Maccabi Tel Aviv’s First Team and Youth Department have a very close multi-dimensional relationship across many areas. They work closely together on various programs including enrichment lectures that are given to the department’s youth. This evening, Maccabi’s defensive midfielder Gal Alberman spoke to the Under-16 & Under-17 teams about professionalism and being a winner.
The presentation took place at the Kiryat Shalom Training Facility where the veteran player spoke about his career so far as a footballer. The lecture, which lasted an hour was also attended by the Youth Department Director Nir Levin as well as the Under-17 coach Ori Uzan and Under-16 coaches Eliezer Ben Aharon and Gady Brumer.
Here are some of the issues presented by the Yellow-and-Blue #6:
The importance of learning while becoming a footballer
“The importance of learning during the training sessions is enormous. The deep desire to learn and advance is especially crucial at this age. Investing time and effort during training, working on aspects that one is weak at is critical. You may feel that you are good enough at certain things but when you get closer and closer to the First Team you’ll feel that the level of difficulty will continue to rise. These are the most critical points of a footballers’s career and you have to give your utmost when your opportunity arises so that you won’t regret not having developed yourself properly. The way up is very hard and there are many small steps to take, the way down is much, much shorter.”
How modern football has changed
“You must be much more intelligent and aware in today’s football. The differences in agility and speed may come down to a split second. The more you are aware of your position on the pitch and you make sure that you are in the right spots to receive the ball as well as knowing where the opponent is, will all be very helpful to you. Today’s football has moved into high gear. Football of the past had much more space and more room for talents to put on a show. Today there is very little room for players who don’t work very hard on the pitch and give it the maximum. You have to think before you get the ball.”
Being unique
“My career was built on making the players around me better. This season I’ve scored one goal and last year I don’t think I even had one. The help I gave to my teammates made me the player I am today. I enjoy and appreciate what I do even if I don’t score.”
