Best Young Defenders in Israel

Discussion in 'Israel' started by Ranger99, Oct 10, 2009.

  1. Ranger99

    Ranger99 New Member

    Oct 12, 2008
    Everyone gets excited about scorers, and we are obviously going to be very solid when it comes to midfielders and especially strikers for the next few years. But what about the defenders?

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    Sahar is just coming up. Golan, Barda and Colautti are 27, 27 and 28, respectively, plus Schechter is just 22 and Itzhaki is 25. There's still hope for Tamuz. We really need just one more guy in addition to Sahar, and one of those 6 guys will be able to fill the one open striker spot.

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    Attacking midfielders include Benayoun at only 29 still, and Assulin is coming up. Buzaglo had an off year, but is a very good talent. Ghadir is a good player. Golasa may be good one day, replacing Benayoun.

    Guys like Vermut and Baruchyan can bring the ball up in a similar fashion that Berkovic used to.

    Kayal and Tamir Cohen will be good defensive midfielders soon, hopefully by the next EURO qualifiers next year.

    Of those 9 guys, 4 should be able to do a good job.

    =============================

    But what about Israel's defenders?

    Ben-Haim is a solid veteran at the age of 27.

    Keinan, Strool, Ziv, Saban and Ben-Dayan are 25, 28, 29, 29 and 30, respectively.

    They are not, however, what will get Israel into the World Cup or Euro'12. They are the kind of players that result in Israel finishing a couple points below qualifications. They don't cost you games, but they don't help you any. I don't mind having one of them on the team as a #4 defender, but when it's 3 of them, the team is going nowhere.

    Well, maybe when Euro explands from 16 teams from 24, they will be good enough, but by then, all of them will retire.

    So who are the young defenders will have going up the system? How good are they? I'd like to have at least 3 guys on par with Ben-Haim, hopefully even better. That would still leave us with mediocre defense when compared to Germany or Holland, but at least it will be decent enough to compete against Greece, Switzerland, Ireland, Ukraine and other second-tier teams.

    Does anyone know the names and the expectations?
     
  2. mfrajman

    mfrajman New Member

    Jul 18, 2006
    Australia
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    I think Keinan is going to be good for the years to come. Another problem with Israel is our inability for our defenders to score goals (besides Ben Dayan today). Quality teams can have other avenues for goals such as defenders in set-pieces, but this is not the case with Israel. Keinan does score sometimes though for Maccabi Haifa.

    In terms of young defenders, there is Rami Gershon, who plays for Standard de Liege in Belgium (however, I don't think he has played for them yet) and the U21 national team. There is also Nir Mansour, who plays in the youth team of Real Madrid and also for the U19 national team.
     
  3. Ranger99

    Ranger99 New Member

    Oct 12, 2008
    That's it?! Two young guys, neither of whom did anything to write home about?

    Gershon is already 21; can't crack a Belgian (!) club and barely cracked the Israel U21 team for a couple of games. Prior to that, he played in Israel's second-tier National League. Damn... I am not excited. I've heard of him, but never considered him a strong NT possibility.

    Nir Mansour gives me more hope because he's in the Real Madrid system at the age of 17, but he's far from being an impact NT player just yet.

    I like him for a while now, but he's the only guy coming down the pipeline.

    Any other names out there?


     
  4. rct2009

    rct2009 Member

    Aug 22, 2006
    NY/Bloomington, IN
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What about Dean Moree (Bnei Yehudah 20 Yrs old), Mark Gorman (Hapoel Petach Tikva 20 yrs old), and Rami Duani (Hapoel Tel Aviv 22 Yrs Old)
     
  5. snowbozo21

    snowbozo21 New Member

    Nov 15, 2006
    Wandering
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    Mori is a talent I guess, Ottman at Haifa is supposed to be good but he hasn't played for the team at all, but yea I can't really think of any really outstanding defenders, it seems like most of our good players prefer to play more offensive positions. Duani is always on the bench for Hapoel so I don't know if he counts.
     
  6. Ranger99

    Ranger99 New Member

    Oct 12, 2008

    That's really too bad because Israel could really use a few good defenders. When Ben-Haim is far and away your best guy and nobody is coming up the pipeline, that's not a good sign. On a truly good team, one that gets out of its group in the WC and actually wins another round or two, a guy like Ben-Haim can start, but there must be 2-3 defenders considerably superior to him.

    All Israel has is Ben-Haim and maybe Keinan if he develops some more. That's two decent defenders. The rest are bench-quality guys on a team that deserves to participate in the WC.
     
  7. MHaifa1913

    MHaifa1913 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Metro
    United States
    Dec 21, 1998
    New York, NY, USA
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Aren't Rami Gershon and Ness Zamir defenders? They must have some potential if the European clubs decided to sign them.
     
  8. mfrajman

    mfrajman New Member

    Jul 18, 2006
    Australia
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    I think Nes is more of a midfielder, isn't he?
     
  9. snowbozo21

    snowbozo21 New Member

    Nov 15, 2006
    Wandering
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    The previous guys is right, Zamir is an offensive minded central midfielder.
     
  10. greenapes02

    greenapes02 New Member

    Apr 21, 2009
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    oh man i cant beleive that you guys want more defense maspik with the defense we dont a strong defense but we do have a strong midfield wich helps control the game and the tempo and help on the defense plus whats it matter if all are defensive players suck when all our players play defense anyway

    we have the talent to make the euro cuz we have fast strong offensive players together with a strong midfield what we do need is a coach that can actually get off the bench and run down the sidelines and just a normal coach and the fact that tyhere considering foriegn coaches is embarassing i vote berkovich
     
  11. David-G

    David-G Member

    Jun 24, 2007
    Miami
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    The fact that we have a good midfield is exactly the problem, because our defense sucks so much our midfield talent is wasted. It's not all due to Kashtan's tactics, though that is definitely a part.

    I don't think we will be qualifying for any tournament as long as we have crappy Ligat Ha'al quality at RB/LB. Most CBs can be competent enough with good positioning knowledge and a good tactical manager. I think players like Keinan, Mori, Maimon can do fine along with of course Ben Haim as long as he's available. But the fullbakcs need to be particularly fast and skilled at the international level, able to turn defense to attack. Saban, Ben Dayan, Ziv (tho he was decent last campaign) just kick the ball upfield whenever they touch it. Benayoun spent most of the last game trying to get the ball out of defense b/c our they were so useless.
     
  12. mfrajman

    mfrajman New Member

    Jul 18, 2006
    Australia
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
  13. Schnorrer

    Schnorrer Member

    May 17, 2005
    Venezuela
    Club:
    Maccabi Tel Aviv FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    Rami Gershon doing a great job for Standard Liege in the game against Panatinaikos
     
  14. greenapes02

    greenapes02 New Member

    Apr 21, 2009
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    the problem your describing(the ball going frfom offense to defense) isnt the defense is fault it the defensive midfielders fault player like kiyal who in my opinion is freat and yadin who also good btw it was kashtans fault
     
  15. greenapes02

    greenapes02 New Member

    Apr 21, 2009
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    . Golasa may be good one day, replacing Benayoun.
    the smartest thing i heard anyone say thank you
     
  16. snowbozo21

    snowbozo21 New Member

    Nov 15, 2006
    Wandering
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    Gershon, Mansour and Mori all have potential to become good defenders. Maimon will move in the summer, I don't think he likes being a backup at Haifa. I think Ghadir would make a great right back, I don't think he'd ever go for it though.

    I also agree with David-G, we need better LB/RB's, our transition from defense to offense consists of kicking the ball up field. Our fullbacks get schooled every game we play. Greenapes is also right, we need to feed the ball to the central midfielders(Kiyal and Natcho) who are good players. We need a coach to tell our defenders when they get the ball not to kick it wherever they want.
     
  17. greenapes02

    greenapes02 New Member

    Apr 21, 2009
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Israel
    Greenapes is also right, we need to feed the ball to the central midfielders(Kiyal and Natcho) who are good players. We need a coach to tell our defenders when they get the ball not to kick it wherever they want.[/QUOTE]

    that coaches is named eyal berkovich get to meet him his a great guy eventhough he has occasional anger probe i.e grabing itzik zohars ball during a game
    but then again whos perfect
     
  18. MHaifa1913

    MHaifa1913 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Metro
    United States
    Dec 21, 1998
    New York, NY, USA
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dekel Keinan is the one who is expected to move this summer. If he does, Maimon can find himself in the starting line-up during preseason and this would preempt a move away from the club.
     

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