Category: News

Fabulous Five: Aaron Schoenfeld

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Keeper: Gianluigi Buffon
“He was the first keeper that I loved watching as a child. I always remember him playing in the World Cup or a big tournament. He’s one of the greatest and I’ve been following him for 20 years.”

Defender: Sergio Ramos
“He’s another player that I’ve been enamored with from a very young age. Although he’s a central defender, he has always been able to score some big goals. He plays with a lot of passion, battles to the end and leaves everything on the pitch for his club and for his national team and I really respect and admire him for that.” 

Defensive midfielder: Claude Makelele
“He may not be a popular choice, but Makelele was the first defensive midfielder that I enjoyed watching play and I believe he changed the game of football. He won so many tackles and covered so much space, he made the game so much easier for his teammates.”

Attacking midfielder: Kaka
“He was the last player who won the Ballon d’Or prior to the Messi and Ronaldo era. I was also lucky enough to play against him in the MLS. He was big, about my size, but his ability to move the ball so quickly was phenomenal. Kaka was a great player and I remember when he helped Milan win the Champions League almost singlehandedly.”

Striker: Dimitar Berbatov
“It was always fun watching him play and he made everything look so easy. He wasn’t an amazing athlete but his ability with the ball was simply fantastic. He was always smarter than his opponent. He was also big but his touch was terrific and like I said he was just so much fun to watch.”

Legends Club: Shlomo “Mila” Ginzburg

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Shlomo Ginzburg, who was known by his nickname of “Mila” immigrated to Isarel when he was a 4 year old from Kiev and at the age of 10 was enrolled in the Achad Ha’Am Football School.

At 15, Mila was included in the Southern District National Team which included players from Maccabi Rehovot, Ness Ziona, Rishon Le’Zion and Gadera that played in the 1935 Maccabiah Games and also included the Maccabi youth club. Mila played another season with the squad that featured in the Maccabiah and a year later he joined Maccabi Shimon named for former footballer Shimon Tabak z’l. When Maccabi Tel Aviv returned from the United States, Mila was invited to play for the First Team where he played with some of the stars which included Donfeld, Yakov Zliblinski, Lieberman, Panetz, Neufeld, Menachem Merimovitch, Reznik, Moshe Beit HaLevi, Alsander, Sidi and Shlomzon. 

Mila filled a number of roles and in his debut against Maccabi Petah Tikva played left back. However, due to his stunningly strong kick the coach moved him to the striker position. His first international contest was played against Romanian side Timisoara as Maccabi fell 3:4, however, Mila did score a goal. That same season, he won the league championship and also played in matches versus the likes of Wien and Admira from Austria.

As a 21 year old, Mila joined Maccabi as they travelled to Australia, a trip that began on May 24, 1939 and ended on September 28 of that same year. Mila played with some of the great strikers of the generation such as Gael Machlis, Avraham Schneidrovich and Peri Neufeld. Ginzburg scored 5 goals on the trip as one of the markers was a “goal of a lifetime” which was the winning goal against the Australia National Team at the Grand Cricket Stadium in Sydney in front of over 45,000 fans. “It was the nicest goal I ever scored,” Mila explains to journalist Yehoshua Kahana in a 1960 interview, “Gael Machlis sent me a pass and I launched a scorcher from 20 meters as the ball went from post to post until it found its way into the back of the goal.”

Youth Department Action Saturday December 23, 2017

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Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv – Maccabi “Shlomi” Netanya, 12:00 Ramle Stadium (U19)
After winning three matches in a row in league play, the Under-19 club hosts the first place side Maccabi Netanya on Matchday 12 of the Israel Youth Premier League Ligat Ha’Al. The Yellow & Blue sit in 4th place and a win on Saturday will pull them to within 3 points of the top spot as Head Coach Guy Tzarfati’s player will look to keep up their positive momentum.

Hapoel Kfar Saba – Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv, 08:30 Kfar Saba Lower Synthetic Training pitch (U17)
The Club’s Under-17 team heads to Kfar Saba on Matchday 11 as Eliezer Ben Aharon’s side finds themselves in first place and are undefeated so far this campaign. The Greens are in 15th place and sport only one league win this season.

Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Beer Sheva, 10:30 Kiryat Shalom Synthetic (U16)
Matchday 12 features the Under-16 club hosting Beer Sheva as the sides sit in 6th and 5th place respectively. A win will help the young Yellow & Blue leapfrog the southern team.

Maccabi “Eldad” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Rishon Le’Zion, 08:30 Kiryat Shalom Synthetic (U15 South)
The Under-15 South side welcomes Rishon Le’Zion as both teams are tied for first place entering Matchday 10 and are both undefeated.

Hapoel “Nir” Haifa – Maccabi “Ilan” Tel Aviv, 14:30 Kiryat Haim (U15 North)
After a last second win last Matchday and a midweek Cup victory, the Under-15 North squad will look to keep up the fine plat when they visit Hapoel Haifa on Matchday 10. The young Yellow & Blue are in 3rd place only 3 points from the top of the table while the Carmel Reds are in 12th place having lost 6 of 9 contests.

Golasa: “We need to keep up the positive energy and play dominant football”

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Eyal Golasa, the Yellow & Blue midfielder looked ahead to his side’s upcoming Matchday 15 clash against Kiryat Shemona on Saturday night, 20:30 at the Netanya Stadium:

“We are just looking ahead to the next match and trying to keep up the positive momentum. The match against Kiryat Shemona will be totally different than the match against Beitar. I just want to keep up my good play and continue on.”

Playing the number 6 position:
“I’m happy to have learned how to play the 6 position and I’ve enjoyed it as you can be more dominant with the ball. Whatever Jordi chooses I’ll be ok with.”

About Gal Alberman:
“He has many years of experience and is a great player. He helped me a lot learning the role.”

Looking to take the points:
“I don’t think we will be complacent. We will come into the match with good energy and with the desire to play dominant football. We will come in to take the points.”

Returning from injury:
“There’s nothing worse than sitting around and watching your teammates. It’s frustrating but now I’m fit and I hope I’ll be ok the rest of the season.”

Being a part of the squad:
“I feel good, but we have a number of good players and Jordi always has to find the right mix and has to split up the matches. I’m good with any decision that he makes.”

Keeping up the recent play:
“We spoke about it in the dressing room that in a split second anything can happen. But if we don’t continue on then we’ve done nothing.”

Cruyff: “We have to give the signal that we are here to stay”

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Jordi Cruyff, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach addressed the media prior to Saturday’s Matchday 15 Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al match against Kiryat Shemona and began by taking about the opposing coach, Haim Silvas:

“I like him because he’s a coach that always comes to the game with various plans and can adjust his style during the game and we have to always be alert. We also have to adjust as well. He reads the game well.”

Playing with passion and desire:
“We need to play with the same passion and desire, that’s the A of the alphabet. We won’t have enough space and we will have to play faster and find the free man. We had two good matches against teams that play to win and now we have to give the signal that we are here to stay.”

The injury bug:
“Injuries can happen and the season is long. The only problem is when you get 3 or 4 in similar positions then the team suffers a bit. If it’s just one, you can get by. But now they are fresh and it’s like the season is starting and it’s like they are new signings. The qualities of the players are known and let’s hope we can continue this way. We are trying to recover what we lost and be in a position where we can be equal with the other teams and then our season starts.”

The Kiryat Shemona match:
“It’s worth the same three points like Monday. It tests our mentality and it’s a chance to show you always have ups and downs but at least passion part has to be there and it can win a lot of points. We must put our stamp on the league and show we have the desire to win the league. It’s like a test for us.”

Bringing new players in January:
“I’m not sure what will be possible or not. If we show good games then the belief will be bigger and moves may be more possible. I’m just thinking about the next game. I’m not thinking about it and I’m happy about the attitude of the team over the last few games.

Mixing quality and passion:
“You need to find the right mix of quality, talent and passion. You have to show your opponent that you are 200% there. Even the fans know that, even when you show effort and lose you can say the team was here and you move on. But when you’re not, then it’s frustrating. I can say that the team has looked better and has shown effort recently.”

About Dor Micha contact issue:
“I’m not involved in contract issues. I don’t know the numbers and right now I’m focusing on my own job and to win games. I think it’s better that I just focus on my job.”

Tal Ben Haim:
“It’s always coincidence and irony that we always look at players that haven’t played. I’ve never had a problem with Tal and we are both here. He has started about 85% of games and National team games which is more than any other player in the league. I’m sure there will be a moment where he will come in and show his value.”

Upcoming State Cup draw:
“The Cup is a different thing and I’m not thinking about it, just the next game and to close the gap.”

Recent feelings as a coach:
“I felt the same way I did when I had to coach the 6-7 weeks last year. Football changes every time. One day you’re on a flight home and some days you’re not. It’s a hot seat. I appreciate the players and they get belief that hard work is paying off and the fans are happy with their effort on the pitch. Without a win on Saturday then you’ve done nothing.”

Choosing the Starting XI and the squad:
“It’s probably the most unpleasant part of the job. I like all of the players both personally and professionally. I know when things are unfair I try to give the players an explanation. I try to explain the reasons when it’s a difficult case. I explained to Yuval (Shpungin) the tactical reasons why he wasn’t part of the squad on Monday.”