Nir}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Jewish Israeli sportspeople]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Israeli men's footballers]]
[[Category:Liga Leumit players]]
[[Category:Maccabi Haifa F.C. players]]
[[Category:Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. players]]
[[Category:Footballers from Haifa]]
[[Category:Israel men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Israeli football managers]]
[[Category:Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Enosis Neon Paralimni FC managers]]
[[Category:AEK Larnaca FC managers]]
[[Category:AEL Limassol managers]]
[[Category:Nea Salamis Famagusta FC managers]]
[[Category:Hapoel Haifa F.C. managers]]
[[Category:F.C. Ashdod managers]]
[[Category:AEP Paphos FC managers]]
[[Category:Beitar Tel Aviv F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Maccabi Petah Tikva F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Israeli expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Israeli Footballer of the Year recipients]]
[[Category:Israeli expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:20th-century Israeli sportsmen]]