DUBAI // Abdullah Al Naboodah, the Al Ahli chairman, said Cosmin Olaroiu provided the catalyst to the club's clinching of the Arabian Gulf League title.
The Romanian joined the Rashid Stadium side last summer, following two hugely successful seasons with Al Ain, in which he guided the Garden City club to successive league crowns.
Olaroiu maintained his hold on the trophy on Thursday night, when Ahli defeated Al Wasl 2-1 to secure the championship with three rounds to spare. It was the Dubai club’s first league title in five seasons.
“He’s been vital, one of the most important members in this team, and the missing ingredient,” Al Naboodah said. “He’s changed a lot of things and worked hard with the team, but most importantly, he won the dressing room over very quickly. He planted the seeds that we fight until the end, that we never give up, and that translated into team victories in the past few months. [Olaroiu] convinced them they are true champions. They deserve every victory they’ve got this season.”
Indeed, Ahli have become serial winners this campaign and could yet add the Arabian Gulf League Cup and President’s Cup to their title triumph. They contest the first of those finals next Saturday, against Al Jazira, although their next assignment is a crucial Asian Champions League clash on Tuesday.
Should Ahli defeat Al Hilal, the Saudi Arabian side, they will qualify for the knockout stages. Having overseen the past four years of gradual progress, Al Naboodah is understandably keen to continue the club’s recent trajectory.
“It has been a long process, but success in football is not something you build in an instant,” he said. “It takes time. If you want to challenge for all titles and in all competitions you need to build a strong team, so thank god we succeeded in that and we have a few more to go.
“It hasn’t been easy, but the best team won the championship. We deserved it. Now we close this chapter and focus on the Champions League.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
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.
The six points:
1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences
2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it
4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow
5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided
6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before
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Company%20Profile
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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
Profile of Tamatem
Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
Based: Amman, Jordan
Employees: 55
Funding: $6m
Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
