Bert van Marwijk is accustomed to having his relationships scrutinised. Managing Holland, where a trait of independent thought and a habit of producing fiercely opinionated footballers can backfire, seems a task for a diplomat. Yet a coach who recalled his son-in-law, Mark van Bommel, from international exile is unafraid of making contentious calls. His World Cup campaign can be seen as a family affair.
As significant, however, is his rapport with a former foe. The Dutch side have provided something of a Rotterdam reunion for Feyenoord's former manager and a wayward talent. Robin van Persie was demoted to the reserves, sent home from the squad and eventually sold for a cut-price fee by a manager with a reputation as a disciplinarian and an intolerance for his attacker's idiosyncrasies. Feyenoord's loss proved Arsenal's gain. Four years apart provided a welcome break, but also a change. Van Marwijk, appointed by the Dutch in 2008, said last month: "Robin has become a man, a leader. Totally different to the Robin I worked with at Feyenoord."
Once a controversialist, Van Persie could captain Arsenal next season if Cesc Fabregas joins Barcelona. The Dutch armband resides with the experienced Giovanni van Bronckhorst, but Van Persie has emerged as one of the senior figures in the side. He is starting to assume a central role, in more ways than one. A winger in Euro 2008, he is set to be Holland's sole striker today. Similarly, after playing in deeper or wider positions earlier in his Arsenal career, he has been the side's spearhead when fit this season. Van Persie has always possessed a left foot that has enabled him to score majestic goals, whether free kicks, volleys or long-range shots. Now he has acquired the presence to lead the line.
It is a role that entails natural comparisons with Marco van Basten, the greatest of all Dutch centre-forwards. Lest that be pressure enough, Arsene Wenger described Van Persie as a hybrid of Arsenal's finest strike force in November. "He is a mixture," the Arsenal manager said. "He is less of a runner than Thierry Henry and he is not completely Dennis Bergkamp because he plays higher up the pitch. He is the kind of player, with the type of game we play, who is vital because when you play the ball to his feet his first touch is always perfect and that allows others to join in. It makes everybody dangerous. In the box he is clever and intelligent."
He is, in short, creator and finisher. Few seem to appreciate the Arsenal ethos, that style matters, more than Van Persie, and it can appear a superiority complex. False modesty is not a failing, as his weekend analysis of the Dutch displayed. "We should reach the semi-finals at least," he said. "That's a must for us, especially when you look at the 23 players and the clubs they play for." Four of them have special allure. Van Persie's advice to Van Marwijk, offered recently, included the nickname given to the quartet of Arjen Robben, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and himself and illustrated a preference for artists over artisans.
"If we play with the fantastic four up front, I think we have a chance," he said. "I do believe that if you have four creative players for the forward spots, you need to use them. With all respect to Dirk [Kuyt]." The 'fantastic four', a moniker given in Holland, excludes the more workmanlike and less imaginative Kuyt. For Van Persie and Holland, flair rules. His conversion has allowed them to accommodate another inventor and, as a return of 14 goals in their last four matches shows, without rendering the side less prolific. One specialist goalscorer, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, will be on the bench; another, Ruud van Nistelrooy, is not even in the squad. Kuyt may start against Denmark today, but because of Robben's hamstring problem.
Similarities with Van Basten go beyond a shared nationality and a wondrous left foot. The Arsenal man was sidelined for five months after damaging an ankle on international duty in November. An eventual return of nine goals in 14 Premier League starts would have been more impressive had he been available more often. Wenger wondered whether Arsenal would have been champions but for his extended absence. There was a time when Van Marwijk was perfectly happy to dispense with Van Persie's services. He isn't now.
@Email:sports@thenational.ae
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised
General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.
"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.
He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
MO
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The%20specs%20
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
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