Surviving the chaos: A footballer's harrowing experience playing in Israel during war
Robert Earnshaw had a successful career, although he only managed to win one major honour....
Robert Earnshaw had a successful career, although he only managed to win one major honour.
Despite playing in the Premier League for the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City, the Wales international was successful in his quest for silverware in a country you may not have quite remembered.
Citing a desire to work under the club's then-sporting director, Jordi Cryuff, Earnshaw's move was based on the assumption he would become a better player upon his return. But with a country at war to contend with, his story is one of a quite remarkable nature.
'Missiles were being shot from the Gaza Strip into Tel Aviv'
"I always wanted to play abroad at some point, to experience different ideas," Earnshaw explained speaking to FourFourTwo about his time in Israel which came during the 2012-13 season. "I got a call out of the blue from Jordi Cruyff, the director of football. He said he would take care of me and he was terrific.
"Their transfer window was closing, so I had to make a quick decision. Oscar Garcia had come from the Barcelona academy to manage the side and assembled a group of Spanish coaching staff; football-wise, I learned more in the first two months there than I had over the past six years in the UK. It was a very different way of seeing the same game, and it worked.
Earnshaw's spell in Tel Aviv proved fruitiful, with the club winning the Israeli top flight during his temporary spell in 2013. But winning silverware isn't the main thing that sticks in his mind, as he explained when we asked about living in such a war-torn country.
"Tel Aviv is such a beautiful place, but the war with Palestine happened to escalate while I was there," the former Wales international pointed out.
Get FourFourTwo NewsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over."A few months in, the sirens would start during training: for the first time in years, missiles were being shot from the Gaza Strip into Tel Aviv. We had to go to the side of the building and take cover.
"That carried on happening for weeks and weeks. I went to play football – I never knew I’d end up in the middle of a war that I wasn’t part of. I had tons of wonderful experiences and met some good people, but it was a crazy situation."
Earnshaw returned to Cardiff that summer and was deemed surplus to requirements by then manager Malky Mackay. He moved to Canada a few months later, linking up with MLS outfit Toronto FC.
He ended his career in 2015 after further spells with Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Fire, but his spell in West Asia is no doubt unforgettable for him.
