Reuven Atar (Hebrew: ראובן עטר; born 3 January 1969) is an Israeli football manager and former player. As a player, he played as a midfielder, most notably with Maccabi Haifa. As a manager, he's mostly known for having five spells with Maccabi Netanya.
Early life
Atar was born in Tirat Carmel, Israel, to Sephardic Jewish immigrant parents from Iraq. During his adolescence, he played football for the Maccabi Haifa youth club. For many, he is one of the greatest players to ever wear the Haifa colors.
Playing career
After playing eight seasons for Maccabi Haifa and winning three titles for the club (the Toto Cup, and the Israel State Cup twice – one of which as both a Cup and a championship title at the same year), he joined the local rival team – Hapoel Haifa for four seasons, before being signed off to Beitar Jerusalem. At Beitar he played only one match before being injured, which rendered him unable to play during the rest of the season.
In the next season, Atar moved to Hapoel Petah Tikva for a single season, before moving back to Hapoel Haifa and a few months later back to Beitar Jerusalem, where he became one of the most popular players. In 2000, he returned to Maccabi Haifa, winning two championships. Atar left Haifa for Maccabi Netanya before the 2002–03 season, the last team in his professional career as a player.
Coaching career
During the season at Maccabi Netanya, Atar was injured and decided to retire from his career as a player. He quickly signed as assistant coach at Maccabi Netanya, first alongside Gili Landau and later on Eli Cohen. At the end of the 2003–04 season, Cohen left the club, and Atar was chosen as the club's head-coach. Even though Netanya was relegated at the end of that season to the second league in Israel, Liga Leumit, Atar remained in his position and helped the club return to the Premier League after one season. In 2006, Atar was sent home by Netanya's new manager, Eyal Berkovich, and proceeded to move and coach Maccabi Herzliya, from which he was fired after eight league games[1] before returning to Netanya, later guiding the club to the second place in the Israeli Premier League, and the UEFA Cup Qualifying rounds.
In September 2008, he signed for Beitar Jerusalem replacing Itzhak Shum. Later that year he won the Israeli Cup, but was dismissed and replaced by Shum.
On 29 September 2009, Atar returned once again to Maccabi Netanya, making it his third stint as the manager of the club. On 7 May 2011, he broke Netanya's undefeated streak from 1971 as he managed the team for 16 straight games without losing a match.[2]
On 23 April 2012, he signed a two-year contract for his home club of Maccabi Haifa.[3] In 13 November he was sacked from Haifa.[4]
On 19 March 2013, he returned to Maccabi Netanya for his fourth stint as the manager of the club.[5]
In the start of the 2014–15 season he worked as the manager of Hapoel Haifa. He was fired after four months on the job.
On 6 November 2015, Atar returned to Maccabi Netanya for his fifth stint as the manager of the club.
Career statistics
Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition:[6]
