Deila: "Eager to deliver another strong performance. We want consistency"

Another Saturday of youthful triumphs, from the Under-17 Team that extended their run, to the Under-14s and 13s who advanced to the next round in the National Cup

Once again Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s could not be stopped this Saturday and registered their 12th consecutive win with a 2-0 home triumph over Ashdod FC at Kiryat Shalom training ground. This latest victory brought the lads up to 45 points out of a possible 48, but these latest three were not taken easily. It was the team's two forwards, Yonatan Cohen in the first half and Sohil Armeli close to the final whistle, who did the work in front of goal for the Under-17s and accounted for the final result. For Cohen it was his 12th league goal and his 14th in all competitions. For his strike partner Armeli it was his 9th league goal, his eleventh in all competitions.

Maccabi's Under-16s also faced their counterparts from the port city of Ashdod, with the away match ending in a 2-2 draw. Goals by Hadar Levi, his 13th league goal, and Raz Yitschak, his eleventh, gave Maccabi a first half 2-1 advantage, but an Ashdod equaliser in the second half denied them the full three points. Maccabi's Under-15 s were in action on Friday afternoon and returned from their away encounter at Section Nes Tsiona with a 0-4 victory. Roy Ronen netted a brace and brought his season total to 10 league goals. Natanel Pitgo and Ron Gabai added the other two.

In yet another encounter between a Maccabi Tel Aviv side and their Ashdod FC counterpart, Maccabi's Under-15 Team 2 easily dispatched Ashdod by a score of 3-0. Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-14s and 13s spent their Saturday playing National Cup matches, with the Under-14s Team South winning their last 16 match away at Hapoel Ramat Hasharon 0-3 and the Under-13 Team South advancing to the quarter finals with a 4-2 win over Hapoel Haifa.    

Another Saturday of youthful triumphs, from the Under-17 Team that extended their ...

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s continued to add on points, The Under-16s returned to winning ways and the Under-15s saw their match cancelled

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s registered their 14^th victory in matchweek 15 of the national Under-17 Premier League South with a 1-5 away victory over Hapoel Rishon Lezion. Five different players scored for Maccabi who lead at half time 0-2 from goals by Elial Peretz, his sixth league goal of the season, and Guy Aviv, his ninth.  The three second half goals, scored by Matan Hozaz (his sixth), Yonatan Cohen (his eleventh) and Yossi Slalich (his first) finished off the 5 goal tally for Maccabi and raised the team's goal difference to 52.

The Under-16s returned to victory after two games without a win with a 3-0 home defeat of Hapoel Ramat Gan. Raz Yitschak scored a brace and raised his season total to 15 goals in all competitions. Tomer Altman finished off the scoring with his sixth goal of the season. Maccabi's Under-15 Team 1 match against Hapoel Ramat Gan was cancelled due to bad weather, but Team 2 beat Hapoel Beer Sheva 3-0 at Kiryat Shalom training ground.

Maccabi's Under-14 teams also won at the week-end, with Team South beating Hapoel Kiryat Ono 2-1 and Team North beating league leaders Ashdod FC 4-1. The Under-13 Team North lost 1-5 to Ashdod FC and Team South drew 0-0 against Hapoel Rishon Lezion West.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s continued to add on points, The Under-16s returned ...

Welcome to the first in a series of articles on the official Maccabi Tel Aviv website introducing the various teams of the club's illustrious Youth Division. First up: The Under-15s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad"

Class of: 1999

League: Under-15 Central

Head coach: Shlomi Mitelka

Assistant coach: Gil Meltzer

Squad size: 18 players

About the team:

The various teams of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division are in the early stages of the 2013/14 season, and among them the Under-15s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad". They play in the Central division of the national Under-15 league along with fifteen other teams largely from the centre of the country, but including also Beitar Jerusalem, Ashdod FC and even Maccabi Haifa. Head coach Shlomi Mitelka's squad are a new group of youngsters who this past summer "graduated" from Maccabi Tel Aviv's two Under-14 teams, North and South. Eighteen lads, some of whom come all the way from places as far away as Modi'in, Kochav Ya'ir and Herzliya to participate in each practice and competitive match and together form the squad of Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad". The team's name, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", is a tribute to devoted Maccabi Tel Aviv fan Eldad Regev, who was kidnapped in 2006 and was later killed serving in his country's armed services.

Training regime:

The team's professional staff, like those of all of Maccabi Tel Aviv's other Youth Division teams, spare no effort in training and developing the young players in their charge. The Under-15s participate in four full practices each week in addition to two enrichment trainings of 45 minutes each requiring each player to invest that extra bit of effort towards improving their technical abilities. On top of that, the team's professional staff also arrange educational get-togethers where together with the young players video recordings of their own performances are viewed and analysed.  Both the club's psychologist, Noam Ayal, and the Youth Division's physical fitness expert, doctor Yaron (Buki) Barak, are closely and continuously involved in assisting with the emotional and physiological development of the team's players. In recognition of the importance of developing team spirit as well as performance, the entire squad participate together in a monthly activity with no direct connection to football at all.

Team objectives:

It is easy to understand why the objectives of the Youth Division teams are different than those of the senior squad, as Under-15 head coach Shlomi Mitelka explains: "Our objective, like that of the entire Youth Division, is to develop and improve every aspect of the players' performance and enable them as much as possible to display their abilities on the pitch. The achievement aspect of the game is less important to us than our endeavour to improve the individual player and the functioning of all the players as a team".

Squad members:

Goalkeepers – Chen Ozar, Shay Dayan

Defenders – Gal Bachar, Ofek Blass, Amit Gur, Dan Gross, Noam Cohen Yakir Natan, Guy Shelach (son of former Maccabi Tel Aviv star Amir Shelach)

Midfielders – Itai Kedem, Nadav Reuveni, Aviv Elian, Orel Tissuna

Forwards – Haford Agai, Ben Eilat, Eilon Almog, Neil Goldberg (brother of Maccabi Under-19 defender Shaun Goldberg), Alon Cohen, Ziv Mach      

Welcome to the first in a series of articles on ...

One home tie and lots of games on the road in a Saturday mix of league and Cup matches in Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division

After taking seven points from their first three matches, head coach Ziv Arie's charges at Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" will seek to continue their early season run of good form this Saturday at 11am in a tricky away tie at Kiryat Shmona in matchweek 7 of the national Under-19 Premier League (no TV broadcast). The local Ironi side are currently twelfth with six points, four less than "Shachar" who occupy the sixth place in the table. MTA's Under-17s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded", will also be on the road closer to home at Hapoel Kfar Saba with a view to maintaining their perfect record as they enter matchweek 5 of the national Under-17 Premier League.

Maccabi's Under-16s will have the week-end off but both Under-15 teams will play away in Under-15 State Cup ties. Team 1, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", will go to the nation's capital to face Hapoel Jerusalem while Team 2 have a much shorter trip to Holon FC "Otzma" for their State Cup second round encounter. Much like their year-older counterparts, Maccabi's Under-14 Team South will also head for the holy city to play a State Cup tie against thier Hapoel Jerusalem counterparts.   

The six young stars selected as Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division's outstanding players of the beginning of the season had the honour of handing the matchball to the referee at the Senior Team's home matches

At every Maccabi Tel Aviv first team home tie, three outstanding youngsters from the club's Youth Division receive the honour of handing the matchball to the game's referee. The young footballers are chosen for excellence over a period of time with regards to their performances, their behaviour and their fair-mindedness, both on the pitch and in their studies. This season the tradition was first highlighted at the home tie against Ironi Kiryat Shmona at the end of September. Dan Gross from the Under-15s (Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad"), Alon Friedman from the Under-15s Team 2 and Ido Shachar from the Under-13s Team South were the three young stars to receive the honour of bringing the matchball to referee Erez Papir.

At last Monday's home tie against Bnei Sakhnin, once again two exceptional players from Maccabi's Under-15s, Eilon Almog and Yarden Shua (Team 2), joined Gal Sofer from the Under-14s to step up to Erez Papir with the ball that got that exciting and successful match underway. 

The six young stars selected as Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth ...

On a Saturday of both league and Cup ties, all of Maccabi's Youth division teams, from the Under-17s on down, emerged victorious

It may have been a Saturday on which fewer contests were held, but not one of any fewer successes for Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division. The Under-17s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded", played away to Hapoel  Kfar Saba with a view to maintaining their perfect record this season in the national Under-17 Premier League. Coaches Eliezer Ben Aharon and Gadi Brumer's lads succeeded with their mission as midfielders Tomer Altman and Eilon Yerushalmi scored to hand Maccabi a 0-2 victory.

All the other Youth Division teams were involved in the various leagues' State Cup competitions.  The Under 15's, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", played an away match at Hapoel Jerusalem and won 0-1 to advance to the next round. Neil Goldberg (brother of Maccabi Under-19 defender Shaun) scored the match's only goal. Under-15 Team 2 also played a Cup tie away and finished with a ticket to the next round. Head coach Haim Siton's youngsters made the short trip to Holon and once there overwhelmed their opponents, Holon FC "Otzma", 0-8. Two other Maccabi Youth Division teams to advance in the Cup competitions for their age group were Under-14 Team South, who beat Hapoel Jerusalem 5-0, and Under-13 Team South, who left their opponents Hapoel Herzliya completely in their shadow by a remarkable 24-0.

Maccabi's Under-13 Team North were alone in playing a home tie but they too proved far too good for their opponents, beating Maccabi Yehud 8-0. Both of Maccabi's Under-10 teams, North and South, also advanced to the next round of their Cup competitions. The rest of the Youth Division teams had the week-end off.  

On a Saturday of both league and Cup ties, all ...

Israel's national Under-17 team finished off their campaign in the qualifying rounds of the European championships with a resounding 8-0 victory over Lichtenstein at the National Stadium in Ramat Gan. Seven of those eight goals were scored by Maccabi Tel Aviv's young stars: five by striker Raz Itzhak (4', 28', 29', 33', 62') and a brace by midfielder Eilon Yerushalmi (15', 78'). The eighth goal was scored by Ashdod FC midfielder Eden Hershkovich three minutes into the second half. As impressive as this display was, it failed to catapult head coach Ofer Fabian's youngsters into the elite round of the competition. Fellow group 3 contenders France beat the Czech Republic 3-0 to top the group with seven points, one point ahead of the second-placed Czechs and three points ahead of Israel, who finished third after losing to the Czechs and drawing with France.

Israel's national Under-17 squad: goalkeeper – Tamir Lalo (Maccabi Tel Aviv); defenders – Shay Ben David (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Daniel Bosi (Bnei Yehuda), Itzik Shulmeister (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Asaf Levi (Maccabi Petah Tikva); midfielders – Rani Hamza (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Eden Hershkovich (Ashdod FC), Dor Galili (Ashdod FC), Eilon Yerushalmi (Maccabi Tel Aviv); forwards – Aviyahu Ezer (Maccabi Petah Tikva), Raz Itzhak (Maccabi Tel Aviv)

Substitutions: midfielder Ofek Maron (Beitar Tubruk, 41'), defender Noam Gamon (Hapoel Beer Sheva, 52'), midfielder Eitan Waldblum (Maccabi Haifa, 60')

Photograph courtesy of the Israel Football Association website

Israel's national Under-17 team finished off their campaign in ...

With Israel's Under-17s on international duty, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-16s made week-end headlines by maintaining their hold at the top of their table with a sixth victory in six league matches

Three matches at Kiryat Ono and three more at Hapoel Tel Aviv's Wolfson training ground – these were just part of the programme Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division faced this past Saturday. In addition to Maccabi's Under-19s victory 3-1 over Maccabi Netanya, twelve other Youth Division matches were played on Saturday resulting in nine wins, two losses and one draw. The headline result was that of the Under-16s, who continued to enjoy a successful start to their new season by overwhelming Ashdod FC by a score of 7-1 at the Kiryat Shalom training ground, bringing their points total this season to a perfect 18 from six encounters.  Omer Lakau finished the match after putting four balls into the Ashdod net, with Itai Fibnick, Shai Golan and Ofri Mashata providing the other three. Next week, the Under-16s will set out for the "match of the season" against Hapoel Beer Sheva, who much like Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" have had a perfect record so far this season, albeit with a less impressive goal difference.

The Under-15s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", beat Hapoel Kiryat Ono away 0-2 courtesy of goals by Ejjy Haford and Oriel Tisuna. The victory brings their season points total to eleven, with three wins and two draws, two points behind the leaders of their league table Hapoel Rishon Lezion. Next week the two teams will meet at Kiryat Shalom. Maccabi's Under-15 Team 2 travelled to "Hatsfoni" Park to face Hapoel Ra'anana and returned with an impressive 0-3 victory. Much like their two Under-15 counterparts, both of Maccabi's Under-14 teams registered wins on Saturday. Team South beat Ashdod FC 4-0 at Kiryat Shalom courtesy of goals by Amit Zolicha, Gal Porat and a brace by Tal Daon. Team North beat Hapoel Kfar Saba 1-2 at their "Levita" facility.

With one very junior exception, Maccabi's Under-13 teams proved to be the most prolific of all the Youth Division teams, scoring eight goals each in their Saturday encounters. Team South overpowered Hapoel Kiryat Ono 0-8 and are now sharing their league table summit with municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv, having taken full points from their first three league matches. Team North hosted Beitar Haifa at Kiryat Shalom and they too scored eight goals while conceding just one. Under-12 Team South lost 6-5 away to Hapoel Kiryat Ono but Team North won 4-1 at home against Section Nes Ziona. Finally, Maccabi Tel Aviv's youngest competitors all played derby matches at municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv's Wolfson training ground. The Under-11 Team North topped the Youth Division's week-end goal scorers, putting 17 past their Hapoel adversaries while conceding six. Team South were not so fortunate, losing 9-5. Maccabi's Under-10 Team South also had a derby day and finished level at seven goals apiece.  

With Israel's Under-17s on international duty, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-16s made week-end ...

This Saturday, Youth Division league competition holds out a whole host of interesting matches for Maccabi Tel Aviv's younger players: The Under-19s against Maccabi Netanya, two matches in Kiryat Ono and three derby ties at Hapoel Tel Aviv's Wolfson training ground

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19s will round off an intensive week of competitive play on Saturday at 11.30am with a home tie against Maccabi Netanya at the Kiryat Shalom training ground. The visitors go into the match with five points, two less than Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar". In the two teams' last encounter, the penultimate match of the 2012/13 season, Maccabi Tel Aviv won 0-3 in Netanya courtesy of goals by defenders Guy Aviv and Sean Goldberg and a Maccabi Netanya own goal. Due to the national Israeli Under-17 team's participation in the European championship qualifiers, Maccabi's Under-17s have their second consecutive Saturday off.

At 8.30am on Saturday Maccabi's Under-16s, who have harvested all fifteen points from their first five matches of the new season, will play host at Kiryat Shalom to Ashdod FC. In their last match, Maccabi "Eli Fuchs" scored an astounding 13 goals to no reply away at Beitar Beer Sheva while Ashdod lost their first match of the season 1-2 to Hapoel Beer Sheva. Maccabi's Under-15s will travel to Bikat Ono at 8.30am to face Hapoel Kiryat Ono, who have collected just one point from their first four league ties. In their last match, Maccabi Under-15 head coach Shlomi Mitelka's lads beat Hapoel Beer Sheva 4-2, bringing their points total to eight this season, just two points off the pace. The Under-15 Team 2 will travel to Ra'anana's "Hatsfoni" Park at 12pm to face Hapoel Ra'anana.

In matchweek three of the national Under-14 league Central District, Maccabi's Team South will host Ashdod FC at Kiryat Shalom at 10.30am, having one win and one draw from their first two matches. Team North will travel to "Levita" training complex in Kfar Saba to face Hapoel Kfar Saba at 9am. Maccabi's Under-13 Team South, with two wins in their first two matches, hope to keep apace at the top of their league table after their visit to Hapoel Kiryat Ono at 1.50pm. Team North will host Beitar Haifa on the synthetic pitch at Kiryat Shalom at 12.30pm.

Other fixtures:

Under-12 Team South (Maccabi "Leibo") will host Section Nes Tsiona at Kiryat Shalom's synthetic pitch at 8.30pm.

Under-12 Team North will travel to Hapoel Kiryat Ono at 10.15am.

Under-11 Teams North(10am) and South (1pm) will both be playing derby matches away against Hapoel Tel Aviv at their Wolfson training ground. In between at 11.30am, the Maccabi Under-10 Team South will also be hosted by their municipal rivals.

This Saturday, Youth Division league competition holds out a whole host of ...

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-16s maintained their perfect start five matchweeks into the new season. The Under-15s overturned a deficit to win at home

After winning the Tel Aviv derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv last week, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-17s enjoyed a well-deserved rest on Saturday perched atop of their table after four victories in as many games. Next week will also be a rest day for the lads and they will return in a fortnight to play away at Hapoel Kfar Saba. Meanwhile "Eli Fuchs", Maccabi's Under-16s, also maintained a perfect start to the season after handsomely beating Beitar Beer Sheva 0-13 away. Roy Ronen, who scored last week for the Under-17s, netted four goals in this match, adding to Ittimar Shaviro's hat-trick. Individual efforts from Guy Shetach, Shai Golan, Ron Gabai, Salame Abed al Salaam, Amit Cohen and an own goal from Beer Sheva's Yugav Ankori brought the scoring to the dizzying total of thirteen. Five matches into the season, Maccabi's Under-16s still remain unbeaten with 15 points to their credit.

Maccabi's Under-15s stayed two points adrift from the top of their table with a 4-2 home win against Hapoel Beer Sheva. This second league victory joins two draws to give the Under-15s a total of 8 points, placing them seventh in a tightly contested league. Edji Haford  and Ilan Almog each scored braces and transformed an early 1-2 deficit into a triumph . The Under-14s were the only team in the entire Maccabi Youth Division to lose on Saturday, a 1-0 defeat in a derby at Wolfson training ground to municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv in their second match of the new season. The Under-13s beat their counterparts from Ramat Hasharon 2-0 at the Kiryat Shalom training ground and after hauling six points from their first two league matches hold on to third place in their league table.

Next Saturday Maccabi's Under-16s will host at the Kiryat Shalom training ground Ashdod FC, who dropped their first points of the season this week-end. Immediately following the match, the Under-14s of the same two clubs will face one another on the very same pitch. Maccabi's Under-15s will play away to Hapoel Kiryat Ono, with the Under-13s following in their footsteps for the second match of the day. Last but by no means least, Maccabi's Under-12s will be first up at Kiryat Shalom to face their age-mates from Section Nes Tsiona. 

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-16s maintained their perfect start five matchweeks into the ...