ABU DHABI // Abel Braga did not achieve his stated aim of leading Al Jazira to the UAE title this season but he is content with his first taste of management in the Gulf.
The Brazilian came to the capital on the back of a long career managing in South America, where he led Internacional of Brazil to the 2006 Club World Cup title.
It is a competition he had hoped to be back in next year, as Jazira would have been granted entry had they claimed the Pro League crown.
With the tournament being held in Abu Dhabi, everyone at the club was dreaming of playing in it.
Instead, the Dubai club Al Ahli will be making the short trip south to represent the UAE.
The title race went to the final day of the season, and although Braga's side fell short the club showed their faith in him by handing him a two-year contract.
"It was my first season in the Gulf and I spent more time in learning the culture, traditions and the players attitude and approach to the game, besides the coaching," he said.
"Acquiring an in-depth knowledge and idea of such matters will help me achieve better results in the next season.
"We didn't have the full squad when we started the pre-season training in Europe because five of the players were with the national team and involved in a different camp. They were in and out because of national duty, and I got to know them better towards the end of the season." Braga noted some of the young players to emerge during the season such as Ali Mabkout, Khalid Sabeel, Sultan al Minhali, Abdulla Mousa and Salem Masood.
They will have a bigger part to play next season, when Braga hopes to have a larger squad at his disposal.
"They have come up the ranks and will be better players next season," he said.
"We still need three more local players to fill in some of the weaker areas and I have already discussed this with the club management. We have to scout those who would be available to sign in for the next season."
From next season Pro League clubs will be allowed to have four non-Emirati players in their squads, so long as one is Asian.
Braga felt this was a welcome move for the league, but suggested more players from outside would help the game develop even more.
"That would help the local players to improve," he said.
"When I went for the 2006 Club World Cup with Internacional, I found 18 foreign players in the Barcelona squad. If the UAE is thinking about improving the game, they must look beyond the domestic competitions."
Braga was limited to three foreign players this season.
The Brazilian forward Rafael Sobis has a contract for five years and defender Marcio Rozario's deal has been renewed for one more season.
But Fernando Baiano, the top scorer in the Pro League with 25 goals and the Etisalat Cup (7), is set to return to the Spanish club Real Murcia after aone-year loan spell.
"I was pretty happy with the three foreign signing Sobis, Baiano and Rozario," Braga said.
"We will see what we can do to get Baiano back. I think he was the only player that was fit and ready from the start, after playing throughout the season in Spain. He did a very good job for us."
Jazira will return for pre-season training on July 25. The squad will travel to Austria three days later for a three-week summer camp.
They will move to either Portugal or Spain for the second half of the camp and return in August.
Braga started his playing career with Fluminense in 1968 before moving to France for a spell with Paris Saint-Germain from 1979 to 1981. He finished his playing back in Brazil with Cruzeiro, Botafago and Goytacaz before retiring
in 1985.
apassela@thenational.ae
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
Rating: 3.5/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
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On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
The%20Beekeeper
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.