The under-19 league season is at its height, and coach Eliezer Ben Aharon’s players are holding their own in second place in the standings as the final third of the campaign is in full flow.
Four leading squad players spoke to us and gave us their perspective on how the season has progressed and how they have benefitted from being part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv “Shahar” squad.
These are our four squad members:
Omer Itzhaki, 19, central defender and captain, has been at Maccabi for a decade, loves to watch Lionel Messi and Barcelona. He hopes that in 10 years’ time he will be playing at the highest level of the game.
Ben Musayof, 17, goalkeeper has taken his place between the posts in his first season with the big boys after winning the Boys A title last year. He’s a fan of Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola and wants to be the senior team’s captain in 10 years’ time.
Guy Mizrahi, 18, a right-back, is another product of the Maccabi youth academy. He has supported Arsenal since age six. He likes to watch box sets and play tennis.
Omri Ram, 18, a right-winger, is in his second season with the youth team and apart from football, he enjoys swimming which he says helps him to “switch off.” He loves to watch 
Liverpool’s passionate play.
Musayof said that he has been exposed to the best possible training at the Academy. “I work with the best coaches and fitness trainers in the country and I feel a great improvement in many aspects, including my footwork and with aerial play. Maccabi’s approach is that the goalkeeper is an additional player to the 10 colleagues ahead of him. He can also create tactical situations, so we also work hard on aspects which are more appropriate for non goalkeepers.”
Ram said mental preparation was an important focus. “I feel that I have improved thanks to talks I have with our mental coach and through the training obstacles that the team places before us to challenge us. We are also taught how to play simply, just like at the highest levels.”
Mizrahi said the values that the players are imbibed with “are very important, and the 
improvement can be seen in many aspects.”
Itzhaki spoke of his the changes he has experienced personally. “I have been at the club for over a decade and if I look at myself at the start of my journey compared to where I am today, I feel that I have improved out of all recognition.”
Ram said that morning training has added an additional aspect to specific points, while Musayof said that he preferred the early sessions during the week “to start the day with the things I like to do most. Nothing could be better.”
Mizrahi said: “It’s a huge bonus for me and my teammates and we should all appreciate every additional training session we receive.”
Mizrahi said Maccabi’s players were lucky to get more training than most other clubs who do not train in the morning. “When you join the sessions as a young player, you get to understand that football is not only a pastime for you, but that this is what you are going to do in your life in the foreseeable future.”
Additional training aids are also crucial for player development and as Mizrahi said: “It proves that the Academy is working to give the players the best possible tools to 
improve their skills and to advance the team as a whole.”
The broad team of professionals are there to help with all aspects, including learning from past mistakes, Musayof said.
All the players were thankful for the international tournament held earlier this year.
“Playing against good teams from abroad is something that can help improve us in so many aspects,” Musayof said.
“These sorts of events have allowed us to experience international competition, and that is the sort of level we need to aspire to,” Ram added.
Mizrahi said the form displayed by Maccabi, who won the six-team tournament that included three European teams, gave a push to raise the level, but Itzhaki summed up by saying that “winning this event three years in a row should not be taken for granted. It shows that the Academy has prepared us according to European standards.”
