We English love talking about the weather, and without wanting to sound like Michael Fish, the outlook looks bleak in the short-term at least.
Last season, the Jewish football programme came to a virtual standstill as a result of the cold snap, with very few matches played between November and March.
On Sunday, the entire JC MJSL programme was wiped out by sub-zero temperatures while only three JC MSFL matches went ahead.
The Maccabi Masters and MJFL should be more-or-less unaffected as they have a block booking on 3G pitches. However, no offence to the golden oldies, but I believe that if any Jewish players are to use the artificial surface to get through the bad conditions, then it should be the younger ones. Tuesday night’s London Inter-League Cup match between the Maccabi League and the Turkish Football Federation was also called off with Wingate & Finchley’s Abrahams Stadium pitch covered in snow. The match looks set to be rescheduled for the new year with Maccabi manager Danny Berg getting married in the meantime.
- David Wolff, the JC MSFL chairman, has hit out at reports that the league is set for drastic changes. Writing in his online JC column, Wolff said: “We still are running a strong league with 52 teams in membership and let no-one convince you that anything else is the case.
"I have read in the Jewish News that the league is set for massive changes. As the league’s chairman, I am very surprised to hear of this for I feel sure that I might have known. Any changes are for the teams to decide at a formal meeting and there is nothing on the table of this nature.
"So let me say that this is pure speculation. Our league is operating extremely well at the moment and may well need some fine-tuning but certainly nothing more. In any event, the league has to comply with the FA Standard Code of Rules and any deviation from these would not be permitted."
- Jewventus striker James Moore is recovering from a serious motorbike accident. He underwent eight-and-a-half hour surgery to save a leg that was broken, as well as suffering a broken jaw. Club manager Gabriel John said: "Our thoughts are with James and his family during this time. Jewventus players and officials wish him a full and speedy recovery."
- Jewish schools have performed well in the latest round of sporting events. Barnet South School Sports Partnership have commended Hasmonean, Independent Jewish Day, Menorah for having a three-hour provision Participation figures above the national average. Hasmonean High’s Mordi Weiler and Reuvan Cohen are the latest recipients of the Barnet Adistar.
- This weekend’s top two games, weather permitting of course, sees a Redbridge Jewish Care A entertain North London Raiders A at Fairlop, while London Maccabi Lions Vets entertain a Maccabi Masters Select XI in round three of the Peter Morrison.
- Star of the week goes to none other than Avram Grant. Manchester United might have been missing some big guns in Van Der Saar, Vidic, Rooney and Berbatov but as the saying goes, you can only beat what’s in front of you. And to be fair, no-one could have predicted a 4-0 win for West Ham in Tuesday’s Carling Cup quarter-final.
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