Category: Youth Teams

Claudio Braga appointed as Academy Director

Posted on

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC is happy to announce the appointment of Claudio Braga as Youth Academy Director. 

Braga, (46) who spent the majority of his coaching career in Holland and Portugal has been working last season as the Technical Manager at United Arab Emirates side Al Wahda FC.

Braga, who will join Maccabi’s U-19 team at their pre-season training camp in Bulgaria, told the club’s official website: “I am delighted to be joining the biggest and best club in Israel, a club with such a rich history. I Have a very strong ambition and great motivation to continue the vision of the Academy – to help develop our young talents all the way into first team. I can’t wait to begin my new job and I really feel proud to be joining the Maccabi family”.

Barak Itzhaki, Maccabi’s Head of the Football Department, added: “We are delighted to welcome Claudio to Maccabi as our Youth Academy director. Claudio has been responsible for the development of young players at major European academies for the last decade. Maccabi’s Youth Academy aspires to continue producing the next generation of players for the club and Israeli football. We are confident that the experience he gained managing academies and coaching both in Holland and Portugal will benefit the important process of developing players and professional staff at Maccabi’s academy.”

Braga, began his coaching career at the Youth Academies of leading Dutch clubs such as Excelsior (1998-01), Sparta Rotterdam (2001-04), Feyenoord (2004-06), PSV Eindhoven (2010-13) and Utrecht (2013-14).

During the 2009/10 season, Braga, was appointed as Assistant coach at Vitoria Setubal of the Portuguese top flight and after several years in Holland returned to his native country in 2014/15 as the coach of second division side Santa Clara. An appointment as VV Nieuwerkerk’s Academy Director and first team coach took Braga back to Holland in 2015 before he joining Fortuna Sittard two years later and guiding them to promotion to the top Dutch division.

In 2018/19 Braga returned to Portugal once again as the coach of first division side Maritimo before leaving to Holland for the same role at second division side FC Dordrecht. United Arab Emirates became the third country Braga had worked at taking on the role as Technical Manager at Al Wahda FC in 2020.

Omer Fruchtman joins Maccabio Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’

Posted on

The 2020/21 season at Youth levels is reaching it’s final stages as the preparations of the Youth Academy are well underway. Omer Fruchtman, a 17-year-old striker, who was part of the Israel young national teams, signed at the weekend.

Fruchtman, will now join the Youth Academy as part of Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shahar’ U-19’s side.

Under 10’s win Passover tournament

Posted on

The Passover tournament was staged this morning (Monday) at the North pitch of the Youth Academy at the University compound.

The tournament was held for the 2011 age groups as Maccabi and Macccabi Haifa sent two teams each. The tournament was won by the Maccabi North team that lifted the Cup while the Maccabi South that is based at Kiryat Shalom finished in 3rd place.

At the preliminary round both of Maccabi’s team played against the two Haifa sides wit the the winner of each match advancing to the final while the losing teams competed for 3rd spot.

The Maccabi side that is based at the University compound beat their Haifa counterparts in the first game as well as the second Haifa team in the final to win the four-team Passover tournament.
Maccabi South which is based at the Avi Cohen training complex in Kiryat Shalom, were beaten in the first match but managed to finish 3rd after winning their second encounter against the Haifaites.

The University compound will stage another tournament on Thursday, this time for the 2008 age group where Maccabi North & South will play against Hapoel Ramat Gan and Beitar Tubruk.

Keeping the momentum: Maccabi ‘Shahar’ beat Netanya 3-1

Posted on

Maccabi ‘Shahar’ stretched their run to four successive league victories following a 3-1 win over Maccabi Netanya at Nes Ziona. The victory keeps Eliezer Ben Aharon’s side in second place with 25 points, neck and neck with the leaders that have a game in hand.

After several missed chances, Maccabi took the lead a minute before the interval at the end of a team effort and a counter attack that began deep in defence. At the end of the move, Rotem Yatzakar’s through ball found Roizman who sent a delicate chip that bounced in off the underside of the crossbar.
With a 1-0 lead at halftime, Yatzkar and Roizman were at the centre of this five minutes after the restart as Novatus Miroshi won a challenge near the halfway line before Yatzkar sent it to Yalli Lazar whose cross was volleyed home by Roizman to double the lead.
Netanya cut the deficit two minutes later as Eyal Abadi beat Tomer Alon with a spectacular shot from the edge of the area.
But right on the hour mark Roizman completed his hat-trick with Lazar once again providing the cross that was headed in to seal the victory.

Maccabi ‘Shahar’ Tel Aviv: Tomer Alon, Ilay Tomer, Itai Ben Hamo, Mikel Mor, Roy Revivo (Shon Edri 84), Niv Berkovitz (Yonatan Portogez 84), Novatus Miroshi, Rotem Yatzkar (Elad Kaplan 70), Yalli Lazar (Anar Ushmandi 80), Or Roizman (Orel Azarzar 84), Dor Turgema

We are back: The Youth Academy resumed training

Posted on

The Youth Academy resumed their activity yesterday (Sunday) after an almost two months break. Until training was resumed, the players worked from home on a regular basis according to a detailed schedule they received from the coaching staff, with the aim of preparing the players in an ultimate way for the return to training and league action.

The training sessions which took place yesterday were structured taking into consideration of the long break the players experienced an accordance of the training regime they had at home. As of now, the league matches are set to resume during March.

Matan Hozez in a lecture to the Youth Academy

Posted on

While the Professionals Football Leagues resumed training, the Youth Departments across the country are still not allowed to return to action. In the meantime, the club’s Youth Academy continues to hold activities for the players and staff members off the pitch.

After a range of special lectures recently, Maccabi’s first team player, Matan Hozez, who graduated from the Youth Academy shared his experiences. Hozez told the players of his journey in the Youth Academy, through to the youth team as well as his loan periods and return to the first team. Hozez shared his experiences, disappointments, success and the way in which he dealt with the hardships.

Broadening horizions: A lecture by Shakhtar Donetsk’s U-19 coach

Posted on

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Youth Academy continues to create content for its’ players and staff members during lockdown. The aim is to continue the development of both players and staff members until they return to play football.

In terms of coaching staff, the Academy holds regular internal online enrichment sessions. At the same time, the Youth Academy continues strengtheing it’s international contacts as we create collaboration with various clubs from across the world. Shakhtar Donetsk Under 19 coach Oskar Ratulutra shared in detail both his coaching methods
and the way in which Shakhtar plays at U-19 and U21 levels.
  
The lecture was attended by the Youth Academy’s coaching staff as well as the coaches who attended last Friday’s professional webinar. Ma’ayan Maimon, Hapoel Be’ersheva’s U-15’s assistant coach who attended both the webinar and the lecture, shared her thoughts about the Academy’s activities: “The lecture was brilliant. Such lectures and sharing of cross boarders information, is contributing for Israeli coaches, to the broadening of our horizons. When you get exposed to clubs of such calibre, which has a blue print on his working methods, one could acquire the knowledge and draw the conclusions about us. There are certain things which confirm to us that we are doing the right things here in Israel, and there are also things which upgrade our knowledge and exisiting coaching skills”.

“The coach presented in a very clear and detailed way their coaching methods. The main emphasis was on the development of the attacking game. He touched on both technical and tactical issues in a very detailed manner. In recent years, a lot of the emphasis in the coaching of Israeli coaches was focused on defensive tactical discipline and defensive concepts. In my opinion, the attacking approach was left behind. For the first time, I was exposed to a detailed attacking approach with all its components.

It was fascinating to see how they disect the attacking method to every component and drill it in training. Even drills I was aware of, I managed to get updated on as well as receive a new empahsis I never heard of before. Personally, I would love to be exposed to as many enriching contents like that in the future”.

Youth Academy activity during lockdown

Posted on

The Youth Academy’s coaching staff enjoyed internal meetings online with senior professionals from all across the world. As for the players, the Youth Academy set-up activities online to ensure they have daily training sessions. In addition, the players enjoyed daily lectures from the academy’s professional staff: Mental coach, Dietitian,  Analysts, Media, Coaching staff as well as online meetings with first team players.

The activities set up for Youth Academy’s coaching staff included:
Sparta Rotterdam’s U-23 coach Ruben den Uil – spoke of his club’s philosophy in terms of training methodology, matches, coaching staff, analysts, scouting department as well as the connection to the senior side.

Israel Kakun, Maccabi’s first team analyst – spoke about the philosophy of his work.

Danny Cowley, former manager of Championship side Huddersfield Town, spoke about his work and game philosophy.

The Business Operations Manager at Base Soccer Agency, Doron Salomon, spoke of his connections with players across the world both male and female, about his firm’s scouting methods, treating young players and dealing with their parents.

Dion van Meerten, who previously was a coach at Den Haag and lectures at Cairo American College (Sports Academy) – shared his training philosophy, creativity as a coach as well as the importance of a player’s age in terms of scouting.

Excelsior U-21 Manager, Marinus Barendregt, spoke about his club’s philosophy and the way in which they play.

Maccabi’s former Sports Director and Head Coach, Jordi Cruyff, who currently coaches Chinese outfit Shenzen, spoke of his time as a player at the Youth Academies of Ajax and Barcelona, his time playing for Barcelona B’, his move to the first team and his time in management.

Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club, shared his views in managing a team and spoke of topics such as: crisis management in various situations, dealing with top class players, developing young players etc.

Former USA and Egypt national team coach, Bob Bradley, who is currently head coach of MLS side Los Angeles FC shared his philosophy, the way in which players are developed in the US academy. Bradley also shared his experience as the US national team coach during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Two guests from Spain: Former Athletic Bilbao player, Javi González, who is currently assistant coach at the club’s 3rd team together with the Chief of Methodology at the club, Andoni Bombín. The duo focused on the uniqueness of the Basque club, its’ character, the training philosophy and the reasons behind their success in the Youth Department and the way in which they develop players to the first team.

Douglas Wright, Crystal Palace Youth Academy Head of Analysts – spoke of the way in which they work at the club.

Excelsior U-12’s coach, Serge Bonte, who is also the professional manager of the U-10’s and U-12’s at the club – the training methods of young players in technical and physical terms.

The players of Maccabi’s Youth Academy enjoyed special online meetings with members of the academy’s coaching staff. Coaches, fitness coaches, dietitian, mental coach, medical staff, media etc. In addition the young players enjoyed meetings with players from the senior side who told them about their journey in the football. The players who participated in these meetings: Dor Peretz, Dan Glazer, Yonatan Cohen, Avi Rikan, Maor Kandil, Sheran Yeini, Eylon Almog, Daniel Tenenbaum, Daniel Peretz, Etey Shechter, Ofir Davidzada, Eytan Tibi, Dor Turgeman and Ronen Hanzis (who has since been loaned out to Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam), Eduardo Guerrero and Amir Berkovic (who has also been loaned out to Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam).   

Novatus Dismas Miroshi joins the U19’s

Posted on

Miroshi, who played for Azam FC is a member of Tanzania’s U-21 national side, impressed the youth academy’s coaching staff during an impression week at the club and will join the U19’s.

Maccabi’s Performance Director, Patrick Van Leeuwen, told the club’s official website: “Nova is a Tanzanian left footed midfielder who was recommended to our scouting department and we invited him for trials at the start of the season. Sadly, we were unable to hand him a trial for several weeks due to the COVID19 pandemic. Recently however we were able to see him properly and we are under the impression that he is a very interesting player who will be joining our structure at Maccabi”