By, Danny Caro
1 min read
ByDanny Caro, Danny Caro
David Pollock says Team GB has unfinished business to attend to after naming an 18-man squad for next year’s Maccabiah Games in Israel.
The Men’s Open football manager has opted to blend youth with experience after selecting nine of the players who represented GB at the 2009 event, where GB took silver after losing in the final on a penalty shoot-out against Argentina.
Several newcomers will feature, including youngsters Declan Green, George Fierstone and Jordan Marks.
Pollock has called up several players who helped GB win gold at the 2011 European Maccabi Games in Vienna in a squad that will be overseen by assistant-manager Bobby Fisher and coach by Michael Stone.
"There is a sense from our senior players that we have unfinished business in Israel," said Pollock.
If our fate is decided by penalties again, I wouldn’t have thought we’d be any better or worse than anyone else at this level
"The squad had a great team spirit in Vienna and the challenge for us is to blend those two factors together.
"To be part of the Team GB Maccabiah party is one of the pinnacles of any Jewish sportsperson and I know how much the boys want to do the country proud.
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For those who have not attended a Maccabiah Games previously, it will be a unique opportunity to be involved in one of the biggest sporting events in the world and, just as importantly, to consolidate their ties with Israel and other Jewish athletes."
Pollock confirmed that a second goalkeeper will link up with the squad, alongside Declan Green. He added: "It's important I have people of the calibre of Bobby Fisher and Michael Stone with me. I know Bobby very well and won the Masters event with him last time. I hold him in the highest regard.
"I want the squad to be the best prepared it can as we won’t know the strength of opposition until we arrive in Israel. It’s about controlling the controllables. We must ensure we are better than everyone else in every department from fitness to set-pieces.
"If our fate is decided by penalties again, I wouldn’t have thought we’d be any better or worse than anyone else at this level. It’s about being mentally strong."