Carlo Nohra has returned to domestic football as the chief executive of the Al Ain club, which he intends to take on a path leading to financial profitability.
"The focus will very much be on marketing and promotions and the revenue side so we reach a point where the club is standing on its own two feet," he said yesterday. "It's a long-term objective, but we will give it a start."
As chief executive of the Pro League, a position he gave up soon after the league was taken over by the Football Association in June, Nohra often stressed the need for the UAE's football clubs to bring in as much money as they spend. He conceded that the process could "take 30 years".
He said Al Ain's first goal is to produce a more attractive football side; the sport is by far the highest-profile activity backed by Al Ain Football Club LLC, though the club supports several sports teams and recreational facilities.
Last season, Al Ain flirted with relegation before finishing 10th in the 12-team league.
"We need to deliver on our product, and that delivery process comes on match day. That is my highest priority," he said.
Football operations fall under his jurisdiction but he will not be directly involved in signing players or hiring coaches, he said.
His impact likely will be seen in increasing the "value of the Al Ain marque", which may include charging fans for tickets to matches and making available for sale food and drink on match days. Al Ain, like all domestic clubs, have little or no concessions on sale at home matches and rarely charges direct fees for spectators.
He said that Al Jazira have shown what sort of crowds can be drawn through aggressive marketing and promotions. "Even when I was CEO of the league I used them as an example, and it's incumbent for all the clubs in the league to follow suit," he said.
He said he had "several opportunities" to work with clubs in the top flight but believes Al Ain offer the most opportunity. He was hired by the new board, which is chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Khalid. Nohra began his duties on October 1.
Al Ain are the most decorated club in the country, with nine league championships and an Asian Champions League title.
"It's a well-supported club with quite devoted fans," he said. "They are fans but we also need to treat them as customers with rights. They are the lifeline of the club."
Nohra, 43, and a native of Lebanon, was the director of competitions for the Asian Football Confederation before taking charge of the Pro League in January of 2010.
He said he and his family have moved from Dubai to Al Ain, "and I am quite pleased about it. It's good to step into your car and not deal with a lot of traffic".
poberjuerge@thenational.ae
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
WITHIN%20SAND
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sav%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Purvi%20Munot%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%20as%20of%20March%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Top goalscorers in Europe
34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)
34 - Ciro Immobile (68)
31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)
28 - Timo Werner (56)
25 - Lionel Messi (50)
*29 - Erling Haaland (50)
23 - Romelu Lukaku (46)
23 - Jamie Vardy (46)
*NOTE: Haaland's goals for Salzburg count for 1.5 points per goal. Goals for Dortmund count for two points per goal.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
UAE Rugby finals day
Games being played at The Sevens, Dubai
2pm, UAE Conference final
Dubai Tigers v Al Ain Amblers
4pm, UAE Premiership final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
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
