Imagine if a national football team were thrown together weeks before the World Cup and had only one training session before their opening match.
That was the scenario facing the Ghana Black Stars, a five-a-side team that took part in last weekend's UAE Nations Cup, a tournament organised by Duplays, pitting country against country.
"For football, I am meeting these guys for the first time," Salifu Alhassan, 35, said. He was added to the team through the Duplays website for the 48-team tournament, which featured 30 nations. "It was tough."
The Black Stars won two matches, lost two and drew one, failing to qualify for the knock-out stages of the 48-team tournament.
Of course, Ghana's national team, who kick off their World Cup campaign in South Africa against Serbia on Sunday, had to come through a long qualifying campaign to be there and have played pre-tournament friendlies (they defeated Latvia 1-0 on Saturday night).
"They will do much better," said Mr Alhassan, a computer engineer who moved to Abu Dhabi five years ago. "I think they will be OK."
Ghana, ranked 32nd in the world by Fifa, football's governing body, are making their second appearance at a World Cup; they were also among the final 32 in 2006 in Germany. The nation's hopes for a long run in the tournament have been dampened because Michael Essien, the midfielder who plays for the current Premier League champions, Chelsea, is sidelined with a knee injury.
Yet Mr Alhassan is confident that the team will advance from Group D, just as they did in 2006. They were a surprise entry in the knockout stages that year from a group with Italy, the Czech Republic and the USA. "We hope to get out of the first round," he said. "We did the same in the last World Cup. With the US and Czech Republic, nobody thought we could make it."
"I don't see them to be in a tough group," added Kamal Deen Yakub, 26. "We do not fear at all. Now we have to show them very much."
Mr Yakub is particularly looking forward to Ghana meeting Germany, because Kevin-Prince Boateng, who holds citizenship from both nations, will take to the pitch for Ghana.
mchung@thenational.ae
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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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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
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THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
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Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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