The Youth League returns to pitches around the country this Saturday as the future stars of Israeli football including Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv’s will look to capture the league title and State Cup and bring them back to Kiryat Shalom.
Changes Up Top
This past season, Maccabi said goodbye to Nir Levin who was the Youth Department Director for the past nine years. In addition to Levin, coach Ziv Arie also bid adieu following three years in the role. Patrick Van Leeuwen has taken over for Levin and will look to advance Maccabi’s Youth Department to new heights.
Today’s Generation
Many key players ended their tenure last season with Maccabi “Shachar” and that has opened up more places for those who would normally advance to the team and also give more chances to those who are already playing with the club. Let’s take a look at who is continuing with the side from last campaign.
Tomer Altman will be wearing the Captain’s armband and the number 10 shirt as he returned from Serbia where he was part of the Under-17 Israel National Team together with Eylon Almog and Shay Golan. Joining them will be veterans Nadav Amran, Bar Galili, Amit Rosenboim, Ran Vaturi, Eden Kartzev, Amit Shapira, Or Dasa and Mahmoud Awesat who all spent a full year with the Under-17 side.
Younger players who have also featured for the Youth Club are Hen Ozeri, Noam Cohen, Moshe Peleg, Neil Goldberg, Prince Thomas, Yarin Sharabi, Nadav Reuvani, Netanel Peretz, Guni Naor and Ron Zamir.
Yellow & Blue Return
A number of players who played at other clubs last year have returned to the young Yellow & Blue. Dor Galili was loaned to Maccabi Petach Tikva last season, along with Ben Shugel and Guy Shetah who helped in Ramat HaSharon’s promotion back to the top Youth League have all returned to Maccabi “Shachar”. Ron Gabai also comes back to the squad along with keeper Omer Katz who spent the past season with SC Ashdod.
The Near Future
The Yellow & Blue start the 2016/17 campaign when they host Beitar Tubruk at their home stadium in Ramle for the second consecutive season in order to give Maccabi “Shachar” players optimal preparatory conditions for when they move up to the First Team and their pitches.
Some of the most exciting games on the schedule include a Matchday Six Derby when they host Hapoel “Nisanov” Tel Aviv and a Matchday Ten home clash versus Maccabi “Shmuel” Haifa at the Ramle Stadium.
