Daniel Reuben and Andrew Myers are driven by success – and they are hoping to emulate the achievements of the Team Maccabi GB Football over-45’s squad who won Maccabiah gold in Israel in 2009.
June 6, 2017 14:36
With their preparations almost complete, the pair reflected on their squad, which is made up of a number of talented and committed Jewish footballers that have yet to compete at a Maccabiah Games. They are coached by ex-professional footballers Steve Grenfell and Tibor Kukan.
Reuben said, “We have a great bunch of boys with immense ability and we are confident that every player can and will play a major part of our success in Israel.
“We look forward to having a great time both on and off the pitch – it will be a full and immersive Maccabiah experience for our guys, especially with some of them having their kids taking part in junior teams.”
These Games will be extra special for a number of the players, with some of their children competing in the respective GB Junior squads.
A former captain of Wingate & Finchley, Myers remarked: “We were determined to reach as many potential players as possible and leave no stone unturned in the selection process.
“Accordingly, we believe we have selected a balanced squad comprising of players that have never been to a Maccabiah alongside players that have been there and got the T shirt - one player still has kit from when he first appeared in the 1960s.”
Giving his thoughts on the aims for the squad, Reuben continued: “As anyone who has been will tell you, participating at a Maccabiah is a fantastic experience on many different levels.
“Andrew and I have endeavoured to create a professional and enjoyable environment for the squad both on and off the pitch throughout the build-up and our time in Israel.
“We have been very fortunate to have been part of special experiences at a number of Maccabiah Games and understand what it takes to have a successful and memorable time.”
SQUAD:
Michael Abraham
Gideon Barnett
Laurence Beck
Paul Buxton
Richard Buxton
Daniel Gordon
Peter Lazard
Bradley Lazarus
Bradley Lee
Kevin Lotzof
Max Radford
Jonathan Rayner
Danny Schweiger
James Temple
Mark Wagman
Joint-managers: Andrew Myers and Daniel Reuben
Coach: Steve Grenfell