SHARJAH // A group of the country's most talented young footballers are to be groomed to be the UAE's future stars in an intensive training programme in the UK.
Seventeen youngsters aged 15-16 from the U16 team at Sharjah FC left yesterday on a month-long trip, funded by the club, which will see them put through their paces both on and off the pitch by Pat Wright, a former player at Birmingham City. The youngsters will be taught everything from technique and tactical skills to nutrition, team work and discipline by Mr Wright, who was chief coach at Portsmouth FC, and later coached the UAE national team.
Mr Wright, who calls the UAE his second home after coaching at Dubai's Al Nasr FC and the national team, said the level of football in the country had improved radically in recent years.
"Over the next 10 years, UAE football will become more professional," he said. "There is more emphasis on fitness and strength training. But what we want to get over to the boys is discipline. They've got to sleep and eat right, and focus, if they're to be international-standard players. They must learn the word professionalism and what that means."
The team will be expected to train two to three times a day and attend lectures during the 14-hour day sessions at Ellesmere College, a specialist sports college in the UK.
They have been undergoing an intensive English programme at the American University of Sharjah to help prepare them for the trip.
"The players must realise that professionalism is both on and off the pitch," said Yahya Abdul Karim, Sharjah FC's chairman and head of professional affairs at the Sharjah Sports Council. "This is for the long-term development of our players here, at both club and national level. It's very important for us to build up the young players."
Mr Karim played under Mr Wright as the national team goalkeeper between 1981-84. Sharjah FC's U16 team is second in the UAE's FA League behind Al Ain.
Three of the 20-man squad have been picked for the U16 UAE national team and are now in Hungary on a summer training camp. Yasir Abbas, 16, has never been to England and hopes to improve his language skills as well as his footballing prowess. "It will be good to see what other players of our age do over in England," he said.
"Usually our camps are held in Arabic-speaking countries. I'm sure we will learn better skills and improve our game on the field. It will teach us new ways of training."
Marwan Surour, 16, who like his team-mates adulates the Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi, is being encouraged by his family to take football to a professional level.
"It will be an experience to live alone, without the family, for this length of time. We'll have to think for ourselves."
Jasim Ayoun, the youngsters' team manager, said: "From year to year over the last four years they have become better players technically, but they will certainly benefit from this trip in many ways.
"They will find the nutritional aspect of the programme difficult. They are 16, not four or five, when it's easier to break bad habits, but we will try."
Mohammed al Housany, 16, has been playing at the club since he was 10. He comes from a footballing family, with his brother Abdullah playing at Sharjah FC before taking up professional chess.
"I was born to play football," he said. "Football is my life and it's what I want to do. I hope one day to play for my country."
mswan@thenational.ae
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DUBAI SEVENS 2018 DRAW
Gulf Men’s League
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Sports City Eagles
Pool B – Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers
Gulf Men’s Open
Pool A – Bahrain Firbolgs, Arabian Knights, Yalla Rugby, Muscat
Pool B – Amman Citadel, APB Dubai Sharks, Jebel Ali Dragons 2, Saudi Rugby
Pool C – Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2, Roberts Construction, Dubai Exiles 2
Pool D – Dubai Tigers, UAE Shaheen, Sharjah Wanderers, Amman Citadel 2
Gulf U19 Boys
Pool A – Deira International School, Dubai Hurricanes, British School Al Khubairat, Jumeirah English Speaking School B
Pool B – Dubai English Speaking College 2, Jumeirah College, Dubai College A, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2
Pool C – Bahrain Colts, Al Yasmina School, DESC, DC B
Pool D – Al Ain Amblers, Repton Royals, Dubai Exiles, Gems World Academy Dubai
Pool E – JESS A, Abu Dhabi Sharks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 1, EC
Gulf Women
Pool A – Kuwait Scorpions, Black Ruggers, Dubai Sports City Eagles, Dubai Hurricanes 2
Pool B – Emirates Firebirds, Sharjah Wanderers, RAK Rides, Beirut Aconites
Pool C – Dubai Hurricanes, Emirates Firebirds 2, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Transforma Panthers
Pool D – AUC Wolves, Dubai Hawks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers
Gulf U19 Girls
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, BSAK, DESC, Al Maha
Pool B – Arabian Knights, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Abu Dhabi Harlequins
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
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
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
FA CUP FINAL
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Scoreline
Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')
Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')
Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'
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