ABU DHABI // Josef Hickersberger is poised to make a sensational return to Al Wahda after the Pro League champions were briefly rocked when Tite quit as manager to return to Brazil.
Hickersberger arrived in Abu Dhabi last night and is set to sign a contract today following a dramatic day at the capital club.
Tite quit after just 45 days in charge to take charge of Corinthians in his native Brazil. Tite - full name Adenor Leonardo Bacchi - led Wahda to four league games without defeat and his departure was a shock for the Abu Dhabi team.
The return to Al Nahyan stadium represents perfect timing for Hickersberger who led the team to the Pro League title last season before quitting in the summer. The Austrian is the national team coach of Bahrain but is set to quit his post as he does not want to travel to Yemen for the Gulf Cup next month because of security concerns.
Following the departure of Tite, the Al Wahda management were forced to move fast to secure a replacement with December's Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi looming large. Wahda will be representing the UAE and are under pressure from the Football Association to improve upon Al Ahli's dismal showing last year.
"He is leaving with dignity, and having created a good and long lasting friendship with us," said Abdulla Saleh, the team manager, who worked closely with Tite during his stay.
"It is his professional decision and we respect it. He is leaving for a more challenging job with the intention of leading Corinthians to the Brazilian league. We wish him well and he would be one of our choices if he ever decides to return to this part of the world."
Hatem Souisse, the assistant coach, will be in charge until Hickersberger arrives. The Tunisian is no stranger to the caretaker role, having worked under similar circumstances in the past. He will lead them for the next league game with Sharjah on Thursday.
Tite, who replaced Laszlo Boloni in September, admits he leaves the capital with a heavy heart.
"Wahda gave me a very warm welcome," he said. "I am leaving today with a divided heart. I have got an offer that I couldn't turn down," said Tite, who returns to the club where he was employed in 2003/04.
"I gave a lot of thought before taking this decision. They approached me for the first time two weeks ago and my answer was no at that time. But they kept calling me and the last time was two days before the Al Nasr game on Friday.
"I had told them to call me after the game with a proposal. They presented me a very strong offer, both financially and technically, because Corinthians are in a good position to win the Brazilian league. There was also calls from their most influential players, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos.
"I feel bad to leave Wahda in such a short notice but I have to also look at my own future. My contract with Corinthians is for 16 months. I start next Sunday with a derby match with Palmeiras, similar to the one I had in my first game in the Pro League against Al Jazira."
Tite fills the post at Corinthians created by Adilson Batista, who resigned after a 4-3 defeat to the lowly placed Atletico Goianense last Sunday. Corinthians are third in the 20-team standings, five points off the lead but have not won in six games. There will be eight rounds left after the weekend's matches.
Tite will have to address Ronaldo's lack of fitness when he takes up his new role.
About 200 Corinthians fans attended the team's training session on Saturday to complain about Ronaldo, who is the team's most expensive player but has played in only three Brazilian league matches because of his poor physical condition. Fans chanted: "Ronaldo, let's play, Corinthians is not your spa."
apassela@thenational.ae
SRI LANKA SQUAD
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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.
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.
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
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
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
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"
