Najwan Ghrayib

Ynet described Ghrayib as 43 years old in November 2017, placing his birth around 1973 or 1974.[2] He developed as a left-back at Maccabi Ahli Nazareth before establishing himself in Israel’s top division, and he later represented the national team.[1][3]

Ghrayib joined Hapoel Haifa before the 1997/98 season and became the only Arab player in the side. He later described that team as dominant and “unstoppable”; it won the league championship in 1999.[2]

During his first season at Hapoel Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem chairman Moshe Dadash approached Ghrayib and offered him twice the salary Hapoel Haifa had offered.[2] Ghrayib declined and remained in Haifa, later recalling: “I should have been the first Arab player at the club, but I refused.”[2]

Following his performances in Israel and his role in Hapoel Haifa’s championship season, Aston Villa signed him for €1 million.[3] His time in England proved challenging: he recalled that, while he had ranked among the fittest players at Hapoel Haifa, he was among the least fit at Aston Villa because of the English players’ strength, speed, and endurance.[5] In a blunt comparison, he said, “The Europeans are born, each one a horse, and during their careers they improve even more.”[5] He made five appearances for Villa and asked to be released at the end of the 1999/2000 season, after which he returned to Hapoel Haifa.[3]

By 2003, Ghrayib was playing for Ahli Nazareth, where he received a special award as the Arab sector’s influential player of the season.[6] Bnei Sakhnin chairman Mazen Ganaim publicly asked Israel coach Avraham Grant to consider restoring him to the national squad, citing his excellent season.[6]

Ghrayib represented Israel as a defender and was credited with four goals in 18 national-team appearances.[1] An archived Jerusalem Post report on Israel’s 1–0 friendly victory over Romania in Bucharest on March 18, 1998, credits a player rendered as “Najwan Grayey” with the throw-in that began the move for Israel’s only goal. The throw reached Eli Abarbanel, whose through-ball set up Alon Mizrahi’s 13th-minute finish.[7]

Ahead of Israel’s friendly against Argentina on April 15, 1998, another archived report said a player rendered as “Najwan Grayev” had replaced defender David Amsalem, who had been ruled out with a groin injury. Coach Shlomo Scharf listed him among the players from whom the starting lineup would probably be chosen, although the report does not confirm whether he ultimately started.[8]

In 2023, Ghrayib spoke publicly about racist abuse directed at national-team player Mohammad Abu Fani. He said such incidents were increasing and expressed his view that they reflected broader political polarization.[1]

Ghrayib later moved into management and youth development. By 2017, he was serving as the professional director of Ahli Nazareth’s youth department.[2] He also managed Maccabi Ahli Nazareth on multiple occasions, resigning from the position for the third time in 2018.[4]

A spell reported in 2008 began with three consecutive wins, including victories over Hapoel Ramat Gan and Hapoel Be’er Sheva. Results then declined, and Ahli Nazareth fell to sixth place after a 2–1 defeat to Hapoel Acre.[9]

In July 2018, Maccabi Ahli Nazareth appointed Ghrayib as manager after considering Masai Dago and Haim Shabo.[10] The club’s management said his experience as both a player and coach at the club was expected to help him connect with the team.[10]

By December 2018, Ghrayib had resigned for the third time. Ahli Nazareth had just lost 2–0 to Ramat HaSharon, its sixth defeat of the season. Although the club had brought him back after his two earlier resignations, it made no attempt to do so on this occasion.[4]

Ghrayib’s career included milestones in Israeli and English football. He was the sole Arab player on Hapoel Haifa’s 1999 championship team and later recorded 18 appearances for Israel.[2][1] His five appearances for Aston Villa placed him among the Israelis who competed in the Premier League.[3]

His later managerial appointments and work directing Ahli Nazareth’s youth department extended his association with the club as both a player and coach.[2][10]

The two archived 1998 Jerusalem Post reports render the player’s surname differently—“Grayey” in the Romania report and “Grayev” in the Argentina preview—and the March issue’s OCR varies elsewhere in the text. Although the first name and national-team context are consistent with Ghrayib, the archived spelling does not conclusively establish the identification.[7][8]

The reported Beitar Jerusalem approach, salary offer, and description of Ghrayib as a potential first Arab player at the club come from his own interview account.[2] They are therefore presented as his recollection rather than as independently documented club records.