Al Wasl midfielder Ali Saleh, left, will be in England this week to train with Premier League side Crytal Palace. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Wasl midfielder Ali Saleh, left, will be in England this week to train with Premier League side Crytal Palace. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Wasl midfielder Ali Saleh, left, will be in England this week to train with Premier League side Crytal Palace. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Wasl midfielder Ali Saleh, left, will be in England this week to train with Premier League side Crytal Palace. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Ali Saleh one of four UAE-based players to train with Premier League Crystal Palace


John McAuley
  • English
  • Arabic

Four UAE-based footballers, including Al Wasl forward Ali Saleh, are in England this week to train at Crystal Palace as part of a collaboration between the Football Association and the Premier League club.

UAE internationals Saleh and Majid Rashid, the Sharjah midfielder, began training with the Palace first team from Monday through until Saturday. Meanwhile, Al Jazira forwards Ahmed Fawzi and Carlos Zapata - the Colombian is registered under the Adnoc Pro League's “resident” category - will join up with Palace’s Under 21 side.

The FA say the move is “part of an ongoing collaboration between the UAE Football Association and Crystal Palace Football Club, and in agreement with the player’s respective clubs”.

In a statement, the FA said: “The initiative is part of the UAE FA’s talent development programme, aiming to develop our talented players and help them to get the experience they need in their careers.”

Saleh, 22, has become an integral player for Wasl since making his first-team debut aged 16. He was named the 2018/19 UAE top flight’s Golden Boy, the award for the best young player in the division that season.

Saleh, born in Dubai to an Emirati father and Scottish mother, has made 105 league appearances for Wasl, scoring 22 times. He featured nine times for the UAE in qualification for the 2022 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Rashid is a highly rated central midfielder, who moved to Sharjah last year following an impressive start to his career at Ittihad Kalba. Also aged 22, he has recently become a regular in the national team squad. Fawzi and Zapata are aged 21 and 18, respectively.

Palace, an established Premier League club since 2013, are currently 11th in the table as the competition breaks for the World Cup. They are managed by Patrick Vieira, the former Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester City midfielder, who won the 1998 World Cup with France.

Grand slam winners since July 2003

Who has won major titles since Wimbledon 2003 when Roger Federer won his first grand slam

Roger Federer 19 (8 Wimbledon, 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 1 French Open)

Rafael Nadal 16 (10 French Open, 3 US Open, 2 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open)

Novak Djokovic 12 (6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 French Open)

Andy Murray 3 (2 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)

Stan Wawrinka 3 (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 US Open)

Andy Roddick 1 (1 US Open) 

Gaston Gaudio 1 (1 French Open)

Marat Safin 1 (1 Australian Open)

Juan Martin del Potro 1 (1 US Open)

Marin Cilic 1 (1 US Open)

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

if you go

The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip 
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles. 

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The specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 849Nm

Range: 456km

Price: from Dh437,900 

On sale: now

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

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Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

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North Pole stats

Distance covered: 160km

Temperature: -40°C

Weight of equipment: 45kg

Altitude (metres above sea level): 0

Terrain: Ice rock

South Pole stats

Distance covered: 130km

Temperature: -50°C

Weight of equipment: 50kg

Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300

Terrain: Flat ice
 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 715bhp

Torque: 900Nm

Price: Dh1,289,376

On sale: now

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: November 28, 2022, 12:13 PM`