AGE IS NOT JUST A NUMBER
Harry Redknapp is the oldest manager in all four divisions of English football. Worryingly for his Queens Park Rangers side, he could probably reminisce about the distant good old days with most of his defensive backline.
Richard Dunne turns 35 next month and Rio Ferdinand will be 36 in November. They are a little long in the tooth to be learning new tricks.
But the real worry is they appeared to be struggling to get to grips with old tricks when they were overrun by Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
The new season seems to be a 1990s tactics retrospective for some clubs. Louis van Gaal is trying to implement the 3-5-2 formation of his managerial youth in his new role at Manchester United.
Redknapp, meanwhile, has employed Glenn Hoddle as a coach to help him do the same. Results have been mixed at best so far.
ARE ARSENAL SOFT OR NOT
You can usually set your seasonal clocks by Arsenal. If they are winning, then it is probably mild late summer, turning autumnal.
If they are losing, then there has been a cold snap, spring is around the corner and the trophies are not far away from being handed out.
Lily-livered, fair-weather dandies with no stomach for the fight, right?
Maybe that theory is a myth - or at least out of date. Last season they won their first trophy in aeons after coming from behind in both their FA Cup semi-final, against Wigan Athletic, and the final, against Hull City.
On Saturday, they did the same at Everton to save a point which may only have a minimal effect on the league table, but a potentially massive one on morale.
Whether they can do the same when there is frost on the ground and the opposition are from the very top rank, though, remains to be seen.
KEEPING FRIENDS CLOSE
When Tony Pulis decided the pundit’s chair at beIN Sports’s studios in Doha was more appealing than another season managing Crystal Palace, Keith Millen was there to take up the slack.
All of which apparently means Palace are in deep trouble. The subsequent farce over the non-appointments of Tim Sherwood, Malky Mackay and Hoddle means Millen may now land the reins by default.
Not all clubs have a ready caretaker if the worst happens. It does not make sense, after all, for a head coach to recruit a No 2 who could well do the job better than he can, given the chance.
However, two managers’ friends could be merely a bad run of results away from becoming their closest enemies.
Hoddle’s best route back into mainstream management could well be at Loftus Road if Redknapp’s woes extend for much longer.
Over at Aston Villa, meanwhile, Roy Keane looks pretty cosy on the bench next to Paul Lambert.
GEMS NEED NOT COST THE EARTH
World Cup years always inflate transfer fees. All the top clubs want a piece of the most visible stars from the sport’s biggest stage.
Manchester United, for example, are just about to sign off on a British record fee for a player who is unwanted by his current team and was not especially flash at the World Cup, either.
Who knows what Will Buckley was up to this summer. The former Brighton winger cost Sunderland approximately 30 times less than what is about to be lavished on Angel Di Maria by United.
He was recruited from a lower division, rather than abroad, and Gus Poyet, the Sunderland manager, reckons he is going to prove a bargain. "He is going to do plenty of things. Now, don't expect it every week – £2.5 million [Dh15.2m]," Poyet was quoted as saying of Buckley after his fine display against United on Sunday.
“People pay £30m and £40m and £50m – we paid £2.5m, so let’s be patient.”
pradley@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
Match info
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Liverpool v Porto, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
UAE WARRIORS RESULTS
Featherweight
Azouz Anwar (EGY) beat Marcelo Pontes (BRA)
TKO round 2
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) beat Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Split points decision
Welterweight
Gimbat Ismailov (RUS) beat Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR)
TKO round 1
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) beat Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Unanimous points decision
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) beat Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
TKO round 1
Catchweight 100kg
Marc Vleiger (NED) beat Mohamed Ali (EGY)
Rear neck choke round 1
Featherweight
James Bishop (NZ) beat Mark Valerio (PHI)
TKO round 2
Welterweight
Abdelghani Saber (EGY) beat Gerson Carvalho (BRA)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) beat Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Unanimous points decision
Bantamweight
Fabio Mello (BRA) beat Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Unanimous points decision
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magomedsultanov (RUS)
TKO round 1
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) beat Jayson Margallo (PHI)
TKO round 3
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) beat Roman Golovinov (UKR)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Submission round 2
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
TKO round 2
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
Manchester United v Club America
When: Thursday, 9pm Arizona time (Friday UAE, 8am)
The Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize
This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.
From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.
Sanchez's club career
2005-2006: Cobreloa
2006-2011 Udinese
2006-2007 Colo-Colo (on loan)
2007-2008 River Plate (on loan)
2011-2014 Barcelona
2014–Present Arsenal
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
