Barcelona starlet in hot water
THE 10 YOUNGSTERS that have caused Fifa to impose a year-long transfer ban on Barcelona for irregularities in their recruitment include Ben Lederman, the first-ever American player to be accepted by the club’s academy, the JC can reveal.
While neither Barcelona or Fifa have named the youngsters involved, Fifa regulations clearly state that EU member countries cannot sign nonEU minors unless his parents have moved to that country for non-football reasons.
Yet in an interview in the New York Times last November, Lederman’s Israeli-born parents, Tammy and Danny, made it clear that they had only moved to Barcelona to advance their son’s career. Danny sold his business, Tammy left behind a thriving real estate agency in California and they had no work visas and could not speak Spanish, they told the newspaper.
Ben Lederman, who turns 14 next month, is an attacking midfielder who joined the Barcelona academy in 2011 and also plays for the US under-14 team. Barcelona are planning to appeal against the ban and it is unclear if Lederman will be allowed to remain in Spain.
But even if he is allowed to stay, statistics show that only eight per cent of Barcelona academy players ever make it into the first team squad, and many of those, including Israel’s Gai Assulin, eventually do not make the grade. Assulin now plays for Hercules in Spain’s second division.
OAKWOOD’S RIC BLANK dreams of emulating Hendon United and has warned cup rivals: We are fearless.
An extra-time winner from Alex Koslover saw them end South Manchester’s treble hopes and set up a Peter Morrison Trophy final against a Hendon team closing in on a domestic clean sweep.
Hendon remain on course to win the MGBSFL Premier Division and face leaders NL Raiders in the Cyril Anekstein Cup final next month.
But Oaks boss Blank declared: “I am immensely proud of all the boys for the character they have shown in recent weeks to come back from poor results and performances.
“Nowwehaveamassivegameagainst Hendon. This is not about them and their treble — this is about us. They like to have things their own way, but we will make sure that doesn’t happen.”
The signs looked ominous early on whenafree-kickfromTobyLevydeceived Dan Cohen and sailed into the net.
Oakwood responded, with Josh Bentley winning a towering header from a corner flicked in by Brad Wine.
From there Oakwood were in control, but they were always kept on their toes by the outstanding Levy.
Alex Davies made three top-class saves before free-scoring defender Sam Jacobson put the hosts in front from a corner.
South levelled when an excellent ball from Levy was volleyed home by Mikael Fogel, but the visitors tired in extra-time and man-of-the-match Wine set up Koslover for the decisive strike.
Blank said: “Two years ago we played South in Manchester and produced a classic 1-0 away performance. This was a totally different affair and showed me how far we’ve come.” South Manchester manager Jody Marks said: “Missing four key players hurt us in the end and on another day we may have snatched it.
“I would like no better team to win it now than our friends at Oakwood and hope they now go one better than they did two years ago against Hendon.
“We started the season with the goal to win our league for an unprecedented third time on the trot and need to pick ourselves up quickly and make sure we finish the season strongly with the double still up for grabs.”