Soccer personalities

Arguably the most popular spectator sport in the world if not the most popular participant-wise Soccer has had its share of influential personalities. One of my favorites is the taciturn Avram Grant (אברהם “אברם” גרנט‎) born Avraham Granat. Currently Avram is dedicated to keeping the English Premier League Club West Ham United in the top eschelon of professional football in England. He tried the same with his last team Portsmouth but they slipped down to the next lowest league the Championship. But he led them to Football Association Cup Final twice and won the prestigious pot once. Now he may take his latest team to the next Cup Final. His English managerial debut was with the Chelsea team; firstly appointed as Director of Football in July 2007 he then became manager of an enormously wealthy team in September 2007. He was then the first Israeli to manager an English team. Chelsea are backed by Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich who has been listed as the fourth richest person in Russia. But even though a close friend of Mr. Abramovich, Avram could not produce the kind of success Soccer billionaires demand and so less than a year after his appointment Avram was looking for a job. Now he seeks to enhance his credentials with West Ham.