Scotland's first minister recently announced controversial plans to hold a national referendum in 2014. The vote will decide whether the nation's five-million-plus residents will gain independence from Great Britain, but it will arrive two years after what the country's football officials believe to be the single biggest threat to Scottish national identity.
The distinct divisions between Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland will inevitably become blurred this summer if footballers from all four countries are included in the Team GB Olympics squad.
The argument Scotland Football Association (SFA) officials make is that Fifa will use the Olympic team as evidence to demand a British national side that amalgamates the quartet of home nations in all competitions. This is the primary reason why the football governing bodies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were unwilling to entertain the idea of a unified team.
That is not to say the individual players from each nation are not eligible, but simply that their FAs do not support their decision. Officials were understandably left unamused when it was revealed earlier this week that only seven of the 191 players contacted about their availability for Team GB declined an interest.
Stewart Regan, the chief executive of the SFA, warned his countrymen whom have stated an interest in representing the British Olympic Team - a growing pool that includes Celtic's James Forrest and Rangers' Steven Naismith - that they should expect a backlash from the Tartan Army.
"We are not going to say 'You cannot play' or 'If you do, you'll be dropped'," Regan was quoted as telling Scotland's Daily Record.
"As far as policy is concerned, they wouldn't be looked upon any differently from any other eligible player. You have to factor in the individual's right and perspective for their own career [and] we said all along we were not going to interfere. But it will be disappointing from a fan's perspective because there is an element of supporters who are really hoping we don't have players taking part and pulling on the Team GB shirt. [Players] would have to deal with the backlash from fans because I'm sure there will be some element within the support who would want to protect Scotland's independence."
Naismith, 25, will be vying for one of only three places allocated to players over age 22. However, Forrest, the exciting forward, is 20 and fits in the Under 23 make-up of the balance of the side.
Neil Lennon, Celtic's manager from Northern Ireland, has his reservations about his players joining up with the British squad. "I wouldn't want to stop my players from going … but I don't think it's a great idea."
Lennon and other managers of Scottish clubs will be even less enthusiastic if they find themselves missing key players for the start of the domestic and European seasons. The men's football at the Olympics is due to start on 26 July with the final scheduled for August 11. The Scottish Premier League starts on August 4 with Champions League qualifiers taking place a month before.
Naismith said Scottish participation at the Olympics is important. "We should be available for the Olympics, not so much for the political side of it, but more for the fact we can show we've got talent north of the border," he said. "To play in these kinds of tournaments and to be in the starting line-up for Team GB would be great. For that reason I'd definitely make myself available."
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Italy: Juventus top is a 'novelty' for Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon, the Italy captain, said he enjoys sitting atop the Serie A table again and ascribes the improved showing by Juventus this season to a better work ethic.
“It’s a novelty now [to be top] but until a few years ago we were used to this situation and it’s nice to be back there,” he told the club’s TV channel. “We’re succeeding thanks to the desire to amaze, to sweat and to take revenge.”
The club stumbled to two seventh-place finishes and missed out on European qualification this season. However, under the former midfielder Antonio Conte they have turned a corner, they are unbeaten in 18 matches this season and one point clear of champions AC Milan. They travel to Atalanta tonight. Also, Milan said yesterday that the Brazilian Pato will be out for four weeks with a left thigh muscle injury.
Germany: Arjen Robben commits to Bayern Munich
Arjen Robben, the Bayern Munich winger, said yesterday that signing a contract extension with the Bundesliga leaders beyond 2013 when his current deal ends was a mere “formality”.
”If there were five or 10 clubs that were bigger than Bayern then you could say: ‘OK, I may still have another target.’ But Bayern are already at the top, among the best in the world,” he told Suddeutsche Zeitung.
The 27-year-old Dutch international, who joined the Bavarians in 2009 from Real Madrid, helped them to a domestic league and Cup double in 2010 as well as a Champions League final appearance that year.
Also, the clash today between Nurnberg and Hertha Berlin marks a special anniversary in the Bavarian club’s history. The match will be Nurnberg’s 1,000th fixture in the top flight, a non-permanent sequence which commenced with a match against the same opponents in 1963.
Spain: Rela Madrid turn focus back to the league
Real Madrid, the Spanish leader, will be wary of a surging Athletic Bilbao as they look to shake off another disappointing loss to Barcelona and focus on maintaining their five-point lead in La Liga.
Bilbao, which has won three straight and is unbeaten in seven matches, is fifth in the league and in the chase for a European place, maybe even a Champions League spot, under the coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Levante are still hanging onto a Champions League berth despite losing 3-0 last weekend to Athletic Bilbao. They haven’t won in the league since early December but they will hope to end that run against the bottom side Zaragoza.
Barcelona travel to Malaga to close out the first half of the season. Real Betis and Sevilla clash in a passionate derby but the match has been overshadowed in recent years by crowd trouble.
Holland: AZ Alkmaar win it for the kids
AZ Alkmaar reached the Dutch Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 win over Ajax on Thursday in a match watched exclusively by 20,000 children.
The original game between the two sides was abandoned on December 21 when a fan ran onto the pitch and attacked AZ’s Costa Rican goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado.
The Dutch football association ordered the match to be replayed but with only children allowed in to watch.
AZ Alkmaar will face the amateur side GVVV Veenendaal in the next round.
Pontus Wernbloom, the Swedish midfielder, this week left AZ to sign with CSKA Moscow ahead of their Champions League final-16 match with Real Madrid.
Wernbloom, 25, who has won 20 caps with Sweden’s national side, signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Russia’s three-time champions. No financial details were disclosed.
France: PSG have respect for lowly cup competitors
Milan Bisevac, the Paris Saint-Germain defender, said his side would treat their Coupe de France last-32 opponents Sable with the utmost respect as they sought to avoid suffering an upset late last night.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are at the top of the Ligue 1 standings, boasting a three-point lead over Montpellier, while Sable are plying their trade in the fifth tier.
“We’re taking it very seriously. This type of game is completely different from a normal league match,” Bisevac said on the club’s website.
Holders Lille, who beat PSG in last year’s final thanks to a last-gasp Ludovic Obraniak goal as part of a league and cup double, are in action in one of 10 cup matches today.
They take on the fourth-tier outfit Compiegne away from home and can take confidence from their performance in the last round earlier this month, when they thrashed Chantilly thanks in part to hat-trick from Joe Cole.
Gazelec Ajaccio’s reward for producing one of the shocks of the previous round, when they knocked out Toulouse, sees the third-tier Championnat National side host Troyes in one of four ties tomorrow.
In other matches, in-form Marseille host the second-division side Le Havre and Lyon take on Lucon.
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Grand slam winners since July 2003
Who has won major titles since Wimbledon 2003 when Roger Federer won his first grand slam
Roger Federer 19 (8 Wimbledon, 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 1 French Open)
Rafael Nadal 16 (10 French Open, 3 US Open, 2 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open)
Novak Djokovic 12 (6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 French Open)
Andy Murray 3 (2 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)
Stan Wawrinka 3 (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 US Open)
Andy Roddick 1 (1 US Open)
Gaston Gaudio 1 (1 French Open)
Marat Safin 1 (1 Australian Open)
Juan Martin del Potro 1 (1 US Open)
Marin Cilic 1 (1 US Open)
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
F1 2020 calendar
March 15 - Australia, Melbourne; March 22 - Bahrain, Sakhir; April 5 - Vietnam, Hanoi; April 19 - China, Shanghai; May 3 - Netherlands, Zandvoort; May 20 - Spain, Barcelona; May 24 - Monaco, Monaco; June 7 - Azerbaijan, Baku; June 14 - Canada, Montreal; June 28 - France, Le Castellet; July 5 - Austria, Spielberg; July 19 - Great Britain, Silverstone; August 2 - Hungary, Budapest; August 30 - Belgium, Spa; September 6 - Italy, Monza; September 20 - Singapore, Singapore; September 27 - Russia, Sochi; October 11 - Japan, Suzuka; October 25 - United States, Austin; November 1 - Mexico City, Mexico City; November 15 - Brazil, Sao Paulo; November 29 - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi.
The essentials
What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
When: Friday until March 9
Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.
Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.
Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
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
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