ByDanny Caro, Danny Caro
He helped secure the 2012 Olympics and resurrected an ailing 2018 World Cup bid — so what chance that David Beckham becomes the saviour of the Jewish football season?
With the bad weather showing no sign of letting up and MSFL matches falling by the wayside, putting the season in turmoil, the majority of players, managers and officials have hit rock bottom.
But it dawned on me the other day, following a conversation with Darren Yarlett, coach of London Lions and North West Neasden, that not all is lost. All Maccabi League teams should club together and buy the David Beckham Academy. The Greenwich venue recently went up for sale and with two full-size indoor 3g pitches, it could be a lifesaver as even outdoor all-weather surfaces have been unplayable in recent weeks. If anyone can provide some divine intervention, Beckham can: Jewish grandfather, Star of David tattoo and all that.
Two other interesting ideas have come out of it. The first, suggested by Jonny Davis, chairman of South Manchester Maccabi, is that all divisions are wiped and we restart the league each team playing the other once. That way, no cup competitions would be lost
Another, aimed at preventing clubs from folding, is to have a transfer system that allows squad players or those returning from injury to play for another team for a week or month. This sensible system is replicated in the Maccabi Masters League whereby players who do not have a match are able to loan out for a match.
My feeling is that for now, the league should suspend all cup competitions and prioritise the league as, at the end of the day, that is the bread and butter.
London Lions manager Tony Gold has seen the good and bad side of the fixture backlog.
With the team lying second in the Herts Senior County League, he said: “Obviously it’s very frustrating. If this continues we will have a situation where we will be playing Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday towards the end of the season which as you know is not ideal.
“The only benefit from all this is that it has allowed certain injured players or players carrying injuries to return to fitness.”
Things have got so bad that even London Maccabi Vale’s indoor six-a-side league cricket match was postponed last weekend.
One league that is certain to see some action this week is the Maccabi GB Primary Football League who hold their indoor five-a-side competition for Under 11s and Under 15s. Eleven teams from Hendon Interschools United Blue and White, Brady Maccabi, HMH Blue and Green, Alyth Belsize and Hendon Hawks will battle it out in the Under 11 category while six sides will contest the older age group. HISHU, Alyth Belsize and Hendon Hawks will each field two teams in the Under 15s. The Under 13 tournament takes place on January 24.
Team GB star Matt Stock has been doing his best to avoid the cold snap. Having returned from a spell in France, Stock, who also plays for London Lions and North West Neasden A, is concentrating on his university football at Cambridge where he is a regular for the Blues. He is currently with the team in La Manga for a week’s training and some practice matches.
Word has reached me that North West Neasden are considering setting up a cricket team.
Southgate Harmen have signed Jonny Winton from Zig Zag.