DUBAI // The chairman of the Pro League has urged clubs to learn from the likes of Barcelona and scout for young foreign talents to develop through their youth systems.
Last season, every club was allowed to keep two foreigners in their Under 18 teams, but none of them made use of it, their primary focus being on the foreign professionals in the first team.
Following a workshop of UAE clubs and sports councils earlier this month, a recommendation has been made to increase that age ceiling to players under 19.
However, Tariq al Tayer, believes that the clubs should be starting with players at a much younger age.
"You have to start earlier, with the U12s and the U14s, and then the player can grow within the system," he said. "That means you have to search for talents. Lionel Messi is a good example. He was picked up at the age of 14 by Barcelona.
"So this is how it should be. It doesn't make sense to bring someone under 18. I believe that is too late.
"The clubs are very busy with their first teams and foreign players, so this is going to take time; things have to settle for them.
"They will have to invest more in academies and schools. Professionalism is not going to come overnight. You have to plan this really well.
"People are doing this at other clubs. We cannot start from zero; we have to learn from other professional clubs. They have done their research and come up with the best equation."
The workshop, attended by officials from 17 clubs and the Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah sports councils, also recommended reverting back to the three-plus-one allowance for foreign professionals. The plus-one must be from an Asian country.
A majority in attendance also agreed to bring down the numbers of registered players from 45 to 35 as it would reduce the financial burden on clubs and increase the changes that all players will get playing time with their teams.
"We now have 45 plus the foreign players, who are three in the first team, two in the reserves and two in the U18s," al Tayer said. "None of the clubs recruited for U18s.
"So now the recommendation is we have 35 players plus the four foreigners, which is the same as the AFC [Asian Champions League] requirement."
He said a reduction in squad size would put "more than 120 players in the market" and "will definitely affect the First Division".
The First Division is the level below the Pro League.
"Players will be able to play and the level should be better than in the current situation," al Tayer said.
A recommendation was also made to increase the number of teams in the Pro League to 14 from the current 12 and the issue will be raised at the Football Association general assembly next month.
If approved, the increase will be implemented from the 2012/13 season.
"My advice is for the clubs to be more active in the general assembly because it is the clubs who will have to make a decision," al Tayer said.
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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.
Naga
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Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
MATCH INFO
Group B
Bayern Munich v Tottenham, midnight (Thursday)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
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
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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.
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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The White Lotus: Season three
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Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')
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Test
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Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
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Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
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Shoplifters (Japan)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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
Key findings
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