DOHA // From the other side of the world, Australia's decision to join the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 seemed perverse.
It was geographically and culturally jarring, but the biggest question was this: why would they give up perennial domination of the Oceania confederation for the uncertain prospects of a sprawling continent with several rising football powers?
Now we see why: Australia as an Asian footballing nation have been a huge success.
When other global football powers were honing their skills against rugged continental opposition, Australia were doomed to lopsided matches against New Zealand and tiny Pacific islands.
Lucas Neill, the Australian captain, made his first appearance for the national team in 1996, when the Socceroos were lording it over a wide, watery world.
He strongly prefers the current set-up, and not just because Australia play Uzbekistan tonight in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup.
Moving to Asia "has been very good for us", he said yesterday. "It gives us a lot more competitive games to play.
"It's never easy to go out and play against Fiji and be respected for winning 8-0, 10-0. It's seen us go up in the rankings, it's seen us go to the World Cup."
Australia are ranked No 26 in the world and were as high as No 14 two years ago.
"We learned a good lesson in the last Asian Cup, and here we are now on the verge of playing in our first Asian final," Neill said.
"It's a massive confederation, with two thirds of the world in it. And we have the opportunity now to be champions of it. It's good for the game, it's great for our confidence and for raising the bar in the level of performance in our country."
And consider this: Australia will host the 2015 Asian Cup.
"It would be great to be host as the defending champions of Asia," Neill added.
poberjuerge@thenational.ae
8.25pm, Abu Dhabi Sports 7 & 8, Aljazeera Sport 1, 1HD, +4 & +10
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Second ODI
England 322-7 (50 ovs)
India 236 (50 ovs)
England win by 86 runs
Next match: Tuesday, July 17, Headingley
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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Naga
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5