One hundred and nineteen minutes gone. One to go. A Champions League final is delicately poised at 1-1. A substitute is being readied on the touchline. His task is simple. Score a penalty.
Twelve months ago, that was the scenario. The replacement in question, Anderson, had barely turned 20. His moment arrived in the shoot-out when Manchester United and Chelsea were locked together at 4-4. It was sudden death. Anderson, and United, survived. His spot-kick was struck with a satisfying thump.
In the process, he revealed the blend of talent and temperament that is the hallmark of Manchester United players. A relish for marque games was apparent when, three months into his United career, he nullified Cesc Fabregas at the Emirates Stadium. A still larger task awaits tomorrow when he will be charged with disrupting Barcelona's seductive passing game.
"I'm ready because that is what we do every week," insisted the Brazilian. "We train, we get ourselves ready for the game, we have to be focused and do our best."
Despite the understandable focus on Lionel Messi, Barcelona's domination of possession is a consequence of the distribution of Xavi and Andres Iniesta, and they are Anderson's immediate opponents. "Everybody knows Messi is an outstanding player and he can change the game in any minute," he said. "However, Barcelona have a very strong midfield and it is the team as a whole, not just Messi himself."
Likely to form part of a central trio with the more laid back Michael Carrick and the less aggressive Ryan Giggs, Anderson's importance is exacerbated by the suspension of Darren Fletcher, who was similarly destructive in the semi-final defeat of Arsenal.Anderson, 21, added: "I'm very sad because every player wants to play the final. We are going to do our best to win the trophy for him."
While Fletcher can blend into the background, the same could not be said of the exuberant Anderson. Immediately identifiable by his dread-locked hair, he contributed to an idiosyncratic sense of style by wearing golfing trousers when interviewed.
Cult status arrived long before a guaranteed place in Sir Alex Ferguson's side. Old Trafford often reverberates to the sound of Black Lace's derided 1984 hit, Agadoo, with the lyrics amended to celebrate Anderson and disparage both Fabregas and Kleberson, his predecessor as United's pre-eminent Brazilian. "I do appreciate the fans sing the song for me," he said. "It's great."
After an unexceptional start to the season. Anderson's campaign has been revived in the last three months. A high-energy game is well suited to the more intense occasions and his commitment to the collective is very evident. Indeed, he is far from the stereotypical Brazilian footballer. Despite the image of spectacular long-range shooting, this is a box-to-box midfielder without a goal to his name in his 73 United appearances.
"I scored three," insisted Anderson, who also converted penalties in shoot-outs against Tottenham and Everton this season. "But I'll do anything to help the team. If I can score, even better, but my aim is to help the team succeed." That elusive first goal would, the grinning Anderson said, prompt a celebration that involved running naked around the ground.
Thus far, his shoot-out successes thankfully haven't brought such a reaction. While others, Dimitar Berbatov included, aren't sure if they will volunteer if a second successive Champions League final is determined from 12 yards, the irrepressible Anderson can be pencilled in for another penalty. His reputation has been forged in such moments. His nerveless disposition equips him for them.
rjolly@thenational.ae
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
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%20profile
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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.
