Cosmin Olaroiu has been confirmed as the new coach of the UAE.
The Romanian fills the vacancy created after Paulo Bento was sacked after the national team’s win over North Korea in Riyadh last month.
Olaroiu, coach of Sharjah in the domestic league, has been given a two-year contract.
His primary task will be to lead the UAE’s quest for a World Cup place, via two vital fixtures in the summer.
They face Uzbekistan at home on Thursday, June 5. It is a game they must win if they are to stand a chance of qualifying directly for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The top two sides in the six-team group will advance directly to the main event. Iran are already assured one of the two places.
Olariou has emerged as the standout candidate after guiding Sharjah to the AFC Champions League Two final.
The 55-year-old watched his side pull off a remarkable rescue mission on Tuesday, with two goals in added time seeing off Saudi Arabia's Al Taawoun to clinch a place in next month's championship match against Singapore's Lion City Sailors.
The never-say-die attitude is a trait of all Olaroiu’s teams – and the national team will need it for their upcoming qualifiers.
With two matches still to play, the UAE trail the second-placed Uzbeks by four points. If they beat them on home soil in the next fixture, they will move to within one point.
With a superior goal difference to the Uzbeks, it means they will need to better their performance on the final day to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1990.
The UAE’s final fixture is away to Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, June 10, while Uzbekistan will host Qatar on the same day.
Despite being by far the most decorated coach in the 14 years since he first arrived in the country as coach of Al Ain, Olaroiu had curiously never been elevated to the role of national team coach – until now.
In 10 seasons in the UAE league, he has won 14 major trophies, including the UAE Pro League in each of his first three seasons in the country.
The first two of those came with Al Ain, then the third with Al Ahli after he made the switch to the Dubai-based club.
After Al Ain regained the title in 2014/15, Olaroiu became a champion again with Al Ahli the following season – his fourth league title in five seasons in the UAE.
Since 2011, when Olaroiu was first appointed Al Ain manager after trophy-laden stints in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the national team have had 11 managerial changes.
Bento, the most recent, had just under two years at the helm. Thrilling wins against Qatar, most notably, had brought Bento’s side to the position that they were still in with a chance of claiming the second place in the qualifying group, ahead of the Uzbeks.
However, the Portuguese coach paid for a downturn in form that led to his dismissal. He oversaw a poor Gulf Cup campaign, when the UAE failed to make it out of the group, then a turgid display in Iran on their return to the World Cup qualifying trail.
A 2-1 win over North Korea, which required a late stoppage time goal by Sultan Adil, assured that the UAE will, as a minimum, play in the next round of qualifying.
That is a set of fixtures in October, in a three-team group, against other sides who have finished third or fourth in their respective groups in Asian qualifying. The winner of that will make it to the World Cup.
Despite having those repechage fixtures assured, the performances led the UAE Football Association to fear an automatic qualifying place would be beyond Bento. He was summarily dismissed the morning after the North Korea game.
Now they hope Olaroiu will be able to galvanise the side at short notice. His Sharjah side are through to the final of the President's Cup, where they will face the Shabab Al Ahli side with whom they are also vying for the UAE Pro League crown.
Given his track record of rapidly turning sides into winners, as well as his deep understanding of the UAE game – he has coached many of the national team squad at club level – it is no wonder he was the FA’s first choice.
However, one thing Olaroiu is light on is international experience. Within a glittering club coaching career, both in his homeland and especially Asia – he has won trophies in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and China – he has had one brief and ill-starred crack at international management.
During his stint as Al Ahli manager, he was given temporary leave to manage Saudi Arabia at the 2015 Asian Cup. They failed to make it out of their group.
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How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
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Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Tomorrow 2021
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
School uniforms report
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
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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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Price: From Dh149,900
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The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Tomorrow 2021
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EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
The burning issue
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
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ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
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if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
Towering concerns
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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