Trevor Racke is targeting silverware after being appointed co-manager of Team GB’s Open Women’s Football squad at the 20th Maccabiah Games in 2017.

Racke will spearhead the group alongside Arthur Duke and said: "We intend to prepare our squad with the very best of our ability and to work with quality coaches and fitness coaches that will bring the very best out of our Women’s team.

"We will train hard and play hard and do our very best to make Team GB and all the Maccabiah competitors proud of our endeavours. We want to come back with silverware and we will give 100 per cent effort to achieve this."

Both managers have spent a considerable amount of time plying their trade in Jewish Football. At the age of 14, Duke began playing for Maccabi Association London (MAL) before setting up, and playing, for HGS at U16 level in the AJY league. His first venture into the Maccabi Southern Football League (now MGBSFL) playing Men’s Football was for Ashlodge, followed by stints at West Coast Armadillos and Hillgar Athletic before returning to MAL.

This season, as player-manager, he led Maccabi London Lions to the over-43's MMFL title, where they won all 14 matches. Duke has also represented the Maccabi Masters Football League several times on their Israel Tours. He has tasted medal success with Team GB when he represented the Masters 45+ Football Team at the Pan American Maccabi Games in 2007, when they returned with bronze.

Duke said: "Having been to Israel more than 40 times, and having been involved in Jewish football since the age of 14, this will undoubtedly be the highlight of my sporting career.

"I am both honoured and excited to have been appointed to co-manage together with Trevor. We are both looking forward to participating in an unforgettable spiritual, sporting and cultural experience and hopefully coming home with a medal."

Racke represented Oakwood FC, Gotham City FC and Brady Maccabi, the latter of which he wore the shirt for nearly 10 years.
For the last decade he has been involved in managing youth teams from U9’s through to his current role overseeing one of the Brady Maccabi U18’s sides. Whilst at Maccabi London Lions their U13’s team won the ‘Jewish Cup’ up at Oldham FC and, more recently, the U15’s won promotion to the second tier of the Watford Friendly League.

He spoke about the importance of representing Anglo-Jewry and his aims for the side in Israel. He said: "To represent your country and Community can only be described as an awesome feeling and one that Arthur and I will carry out with great pride.

"With the Maccabiah Games being held in Israel and carrying both the flags of Great Britain and Judaism on our shoulders, plus the support of the whole Community both in the UK and in Israel, the whole experience will be one that I will relish. It’s an opportunity I would not want to have missed."