a story in the telegraph by yakov ziv lifted from ma'ariv attempts to balance the continuing media attacks on avram grant and his personality and abilities. while i believe ma'ariv printed it in the context of yom ha-shoah, the telegraph seems to be offering it up as another perspective in the continual comparisons with jose 'the special one' mourinho:
"Avram Grant is a totally different person to the one portrayed in the media. To see him as the opposite to Jose Mourinho is a big mistake. He knows as much about football as his glamorous Portuguese counterpart but he also knows how to make allies of people. On the surface he looks dull, unimaginative, sour, grim - seemingly the most worried man on earth. But to see him back in Israel is to see a different man. He likes laughing, he likes good humour, he likes the good life. But don't underestimate his ambition. For an Israeli football manager to be leading Chelsea is like walking on the moon or finding a new planet. To understand his determination one has to understand his family's background. His 80-year-old father, Meir, is a Holocaust survivor and his whole life has been influenced by the horrific experiences his father suffered during the Nazi Holocaust."
either way, i am still in conflict about for whom i am rooting. while grant has already done more than his predecessor in europe, calls for his head do not stop ringing. it will be an interesting european cup final to watch! i'd better have a good supply of baby aspirin on standby in case my heart gets too excited.
