The youth team players celebrate qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Cup (Photo: Israel Football Association)
Watch the recap of the victory over Brazil - courtesy of the Israel Broadcasting Corporation here
For the second consecutive summer, the entire State of Israel has been captivated by the youth team and its coach, Ofir Haim. If at last year's Under-19 Euros most of the players were completely anonymous, the same tournament helped quite a few players break through this past season. Oskar Gloch, who in the months leading up to the Euros got a chance at Maccabi Tel Aviv, found himself in January in the ranks of well-known talent developer Red Bull Salzburg of Austria. Eli Madmon found himself on loan to Beitar Jerusalem but did not get too many minutes, Ariel Lugasi was a player in Maccabi Petah Tikva and Or Israelov and Stav Lemkin established themselves as defenders for Hapoel Tel Aviv. Al-Yam Kanzpolski also became a significant part of the Reds' rotation, and Thai Abed continued in PSV Eindhoven's youth team and became a name that quite a few Israeli football fans began to memorize.
The big question about the current team, which has reached a higher peak this time, is how much of an impact it has on the players' careers, when it looks like the minor plans for some of them are about to change.
Maccabi Tel Aviv will have to take it into account. Roy Revivo (Photo: Reuters)
Tomer Sarfati was destined to serve as Maccabi Netanya's assistant goalkeeper, but no one will be surprised if, after such a tournament, owner Eyal Segal marks him as a potential for the next "exit" and runs him much more than planned. Ilai Feingold is expected to be the starting defender for Hapoel Afula of the National League. Hapoel Tel Aviv would be happy if Lemkin and Israelov were the starting defenders in the team, but Lemkin has a release clause of 750,000 euros, while Israelov has a clause twice as high. Hapoel Tel Aviv understands that these are low sums for teams abroad that want to invest in future players, and it is very possible that they will lose the two - or at least one of them - to a team abroad.Roy Revivo, who was loaned to Hapoel Jerusalem, was planned to return to Maccabi Tel Aviv for the start of training, but it seems that Ben Mansford and the coach who will be on the sidelines for the upcoming season in Kiryat Shalom will have to seriously think about the option that Revivo Junior will fight for a place in the lineup.
Eli Madmon was supposed to go on loan from Hapoel Be'er Sheva, and it will be interesting to see if Elinav Barda will change his mind following the excellent tournament recorded by the back midfielder.
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Appears in many notepads. To the Kanzpolsky Sea (Photo by Getty Images, Eurasia Sport Images)
Kanzpolski is aiming abroad and it is very possible that the current tournament will indeed give him the opportunity. Quite a few MLS scouts are in Argentina, and Kanzpolsky's name, according to sources familiar with American soccer, has entered quite a few ledgers of teams from the United States. Ran Binyamin will get more minutes at Hapoel Tel Aviv, while Roy Nawi is also expected to arrive in an upgraded position to promote Maccabi Tel Aviv's season.
Abed belongs to PSV, but quite a few teams in Europe have signed the player and may acquire him in order to include him in the seniors in the upcoming season. Hamza Shibli was planned to remain in Maccabi Haifa's youth team until at least January, but his ability in the World Cup led to him opening training with the seniors and only after the pre-season will a decision be made about him. Ahmed Salman, who escaped harsh criticism for missing his penalty, was already supposed to take a place in Maccabi Netanya's lineup in recent months and found it difficult to do so. The player, who was acquired as a big promise by Eyal Segal, will also try to fit into the Diamonds' 11 this season.
The hottest name. Dor Turgeman (Photo by Getty Images, Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images)
Omer Senior will continue at Hapoel Tel Aviv unless something dramatic happens, and Anan Halaili, according to Maccabi Haifa's decision, will start the season in the ranks of the champions and should be part of the squad for the upcoming season. Haifa were impressed - and perhaps even surprised - by Khalili's ability, but the one who was not surprised is new coach Masai, who will be given free rein to "bet" on the young striker and give him many minutes, if he chooses you.
The team's hottest name is undoubtedly that of Dor Turgeman, scorer of the third goal in the big win over Brazil. The player was flagged even before the tournament by the Portuguese luxury team Benfica, but after the World Cup, and especially in light of his tremendous goal last night, many scouts marked him and it seems that Maccabi Tel Aviv, which wants to extend his contract, will have to "settle" for another sale for a very high sum to a team in Europe, as they did in the case of Oscar Gloch.
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