Miron Bleiberg

Miron Bleiberg (Hebrew: מירון בלייברג) is an Israeli-Australian football (soccer) manager.

Miron Bleiberg
Personal information
Full name Miron Bleiberg
Date of birth (1955-02-09) 9 February 1955
Place of birth Haifa, Israel
Youth career
Years Team
Maccabi Haifa
Managerial career
1982–1983 Hapoel HaTzair Kiryat Haim
1985–1986 Melbourne Knights
1987–1988 Maribyrnong Polonia
1988–1989 Croydon City
1989–1990 Heidelberg United
1991–1993 Brisbane United
1994–1995 North Star FC
1995–2000 Brisbane Lions
2000–2002 Queensland State Team
2002–2004 Queensland Lions
2004–2006 Queensland Roar
2007–2008 Gold Coast Stars
2009–2012 Gold Coast United
2013–2015 Oakleigh Cannons

Biography

Bleiberg was educated at the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa, Israel. A former captain in the Israeli Navy, Bleiberg commanded patrol boats and missile boats, covering the coastline from Haifa to Sinai and the Red Sea.[1][2] In Israel, he coached Hapoel HaTzair Kiryat Haim, which at the time played in Liga Bet, the fourth tier of Israeli football league system.[3] After moving to Australia, he coached Melbourne Croatia for the 1985 and 1986 NSL seasons.[4] The following year he coached Maribyrnong Polonia for the initial 12 rounds, until the club fell into financial difficulties.

The team eventually went on to win the 1987 Victorian State League title. This was followed by stints at Croydon City, Heidelberg United and the Brisbane Strikers, before going on to secure a string of successes in the Queensland Premier League with NorthStar and Queensland Lions.

Queensland Roar

Appointed the coach of the Queensland Roar for the inaugural season of the A-League, the Roar missed the finals, although the side's entertaining style of football won plaudits from the media and supporters. Bleiberg's outspoken views and colourful quotes in the style of Jose Mourinho has made many headlines.[5] After the Roar slipped from an auspicious start to the 2006/7 season to fourth position following Round 15, Bleiberg resigned as coach[6] and was replaced by former Socceroos coach Frank Farina.[7]

Gold Coast United FC

Bleiberg had backed a new A-League club Gold Coast Galaxy, to be based on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Ultimately, the Galaxy consortium led by real estate magnate Fred Taplin, was trumped by a rival bid from mining billionaire Clive Palmer. Upon receiving expansion approval from the FFA, Palmer appointed Bleiberg as head coach and football director for Gold Coast United.[8] In their first two seasons, Gold Coast made the finals, finishing an impressive 3rd in their debut season.[9] In what was a world's first for football, Bleiberg was miked-up during the game against Wellington Phoenix in round 15 on 15 January 2012, providing insight into a head coach on game day.[10]

During the week preceding the game with Melbourne Heart on 18 February 2012, Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer announced that he would be giving 17-year-old Mitch Cooper the Captaincy on his A-League debut, replacing suspended skipper Michael Thwaite.[11] In response to the announcement, Bleiberg claimed that the appointment was a merely ceremonial move, allowing him to take the coin toss, then allow Kristian Rees to take over the on-field captaining.[12]

However, Clive Palmer suspended Bleiberg for the game against Heart, unhappy with Bleibergs comments over the move.[13] The suspension was soon made indefinite, with Gold Coast CEO Clive Mensink claiming it was inappropriate for Bleiberg not to take the appointment seriously.[14] and that the comments made were disrespectful to Cooper and Palmer.[15] On Sunday, 19 February, Bleiberg walked out on the club, claiming that Palmer took away his dignity and had been deeply offended by the move to suspend him.[16]

Oakleigh Cannons FC

Bleiberg joined Victorian Premier League club Oakleigh Cannons FC five rounds into the 2013 season, after Oakleigh parted ways with former manager Bill Theodoropoulos.[17] In April 2015, Bleiberg departed the Cannons, being replaced by Arthur Papas.[18]

Managerial statistics
As of 19 December 2016.
Team Nat From To Record
GWDLWin %
Brisbane Roar Australia 2 March 2005 2007 34 11 11 12 032.35
Gold Coast United Australia 8 August 2009 19 February 2012 81 30 21 30 037.04
Total 115 41 32 42 035.65

Honours
  • NSL Cup
    • 1986 (Melbourne Croatia)
  • Victoria State League
    • 1987 (Maribyrnong Polonia)
  • Queensland Premier League and Grand Final
    • 1994 (North Star)
    • 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 (Brisbane/QLD Lions)

References
  1. Gold Coast Utd fresh air
  2. "'You cop a missile, you become dust. You go to Perth, you lose 3-0 and you get some bad articles ... whatever Bill Shankly says, it's peanuts.'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 31 December 2011.
  3. Football union in Haifa (Page 4) Hadshot HaSport, 1 July 1981, archive.football.co.il (in Hebrew)
  4. OzFootball Profile
  5. Lyn, Michael (1 October 2006). "Bleiberg, the coach who roars". The Age. Melbourne.
  6. Miron quits as coach
  7. Roar set to announce Farina as new coach
  8. Bleiberg set to rejoin A-League ranks Archived 18 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Gold Coast United FC". fi-ta. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  10. "Fox Sports to create football broadcasting history when Miron Bleiberg is 'miked-up' for A-League clash". Fox Sports. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  11. "Striker Mitch Cooper will captain Gold Coast United while making his A-League debut". Courier Mail. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  12. Rugari, Vince (15 February 2012). "Mitch To Be GCU Captain At Just 17..." FourFourTwo Australia. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  13. "Bleiberg suspended". Sky News. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  14. "Gold Coast suspend Miron Bleiberg". Football Federation Australia. 16 February 2011. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  15. "Gold Coast suspends Bleiberg indefinitely". ABC Grandstand. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  16. "Bleiberg Quits Gold Coast United". 19 February 2012. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  17. "Bleiberg signs with Oakleigh | MFootball". Archived from the original on 21 February 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  18. "Miron Bleiberg". heraldsun.com. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
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