ABU DHABI // Abel Braga, the Al Jazira coach, is hoping Bare, his new centre-forward, can buck the trend set by his Brazilian compatriots and fire the Abu Dhabi club to their first Pro League title.
Having made the switch to the capital from the Dubai side Al Ahli on a free transfer in June, Bare, 28, caught the eye on his Jazira debut this week.
He led the forward line as Jazira claimed a 3-2 win over SC Wiener Neustadt in a friendly on their pre-season tour of Austria, and Braga likes what he saw from his new striker.
"Bare was excellent, especially for a player who is only appearing for the team for the first time," Braga said.
"We will play the rest of the season in the same way as in the first season I was here, when we played with an out an out striker.
"This was something that was missing from our team last season with a player like Bare or Fernando Baiano as we had in my first year. We can now play in the same way again."
When Braga left Internacional of Brazil, the then world champion club side, in 2008 to relocate to the UAE capital, he was tasked with bringing a first league crown to Jazira. His master plan has thus far centred around players who have succeeded in his native Brazil, yet results have been mixed.
Baiano does now have a Pro League winner's medal - but that was secured at Al Wahda last season.
After he scored 25 goals while on loan at Jazira in the 2008/09 campaign, Baiano slipped through their grasp and proved to be the difference-maker as their city rivals won the league.
Braga has also been forced to cut his losses on two other expensive Brazilians this summer.
First, he dispensed with Rafael Sobis, a forward who cost the club Dh62 million in 2008, yet has now rejoined former club Internacional following an injury-plagued stint in the Gulf.
And Ricardo Oliviera, who cost a UAE record Dh85m when he arrived last summer, has already made a scoring return at Sao Paolo after being loaned from Jazira for the coming season.
Both Sobis and Oliveira sustained long-term injuries, and their slow recuperation proved to be a source of great frustration for the club's hierarchy.
Braga will have few worries over Bare's ability to adapt to life in the Middle East, however. The striker has played in Asia for the past seven years.
After initially finding success in Japan's J-League, he scored 22 league goals in 37 games for Ahli, his first UAE club, with whom he won the Pro League in 2009. And Bare is well aware of the expectations at his new club.
"I am very happy to be here. When I heard Al Jazira was interested I was pleased because they are a big club," Bare said. "I think we have a good chance to fight for the title. We have a very good coach and I have a good feeling about this team. I think we can do good things."
Jazira will face Rapid Vienna in a friendly on Monday before returning to Abu Dhabi to continue the build up to the new Pro League season.
Their first league game of the season is scheduled to be at home against Al Nasr on the evening of August 26.
@Email:pradley@thenational.ae
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Four%20scenarios%20for%20Ukraine%20war
%3Cp%3E1.%20Protracted%20but%20less%20intense%20war%20(60%25%20likelihood)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E2.%20Negotiated%20end%20to%20the%20conflict%20(30%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E3.%20Russia%20seizes%20more%20territory%20(20%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.%20Ukraine%20pushes%20Russia%20back%20(10%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EForecast%20by%20Economist%20Intelligence%20Unit%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDirect%20Debit%20System%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sept%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20with%20a%20subsidiary%20in%20the%20UK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elaine%20Jones%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
