After wringing everything out of a Premier League and international football career that once seemed like it might never happen, Harry Arter has earned a restful retirement.
He moved to Dubai earlier this year with exactly that in mind. But it is not panning out quite as planned.
Instead, he is back playing – as frequently as his body permits – for Precision Football in the third tier of the UAE league structure. And he has an exacting day job, too.
He has a role with Wasserman, the agency who looked after his own interests when he was a player, as well as the likes of Steven Gerrard, John Stones and Federico Valverde.
It took him to Saudi Arabia twice last week. The return trip on the second commute was a red-eye flight, and he needed the caffeine jolt of a cortado to revive him on arrival at Precision’s training centre at Ibn Battuta Mall.
Clearly, the work ethic that characterised the tough-tackling midfielder’s playing style is carrying over into his career after the pro game.
“There’s a lot of good agents,” Arter, 34, said. “There’s a lot of really bad agents, and people that work within football. I’ve seen so many that can have a positive and a negative influence.
“That side of football is my interest, and over the last four or five years I’ve been studying and looking at ways of trying to develop.”
A keenness to carry on playing, a willingness to help mould aspiring pros, plus an enviable contacts book, made Arter an obvious recruit for the Precision mission.
In admittedly very different spheres, the goal of Precision is similar to that Arter once faced with Bournemouth. Namely, to make it to the top league and compete, to play in continental competition, all from a humble starting point.
Precision began as an innovative community football hub, on a car park in a shopping mall. Then Sonny Cobbs, the founder and CEO, was persuaded to start a senior team.
They won promotion in their first season and, perhaps unsurprisingly given their playing squad, are well placed to do similar this season. Arter is playing in the same XI as other ex-Premier League players like Ravel Morrison and Matty Lowton, as well as some talented youngsters.
“It’s a club that is really on the rise,” Arter said. “Sonny’s great. He is really positive and wants to improve as well. The club is going to face moments where there are going to be decisions that are tough because it is such a new club.
“I’ve really enjoyed it, and it's worked really well with what I'm doing away from the pitch. It coincides with what I hope to do in the future.”
Cobbs is glad to have people of Arter’s pedigree on board. “The lads that I have in are a great fit in terms of they want to give back,” Cobbs said.
“They want to help the younger players. These young players, they want to try to move on, and these players are kind of coming to the end of their career and could offer them guidance.”
The project has reunited Arter and Cobbs, 15 years after they played non-league football together at Welling United.
The East London club was in the fifth tier of the English pyramid at the time, and both players aspired to careers in the pro game. Now, each have reached the same point via contrasting routes.
Cobbs called time aged just 23 on a pro career that took in stints at Brighton and Southampton, as well as a brief but eventful spell as an overseas player in Lebanon.
While he set about building a career in coaching that has led to the creation of Precision, Arter went on to play over 200 times for Bournemouth, and get 19 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
All of which is quite the achievement for someone who faced serious injury as a teenager, and had to drop out of league football before bouncing back.
“I played through the majority of the leagues growing up,” Arter said. “I took a big drop down to non-league and that’s where you learn about people.
“It’s not easy because you are kind of cut adrift. That is a difficult journey, even for older players. They can experience injuries or getting released or disappointments later on in their career.
“It’s not easy to deal with sometimes. Even with some of the young lads here, they’ve had journeys where they’ve been at good clubs in England, and they’ve had to drop down levels.
“It is difficult, firstly with confidence. There’s no denying that takes a bit of a hit when you face disappointment and adversity. I feel like I can help players and share my experience. It’s something I really feel strongly about.”
Arter credits Eddie Howe, the now Newcastle United manager who oversaw Bournemouth’s rise through the divisions, for so much of the career he had.
“He was not the person or the manager he is now, but he really had a similar ambition to me in terms of wanting to get to the top,” Arter said of their first meeting in 2010.
“Even though Bournemouth were in [third-tier] League 1, I still had aspirations to get in the Premier League. I shared that with him in what was like an interview. I shared my goals, and his goals and dreams reflected that.
“It was a perfect match. He is someone that was really hard working and had a real passion to develop players. He is someone who shaped my career, who shaped my personality as a person, and someone I’m really grateful to have worked with.”
Arter acknowledges that when he told Howe he foresaw a future in the Premier League, he did not have it in mind that would be with Bournemouth.
But the club went on an unforeseen rise which now sees them sitting comfortably in the top half of England’s top flight.
“The philosophy at the club, particularly then, was for young players to do well and then they sell them to keep the club afloat,” Arter said.
“My ambition was always to get into the team and do well and ultimately get sold, but the club's journey and the club’s rise really matched me personally at the time.
“We rose from League 1 to the Premier League really quickly, so thankfully I didn’t have to leave. It was just an incredible journey.
“A small club like Bournemouth to get to the Premier League without huge finances is so rare. The chances of it happening again are slim, particularly with a group of players that had no Premier League experience.”
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90 1')
Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')
Man of the match: Ilkay Gundogan (Man City)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
2.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner Lamia, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner Jap Al Afreet, Elione Chaves, Irfan Ellahi.
3.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner MH Tawag, Bernardo Pinheiro, Elise Jeanne.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner Skygazer, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.30pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 1,700m
Winner AF Kal Noor, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
5pm Sharjah Marathon (PA) Dh70,000 2,700m
Winner RB Grynade, Bernardo Pinheiro, Eric Lemartinel.
Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 34
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Johnstone, Pickford, Ramsdale
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Godfrey, James, Maguire, Mings, Shaw, Stones, Trippier, Walker, White
Midfielders Bellingham, Henderson, Lingard, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse
Forwards Calvert-Lewin, Foden, Grealish, Greenwood, Kane, Rashford, Saka, Sancho, Sterling, Watkins
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
