Now at the age of the traditional Jewish Bar Mitzvah, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-14s are working hard to improve their game, with just four teams separating them from the senior squad
Class of: 2000
League: Under-14 Central District
Head coach: Ayal Tzahi
Size of squad: 19 players
About the team:
The Under-14 Team South are a tightly knit squad, with most of the lads having played together for a number of years, including in last year's Under-13 Team South. Only five new players joined the squad at the beginning of this season, along with a brand new head coach. Until joining Maccabi, Ayal Tzahi had spent a number of years at the youth division of municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv and last year coached in the youth division at Maccabi Netanya. The team play in the national Under-13 League Central District and after nine league matches occupy the third spot in the table of sixteen Under-13 clubs.
Training regime:
The Under-13 Team South professional staff hold four practices each week (Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) in preparation for the team's Saturday matches. The squad are also provided with two enrichment trainings each week, both lasting 45 minutes, during which the players invest additional time in improving their technical abilities. In order to provide the youngsters with more personal attention at these practices, the professional staff enable each player to train in a number of areas with a limited number of teammates in each area. In addition to head coach Ayal Tzahi and his assistant Israel Kakkon, these practices are also attended by Dudi Aharonov, professional director of the middle teams of the Youth Division: The Under-13s through the Under-15s.
Team objectives:
The goals of the Under-13 Team South are identical to those of the entire Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division: "To improve the performance of young football players and provide them with the tools they need to further their footballing careers". Coaches Tzahi and Kakkon explain: "Every team at Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division have very clear objectives. Our goals are first and foremost in the area of team play, to have the team playing in accordance with the principles of the Division as laid down by the Director of Football Nir Levin. At this age individual achievement plays no role and is not emphasised on the pitch, just the manner of playing".
Squad members:
Goalkeepers – Ehud Elisha, Aharon Syanov
Defenders – Roy Harush,, Tomer Machluf, Assaf Sapir, Uri Ben Yehezkiel, Alon Strosberg, Bar Levi.
Midfielders – Niv Abutbul, Adir Hardon, Raz Levi, Roi Alon, Raz Hadar, Amit Zolicha, Amit Mordechaiev, Aviv Rotman
Strikers – Leon Gardshuv, Tal Da'on, Gal Porat
