Sportsיוחנן וולך

Yochanan Vollach

Yochanan Vollach is an Israeli former footballer who played for Israel at the 1970 World Cup and later managed Maccabi Haifa and worked as a shipping executive.

born 1945Israel's 1970 World Cup squadDefending for Hapoel HaifaManaging Maccabi HaifaExecutive roles in Israeli shipping

Born: 14 May 1945, Kiryat Bialik
Occupation: association football player, association football coach, chief executive officer, businessperson
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of Haifa, Hebrew Reali School
Rank: Major

Yochanan Vollach was born in 1945 in Kiryat Bialik

Vollach was born in Kiryat Bialik and moved with his family to Haifa at age 13. He attended the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa. He started playing football at Maccabi Kiryat Bialik.

He was drafted in 1963 as an infantry soldier in the Nahal and won the IDF football championship in 1965. He later earned a bachelor's degree in history and political science from the University of Haifa and an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In 1965 he joined Hapoel Haifa, where he moved from striker to defender and won the State Cup in 1966 and 1974. He played for Israel at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico and broke his leg in the match against Sweden. In 1977 he moved to Maccabi Haifa and retired in 1979.

As a volunteer manager of Maccabi Haifa, he oversaw the club's first titles in 1984 and 1985. Working for Zim, he was sent to Hong Kong in 1985 and played for Hong Kong FC until 1990. He chaired the Maccabi Haifa sports association from 1999 to 2015.

He held senior posts at Zim and has headed Newlog since 2005. In 2012 he was chosen to lead the Israeli Chamber of Shipping. He entered the Israeli Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

Yochanan Vollach's life in 10 milestones

1945
Born in Kiryat Bialik.
1963
Drafted into the Nahal as an infantry soldier.
1965
Joined Hapoel Haifa.
1970
Played for Israel at the World Cup in Mexico.
1977
Moved to Maccabi Haifa.
1979
Retired and became manager of Maccabi Haifa.
1985
Sent by Zim to Hong Kong.
1993
Named an honorary citizen of Haifa.
1999
Elected chairman of the Maccabi Haifa sports association.
2012
Chosen to lead the Israeli Chamber of Shipping.

Yochanan Vollach served in the military

Vollach served as an infantry soldier in the Nahal from 1963 and, in the First Lebanon War, as a platoon commander in a reserve battalion of the Hiram Formation. He finished his reserve service as a major.