Category: News

Know your opponent: Hapoel Kfar Saba

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Year Founded: 1928

Stadium: Levita Stadium (5,800)

Head Coach: Felix Naim

The head coach has been with the club since 2013 and was able to help the club earn promotion last season after playing in the second division for seven years. The highlight of Naim’s career was guiding Kfar Saba to the Winner League after many seasons coaching in Israel’s lower divisions.

2007/8: המפגש האחרון מול כפ”ס

Players who left: Oran Nissim (retired), Ben Weitzman, Samir Abad Alachi, Branko Michelivic, Ben Ben Shushan and Itay Toaf

Players arrived: Dino Skvorc, Olanrewaju Kehinde, Ori Shitrit, Ben Rahav, Hugo Lopez, Mavis Tchibota, Ioannis Papadopoulos

Key player: Raz Itzhak

The striker who has played for a number of clubs over the past few years is now in his third season with the club, his second time around with Kfar Saba. Last campaign Itzhak scored 17 goals helping his team earn promotion while this year he has scored two.

How has their year been to date:

The newly promoted club is learning that life in the “Big Leagues” is not so simple. After 12 matches Naim’s team sits in 11th place just one point away from the relegation zone. Last Matchday they defeated Bnei Sakhnin for an important home win.

Peretz: “It’s crucial that we’ll win the game”

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Dor Peretz, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s young midfielder has moved into a more advanced role this season, transitioning from a central defender to the midfield under Head Coach Slavisa Jokanovic. He spoke about putting the finishing touches on their preparations for the final match of the first round of Winner League games, a pair of loaned players that Peretz played with in the recent past and about the last time Maccabi played Kfar Saba when he was just 13 years old:

דור פרץ מוכן לקראת המשחק נגד כפ”ס

“I definitely don’t remember that game! But right now we’re preparing for them just as we do for every other team and before every match. We are working on tactics and we know what to expect from them so we should be ready.”

The match may be similar to the Bnei Yehuda game:

“This match may very well be the same as the one we played last week but we are getting ready for every type of style that they may play against us. We’ll be organized and focussed for the task at hand in order to win the game.”

2007/8: המפגש האחרון מול כפ”ס

This is the last game of the first round:

“It’s very important to finish the round in first place but just like every other match, it’s crucial that we’ll win the game.”

Kfar Saba features two players that Maccabi loaned out to them and whom you’ve played with in Olanrewaju Kehinde and Mavis Tchibota:

“They are excellent players with good technique and who are very strong. They can help them a lot.”

Kamanan & Masudi Relegate Kfar Saba

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On the second to last Matchday in the 2007/08 season Maccabi Tel Aviv headed to Levita Stadium for an encounter with Hapoel Kfar Saba. It wasn’t an important match for Nir Levin and his side but for Eli Ohana and his Kfar Saba team it was a matter of life and death. After starting the season on the right foot the Greens had lost 11 games in a row when the two teams played each other near the end of the campaign.

Maccabi’s goals, the drama and Jevric’s unbelievable performance is all in the following video:

2007/8: המפגש האחרון מול כפ”ס

Family Derby- Eliezer Ben Aharon faces his son

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Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv will play Gadna Tel Aviv on Matchday 9 of league play. This match will be very special for the coach of the club, Eliezer Ben Aharon: “We have a Family Derby this coming Saturday. We have been laughing about it at home but it’s still sports and each one of us will do the maximum to win, though the family is trying to get me to be a bit complacent,” he said with a chuckle as this coming Saturday, Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv play Gadna Tel Aviv that is coached by his son Elad Ben Aharon.

“I went through a few scenarios in my head but I’m not sure how I’ll really react. I guess I’ll be a bit more restrained, but for 80 minutes we will each be on our own side and when AQ7A0025the final whistle is blown we’ll become father and son once again and give each other a hug. The dinner before and after the match will be very interesting that’s for sure. It’s a bit strange to coach against your son but it also gives me a sense of pride.”

Aharon, who is coaching Maccabi’s Under-16 side is part of a project which is the first of its kind in Israel: “This is a new team, one that is composed of two Under-15 teams that we’ve brought together as one unit. This team is a project of the academy. All of the players without exception is a student at the Academy. They have three morning training sessions, classes where they get help if needed and they can also relax up in the quiet rooms. There are teachers that also help them with their studies. Maccabi sent me to training sessions abroad at an Academy that is very similar to what we have here. They have an annual structured football plan to suit their needs so this way we have the time to put into place all of the necessary content that we want, as well as controlling their diet and development. There are also other things that we do which can be seen during the evening training sessions.”

Ben Aharon explained as to how seriously the club takes it: “This team is the first that has all 22 students in the Academy. That was the condition. There were some good players that didn’t want to meet this requirement so Maccabi didn’t accept them. There is no other club that is investing the resources that we are. This is not a one or two day process but a long term plan. Whoever stays here and completes their stay in the youth department will end up with double the amount of training time with a dedicated staff that will continue to support them.”

About the results that will be seen in the future:

“This will take time. People may be looking at the results but for me the results may be fine and dandy but what’s most important is the change in the players. We have the best players who have the ability to win games. We want to give tools to the players so that at the later stages of their development they’ll be able to handle even bigger challenges. If a player can score goals but can’t play defense or be part of the team then I want to be able to help change the player so that he doesn’t get to the Under-17, the Under-19 or the first team and can’t make a pass. A lot of times the physical aspects of the game are greater in the youth team than in the first team so this is yet another place where we are trying to help them improve.”

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Youth Department Action, Saturday December 5

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Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Kiryat Shemona, 11:00 Ramle Municipal Stadium

After an away victory in Jerusalem, Maccabi “Shachar” returns to the Ramle Stadium to host Kiryat Shemona on Matchday 9 of the Youth Winner League. The Yellow-and-Blue’s Northern opponent are two places behind Maccabi but only one point separates the two sides. The match will be the first match in a very busy week for Maccabi “Shachar” as they fly to Kiev on Monday evening prior to playing Dynamo on Wednesday.

Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv – SC Ashdod, 10:30 Ashdod Training Facility

Ori Uzan and Leon Asraf’s team wants to make sure they continue their eight game winning streak as they will look to take three points away against Ashdod.

Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv – Gadna “Roni” Tel Aviv, 8:30 Kiryat Shalom Training Facility

The “Match of the Week” will feature a showdown between coach Eliezer Ben Aharon and his Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” team against Gadna which is coached by his son Elad. The Under-16 side has been playing very well of late and a win on Saturday should move them to the top of the table.

Maccabi “Eldad” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Kiryat Ono, 10:15 Kiryat Shalom Training Facility

With five wins in a row, Maccabi “Eldad” will look to extend their winning streak when they host Hapoel Kiryat Ono at home.

Maccabi “Team 2” Tel Aviv – Maccabi Barkai, 12:00 Kiryat Shalom Training Facility

The second Under-15 club will also host a match Maccabi Barkai at the Kiryat Shalom Training Facility after defeating the Nesher club last week.

Matchday Happy Hour: Your Bonus on Matchday

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There have been many studies done on this topic and science has proven that on Matchday the clock moves slower than usual. To keep you awake we’ve added a special bonus for you to enjoy the Yellow-and-Blue even more. On every Maccabi Matchday there will be a special bonus for one hour only. So how will you know when and what the bonus will be? Check out the official Maccabi website, open the App and follow us on all of the various social networks to find out what your bonus will be!

Dasa: “Got to give it your all at Maccabi”

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Eli Dasa, Maccabi’s defensive back spoke to media prior to the club’s match on Saturday night at 20:00 away at Kfar Saba to end the first round of matches in the Winner League. He discussed a number of topics including Shlomi Azulay, his coming back from injury and also concerning racism in Israeli football:

“If racism is evident at youth matches in the year 2015 then what can I say. Heavy punishments won’t help clean up the situation. There’s a solution, the question is how much people want to change. But I’ll keep my opinion to myself right now. If this is still at the forefront then I think much more can be done.”

His time with Maccabi so far:

“I feel great here and I am very happy to be at Maccabi. We have a good group and an excellent training staff, but you have to give it your all.”

Coming back after injury:

“I waited for my time after the injury and I am happy that I came back the way I did in good shape over the past few games and I hope that I can continue my good play. People think that at a team like Maccabi Tel Aviv it is easy to succeed, but in reality it’s much harder and there are serious demands on you but it’s all for the good.”

Shlomi Azulay’s opportunity the last couple of matches:

“Shlomi and I are good friends from Beitar and I’m here for him and I kept telling him that he’ll have his chance. He has to keep working hard every minute of practice and he deserved the chance that he got.”

The schedule quirk having Beer Sheva play the team Maccabi plays the week before:

“It doesn’t matter which team plays our opponent the week before. I don’t think we can look at it as an advantage of disadvantage. We have to come prepared for each and every game.”

Increasing the amount of foreign players:

“Jordi has done a lot for Israeli football and if he thinks that it would be good then I’m sure he thought a lot about it. He’s always looking for ways that Maccabi Tel Aviv can advance.”

About his role:

“I prepare the same way for every match. A player has to prepare a certain way each and every game but has to do his job, I know what my role is on the pitch.”

Jokanovic: “My team’s prepared for every situation”

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The Yellow-and-Blue face Hapoel Kfar Saba on Matchday 13 of Winner League action at Levita Stadium this coming Saturday night at 20:00. This will be the first time in seven years that the two clubs will be playing each other after The Greens earned promotion to the top division last season. The match will also mark the final game of the first round of matches as Head Coach Slavisa Jokanovic will now have seen every other team in the league:

“All of the challenges that we have ahead are big. There is a lot of differences between the Israeli teams and it will not be an easy job for us. They will probably look to catch us on a counterattack. We will have to be clever.”

On the schedule:

“This is what it is. I watched Beer Sheva against Kfar Saba, but we also look at other games. Beer Sheva has played a different formation in their different games, but I have to prepare my team for every situation.”

About the Bnei Yehuda match:

“I was very happy after the game but not for the whole week. Now we have a new game and we have to get ready for that. Memories don’t exist in football. We can take some of the good from that match but we have to make sure we concentrate on the following game.”

The upcoming January transfer window:

“We want to see Maccabi as a strong team and every club including Real Madrid and Manchester United will look at the market in January to try and improve. I am an ambitious person and I am always looking to improve. I want to make my squad stronger and everything is possible.”

Concerning his choices for the starting XI:

“The players will know during training who may be included in the squad. I explain to the players and the press that one football match is not just 15-20 minutes. What’s most important is the result at the end of the game and to make sure it’s a happy one. I have to keep some weapons on my bench if the game is not going according to plan. I’m always prepared for different situations that may occur during the course of a game.”

The captain Eran Zahavi:

“Eran is an important player for us. He is a real man as to how he prepares for the games and during the matches themselves. He’s very happy living here in Tel Aviv with his family and I don’t see anything on the horizon.”

Eran Zahavi November’s Player of the Month

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Five goals and hitting the 100 league goal mark while in the Yellow-and-Blue helped Eran Zahavi earn the HISENSE “Player of the Month” for November. 40% of the Maccabi FIRST members voted for the captain in the shortened month due to the international break. Zahavi scored in every match the team played except for Chelsea but including the Champions League match against Porto in a 3:1 loss.332A5826-2

Shlomi Azulay finished in second place with 22% of the votes. You’ll remember that the midfielder scored a goal, his first for the Yellow-and-Blue and picked up a pair of assists in the club’s final match of the month against Bnei Yehuda. He also fulfilled a childhood dream of playing in the Champions League when he had the opportunity to pick up a few minutes of match time against the English Champions, Chelsea. Gal Alberman finished the voting in third place with a respectable 13% of the total votes cast.

Now it’s time to decide who will win the 32″ TV from HISENSE, present the midfielder with the award and tablet from the voters who chose Eran Zahavi as the Player of the Month. At 18:00 an SMS will be sent to all of the people who voted for Zahavi with a trivia question. The first to answer it correctly will win the 32″ TV from HISENSE!

For the rules and regulations, click here