The proverbial yo-yo club may finally have lost their bounce.
Since successive seasons in the UAE top flight between 2006 and 2008, Emirates had lurched between Division One and the country’s premier league, too good for the former but not good enough for the latter.
Then last season they proved what comes up must not necessarily come back down. A 10th-placed finish, a place in the 2014/15 Arabian Gulf League and a platform to establish themselves as regulars among the renowned.
A campaign that began with hope had quickly appeared hopeless, resulting in the dismissal of Eid Baroot, the Ras Al Khaimah native and a former favourite.
The Emirati, who steered Emirates to President’s Cup success in 2010, oversaw a torrid start as his side limped to seven points from their opening nine matches. The local experiment had failed.
So Emirates followed a well-trodden path: they looked to Brazil and appointed Paulo Comelli as coach.
The journeyman manager represented a gamble – he had never worked outside his homeland – but Comelli resolved to "turn the direction of the Emirates first team around".
The fixture list was not particularly accommodating. Tussles with Al Ahli and Al Jazira yielded little, but then a morale-boosting victory against Al Wasl sparked a run that gradually restored confidence and conviction.
Emirates were defeated three times in nine matches and went on to record unlikely triumphs against Jazira and Al Shabab.
Survival had been secured, consecutive campaigns in the top tier sealed. Comelli retained, the club intends to become a permanent fixture, just like they were a decade ago.
Luiz Henrique, the lively Brazilian, spearheads those hopes, although he requires significant support from those around him, chiefly from an all-too-generous defence. At the other end last season, Emirates fared better – they outscored five other teams – but the continued question marks surrounding striker German Herrera’s future means the squad could be deprived of their leading marksman from 2013/14.
There has been disruption at board level, too, with the management this week reportedly handing in their resignation, for reasons unconfirmed. It was promptly rejected.
Emirates have long sought stability and it remains the overriding objective.
FOREIGN SIGNINGS
LUIS HENRIQUE
A shock addition to the club in the summer of 2013, the former Al Shabab midfielder brought experience and ability. Henrique was a mainstay in the league last season, scoring five times, but his contribution should not be measured purely by goals. Quick and still nimble at age 33, the Brazilian supplies his side with an inventive streak. An intelligent player.
RODRIGO
An all-action attacking midfielder, the Brazilian has impressed in spurts at a succession of UAE clubs. Formerly at Al Shaab and then Al Dhafra, Rodrigo qualifies as Asian since he obtained an East Timor passport. Was among the goals at previous sides, but struggled last season and scored only three times in 25 league matches. Experienced, he adds some sought-after know-how in the fight for survival.
YOUSSEF KADDIOUI
Signed this summer from Al Kharaitiyat, a club in the Qatar Stars League, the Moroccan winger brings pace and a creative spark to his new side. His physicality is a worry – he stands 162.5 centimetres – although he performed well at Kharaitiyat and his goals helped the Al-Khor club narrowly avoid relegation. Knows the region, so the transition should be smooth.
ISSAM ERRAKI
Something of a rarity, as UAE clubs usually opt for attack-minded foreign players, the Moroccan is a defensive midfielder signed this summer from Raja Casablanca. At 33 years old, he boasts considerable experience, can be deployed further back and adds a tenacity that will make the team more resolute. He was called into Morocco’s squad last January for the 2014 African Cup of Nations.
GERMAN HERRERA
Considered the most dispensable of Emirates’ foreign contingent, the Argentina striker did finally show glimpses of his talent during 2013/14. In his first year at the club, Herrera disappointed and suspicions emerged regarding his commitment but 14 league goals last season temporarily allayed those concerns. Not the most mobile of frontmen, Emirates seem set to let him go.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at SprtNationalUAE
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
WWE TLC results
Asuka won the SmackDown Women's title in a TLC triple threat with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
Dean Ambrose won the Intercontinental title against Seth Rollins
Daniel Bryan retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles
Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women's Championship against Nia Jax
Rey Mysterio beat Randy Orton in a chairs match
Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre
Natalya beat Ruby Riott in a tables match
Braun Strowman beat Baron Corbin in a TLC match
Sheamus and Cesaro retained the SmackDown Tag Titles against The Usos and New Day
R-Truth and Carmella won the Mixed Match Challenge by beating Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox
Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
