When Pep Guardiola named the first line-up of his senior coaching career, he looked for leaders. He was still a novice in his role, fast-tracked from within, from B team manager to suddenly taking charge of an ambitious, admired Barcelona.
There were big calls right away. He effectively sacked the resident superstar, Ronaldinho, and invited the playmaker midfielder Deco to leave as well.
By the end of his first season, he had won a treble, including a European Champions League, whose campaign began with Guardiola’s debut as a manager at Camp Nou. Wisla Krakow were beaten 4-0 in a pre-qualifier; the players he picked would go on to show in abundance the leadership qualities Guardiola sought.
One, Xavi, is now following in Guardiola’s footsteps as Barcelona manager. Another, Gerard Pique, owns a club – Spanish second-tier outfit Andorra – and anticipates a future bid to be Barca president. Thierry Henry features among the candidates to manage the Belgian national team. Samuel Eto’o is president of the Cameroon Football Federation.
Not all of those would instinctively call themselves Guardiola disciples, but besides acknowledging their blessings for having been part of a Barcelona team that came to be regarded as the most watchable of this century, they owe some of their leadership instincts to him. Run through the various champion squads and staffs Guardiola has taken charge of, and you find many leaders.
Now that Guardiola is in his 15th year as a coach, one or two former apprentices are starting to meet him as equals. Or, in the case of Mikel Arteta, manager of Premier League pacesetters Arsenal, who visit City in the FA Cup on Friday, from a superior vantage point. Arsenal are five points above City in the table, with a match in hand.
When Guardiola picked Arteta to be his assistant at Manchester City in 2016 he had a fair idea of his sharp mind, determination and capacity to take command. He had seen it in the teenage Arteta, an elegant midfielder who came through Barcelona’s academy when Guardiola was an elegant midfielder for the first team.
The pre-eminence of the older man, a Barcelona captain, meant opportunities for Arteta’s promotion from Barcelona B were limited. A young Xavi was also coming through. So Arteta moved on, to Paris Saint-Germain, the first stop of a varied playing career across three different leagues, including as captain of Arsenal.
Guardiola would see some of himself again in Arteta the deputy coach, ambitious and drawn to a club he had skippered. “I said many times to my players and staff that if one team were to offer him [the job] as manager, he would leave,” Guardiola revealed.
“That was Arsenal. I remember, here, that whenever we scored goals he jumped a lot, except against one team. I said ‘That guy likes Arsenal’. It’s like me training to be an assistant – when Barcelona call me, I go.”
As manager of Arsenal – a position Arteta left City to take up in 2019 - he once feared Guardiola might have ended his tenure. At the beginning of last season, City thrashed Arsenal 5-0. It was a third defeat in the opening three matches of the campaign, a nervous period.
“The biggest compliment for Arsenal,” reflected Guardiola, 17 months on, “is that in the bad moments they trust and keep him. All the decisions internally – I guess it was not easy.” He also senses Arteta’s strengths had already shown through to Arsenal executives. “I know his ability, how he works, how he seduces the board, their hierarchy, the players. Sporting directors see the dressing room and how problems are solved in bad moments.”
Some of Arteta’s solutions, on the way to putting Arsenal in view of a first league title in 19 years, have involved big calls – reminiscent of Guardiola’s early days as a coach. On his watch at Arsenal, stars like Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were shown the door; echoes of Ronaldinho and Deco under the young Guardiola.
Arteta might have been offered the City job, Guardiola believes, had Guardiola himself not extended his stay beyond the first three seasons. “I'm pretty sure if I [had] left before, he would be here; he'd be the best, absolutely,” said Guardiola, adding with a smile: “I extended the contract, sorry! And he went.”
The Arsenal momentum, the threat to City’s adding another English league title to their four from the last five years can be sustained, Guardiola reckons. “To be a success with Arsenal, it's not winning one title, it needs time. But they are active again. We as a club need this type of challenge.”
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The years Ramadan fell in May
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
MATCH INFO
Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern: Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)
Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)
The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):
British group
Coldplay
Foals
Bring me the Horizon
D-Block Europe
Bastille
British Female
Mabel
Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs
Charli xcx
Mahalia
British male
Harry Styles
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Michael Kiwanuka
Stormzy
Best new artist
Aitch
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Mabel
Sam Fender
Best song
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care
Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up
Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant
Dave - Location
Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove
Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved
Tom Walker - Just You and I
Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger
Stormzy - Vossi Bop
International female
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Camila Cabello
Lana Del Rey
Lizzo
International male
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Tyler, The Creator
Dermot Kennedy
Post Malone
Best album
Stormzy - Heavy is the Head
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Dave - Psychodrama
Harry Styles - Fine Line
Rising star
Celeste
Joy Crookes
beabadoobee
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat
Barbara J King, University of Chicago Press
Zayed Sustainability Prize
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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