Nejmeh
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| Nejmeh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Al-Nejmeh Sporting Club / Nejmeh SC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Founded | 1945 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Al Manara Stadium Beirut, Lebanon (Capacity 5,000) |
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| Chairman |  Mr. Mohammad Amin Daouk |
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| Manager |  Wathiq Naji |
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| League | Lebanese Premier League |
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| 2006-07 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nejmeh Sporting Club (Arabic: نادي النجمة) is a Lebanese football club which competes in the Lebanese Premier League. Nejmeh Sporting Club is considered as one of the glorious Football teams in Lebanon.. Nejmeh is arabic for star. It was established in Beirut in 1945, and received its license on April 28, 1947. The club had promoted gradually along the different divisions, and finally reached the first division in 1951.. Ever since, the club has become the most fan-supported Football club in Lebanon (more than 50,000 supporters).
[edit] History
The story started when some Beiruti young men met together in 1945, and decided to establish a Football Club that not only competes in Sports competitions but also aims to serve the moral standards, contribute to build a strong Lebanese Society, and guide the young generations towards a better future.
The first provisional committee of Nejmeh Club was formed in 1945 and included: Mr. Anis Radwan [President], Yahia Daroub [Vice-President], Noureddine Hamedeh [General Secretary], Amin Monzer, Hamzah Daroub, & Salah Senno..
This committee applied for a license at the Lebanese government in 1945, the license was finally issued on April 28, 1947, and the story starts right here..
The history of the club took its track on the glory after the team was qualified to the 1st division teams in 1951. After which the story continued with the rise of great players who carried the Club's Football team on their shoulders.
The major breakthrough came in 1970 with the rise of the golden team at Nejmeh Club that included the best players in Lebanon (Mohammad Hatoum, Hassan & Mahmoud Shatila, Habib Kammouneh, Zein Hashem, Jamal El Khatib, Youssef El Ghoul, to mention a few, with the rest of their teammates. This golden team led the way to a decade of glory for Nejmeh. The period of 1970's was the best in the club history. Nejmeh dominated the Lebanese scene, and gained worldwide respect with the series of international matches witnessed by world superstars of which we mention The King Pele 1974 as an example.
In the late 1970's & the 1980's, the ugly civil war prevailed the Lebanese scene, implanted feelings of hatred among the Lebanese people, destroyed much of Lebanon's infrastructure. The Lebanese Football in general, & Nejmeh Club in specific suffered much of this war where the championship has been suspended for 12 years (1975-1987). After the end of the war, & the comeback of the championship, Nejmeh Club restarted its road on the ladder of glory with the rise of new generations of Lebanese players who could restore the championship title to the club in year 2000.
Another Milestone in the Club history was in the year 2003 with the election of a new board of directors headed by Mr. Mohammad Fanj, under the guidance by Mr. Bahaaeddine Rafiq Hariri. This new board instantly set many objectives among which to strengthen the Club's First Football team, to rehabilitate the club stadium, and establish a long-term plan to transform the club into an a self-dependent organization. As the words were transformed into facts, Nejmeh team regained the lead position in the Lebanese Football, and the future holds bright hopes to all Nejmeh Fans.
Simultaneously, the new board also aims to strengthen the ties with the large fan base in Lebanon and the rest of the world. In this direction, the club president Mr. Fanj has made instructions to enhance the club presence on the world wide web, and provide all the support to the club website..
Nejmeh club is in safe hands, and hopefully under this wise club management we will witness more and more glorious achievements that hold our heads up in the sky, proud to be Nejmeh fans!
[edit] Achievements
Nejmeh have won the championship 6 times [Including last 2 seasons 2003-2004 & 2004-2005], the FA cup 5 times, the Elite Cup 7 times, and the Super Cup 3 times. In 2005, Nejmeh reached the final match of The AFC Cup competition and lost to Al-Faisaly of Jordan [0-1], & [2-3], this was the first time ever any Lebanese Football team reaches the final match of any Asian competition. In 2003 a new administration of the club was elected after more than 30 years under the presidency of Omar Ghandour [1969-2003]. The new president was Mohammad Fanj. In 2005, the administration resigned, and a new election took place and a new administration headed by Mr. Mohammad Amin Daouk was elected..
[edit] Al Manara Stadium
Main article is Al Manara Stadium
The Club stadium is located in Al Manara area, Beirut, Lebanon. The stadium consists of a Football field, and spaces that accommodate around 5,000 spectators, together with a VIP seats area that accommodates around 100 guests, a cafeteria, & a gymnasium.
[edit] Present
The Club stadium is currently under rehabilitation including implanting the field with grass, increasing the seats spaces to allow more spectators, and enhancing the stadium facilities, walls, & fences. The first phase of the process started in June 2003 and was completed in late March 2004.
The stadium field was implanted with natural grass of the highest quality to provide the first team players with the best training conditions in Lebanon.
In this direction, The administration took a wise decision to relocate the youth teams training sessions to a different field in Bir Hassan area to avoid pressure on the newly implanted grass by the large number of players.
The second phase of the rehabilitation process including enhancing the club facilities, walls, & fences are currently underway and shall be completed later in 2004.
[edit] Sheikh Bahaa's visit
This rehabilitation process was among the first objectives of the current club administration headed by president Mohammad Fanj and guided by Sheikh Bahaaeddine Hariri who made a visit to the old stadium in March 28, 2003 to witness the conditions of the stadium, and listen to the views, and demands of the team players, staff, & club administration.
[edit] The Old Stadium
The old club stadium first consisted of a sand training field over the land number 704 in Ras Beirut area with no facilities or fences. The club teams used to practice under poor conditions.
The former club administrations had worked very hard on enhancing the conditions by first building players facilities & administration offices around the stadium in 1969, the wall followed in 1974.
The fact that the old stadium used to host the daily training sessions of all the club teams including around 150 players, as well as many official & friendly matches for most of the Football teams in Lebanon didn't allow the implantation of natural grass.
The dream become true in year 2004, and the fans can know enjoy the sight of their first team training on a professional field in order to achieve the best results in the local and regional competitions.
[edit] New Name is "Martyr Rafic Hariri Stadium"
On Monday, February 21, 2005 the club stadium was named "The Martyr Rafic Hariri Stadium".
[edit] Achievements
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- 1973, 1975, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005
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- 1971, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998
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- 2000, 2002, 2004
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- 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Alimam Moussa Assader Tournament: 3s
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- 1995, 1998, 1999
- Aladha Cup: 4
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- 1974, 1980, 1987, 1991
- Habib Abishahla Cup: 6
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- 1961, 1965, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1974
- Istiqlal Tournament (Independence): 2
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- 1973, 1974
- Aalay City Cup: 2
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- 1979, 1980
- Tripoli Arabian Tournament: 1
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- 1989
TOTAL ACHIEVEMENTS: 39
- AFC Best Team: 1
- 2000
[edit] Performance in AFC Competitions
- AFC Champions League: 1 appearance
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- 2002-03: Qualifying West - 1st Round
- Asian Club Championship: 1 appearance
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- 1997: Second Round
- AFC Cup: 4 appearances
- Asian Cup Winners Cup: 2 appearances
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- 1990/91: First Round
- 1997/98: First Round
- 1998/99: First Round
[edit] Unforgettable International Matches
Nejmeh football team history are full of great matches of which we list the following results:
| Country | Team | Score | Year |
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 Brazil |
Christophan | 3-2 (W) | 1965 |
 Algeria |
Algeria | 3-1 (W) | 1971 |
 Romania |
Red Flag of Romania | 1-0 (W) | 1973 |
 Saudi Arabia |
Shabab | 2-0 (W) | 1973 |
 Kuwait |
Al-Qadisiah | 2-0 (W) | 1973 |
 France |
Lille* | 2-1 (W) | 1973 |
 Sudan |
Al-Hilal | 3-0 (W) | 1974 |
 USSR |
FC Ararat Yerevan | 1-0 (W) | 1974 |
| France |
Universities of France Team | 2-0 (W) | 1975 |
 Egypt |
Egypt** | 1-1 (D) | 1995 |
| Saudi Arabia |
Annasser | 1-0 (W) | 1996 |
| Kuwait |
Al-Qadisiah | 3-3 (D) | 1998 |
 United Arab Emirates |
Ashaab | 3-0 (W) | 1999 |
* = Nejmeh played with Homentmen in the game to beat Lille. ** = Nejmeh played with Al-Ansar in the game to draw with Egypt.
Key:
- (W) = Win
- (D) = Draw
[edit] Unforgettable Moments and Events
Football legend Pele played one game for Nejmeh.
[edit] Great Current Players
- Ali Nasseredine
- Mohammed Ghaddar
- Khaled Hamieh
- Abbas Ahmed Atwi
[edit] Technical Manager
- Wathiq Naji 2007/2008
Nenand Stavric 2007- Mahmoud Kandouz 2006
- Omar Mizian 2005
Otto Pfister 2004- Abdulaziz Mostafa Abdulshafi 2003
[edit] Technical Staff
- Ahmad Kobrolsi
- Mahmoud Kandouz
- Dr.Fadi Al-Yamani (Assistant Coach)
- Riad Murad (Goalkeeper Coach)
- Mazen Al-Ahmadieh (Physcotherapist)
- Mohammed Al-Hindi (Equipments Responsible)
[edit] Current squad
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Source: [1]
Dual Nationality
[edit] Youth Team
Born 1986/1987
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[edit] Notable former players
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Lebanon
Brazil Croatia
Trinidad & Tobago
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Ghana
Cameroon Saint Vincent and the Grenandines Côte D'Ivoire
Iraq Nigeria
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(*)Pele played only one game with Nejmeh, so he wasn't an official player.
[edit] Notable former managers
- Otto Pfister
- Nenand Stavric
[edit] Deceased Members
Players:
The following players mournfully died on Wednesday June 13, 2007 in the car bomb that killed Parliament member Walid Ido near the club stadium in Manara.
Managers:
Serbian manager Nenand Stavric mournfully died in a road accident in Damascus, Syria at 44 years of age.
- Nenand Stavric
[edit] External links
- Nejmeh Sporting Club Official Website
- Nejmeh Fans Group
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