Perception can be everything. Whether or not they like it, clubs acquire an image that precedes them.
For years, Bolton Wanderers became a form of footballing shorthand for a place that was cold and windy, where the home side were fierce and aggressive and the set-pieces accurate and directed at a battery of big men.
Then, rather against their wishes, Bolton's identity evolved. They came to epitomise an emphasis on ugly survival, the rows of empty seats summing up the death of the Premier League dream as an unedifying reality set in.
Now, once again, Bolton has a new meaning. This is a club characterised by exciting and expressive football, where optimism and overachievement go hand in hand.
Some of the empty seats remain, but this is a recession in which towns like Bolton have been unfairly targeted. Now they illustrate the achievements of the underdog.
For 24 hours this weekend, they occupied the final berth in the top four before Manchester City reclaimed it with a 3-0 win against Fulham on Sunday.
It was just reward for a year of rebranding under Owen Coyle. While the visiting supporters at Craven Cottage chorused "boring, boring City" after seeing their side score a fourth goal, they could have been echoing the sentiments of their Bolton counterparts.
Long deemed defensive, Bolton are outscoring all bar the top three, averaging almost two goals per game and, in their last two home matches, they struck four times against Tottenham Hotspur and put five past Newcastle United.
As Kevin Davies, the captain, said: "The Reebok's the place for excitement at the minute."
That was the sort of comment that, not so long ago, would have met with sniggers. Not now.
The transformation is all the more stunning because it has been achieved with essentially the same personnel. Only one of Coyle's signings, the American Stuart Holden, has started a league game this season. Yet he is indicative of a switch from reactive to proactive, from the negative to the positive.
Like Jack Wilshere, when borrowed from Arsenal last season, Holden operates as an attacking central midfielder. It was an alien concept to Coyle's predecessor, Gary Megson.
Tactically, Holden (signed on a free transfer, as Coyle is eager to point out) symbolises the regime change at the Reebok, but it is personified by Johan Elmander.
Megson's expensive folly has been reinvented as a fearsome force. The rampaging, rampant Swede struck twice against Newcastle; only Carlos Tevez has more Premier League goals.
Mockery is replaced by eulogies, especially after Elmander's Bergkamp-esque display of fancy footwork when he scored against Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.
It was surely Bolton's goal of the season but not, in one respect, the most notable; that came in a midweek friendly against Cliftonville and was scored by a 44-year-old: Coyle himself. It was a moment that embodied the manager's infectious enthusiasm.
He inherited a depressed club, worn down by the grim attrition of their attempts to avoid relegation. He provided an injection of confidence, fusing the belief that Bolton were capable of a more endearing style of play with their age-old ability to be direct.
He has allied consistency of selection - seven players have started every Premier League game - with consistent performances; Bolton have lost just twice and only the unbeaten Manchester United have fewer defeats.
They are the statistics of challengers, compiled by the personnel who spent three seasons targeting nothing more than lower mid-table respectability. It justifies one of last season's most controversial decisions. When Coyle left Burnley for Bolton in January, many wondered if, a superior stadium apart, he was really upsizing.
Now the answer has been provided by Wanderers' makeover. Perception and reality are reunited, and Bolton are entertaining.
¿¿¿ Saturday's remarkable North London derby lends itself to any number of talking points, not least the title credentials of Arsenal and Tottenham.
But to pick just one, it is rare indeed that a manager can introduce a specialist goalscorer who does not find the net and it still ranks among the substitutions of the season.
But Harry Redknapp's half-time decision to bring on Jermain Defoe belongs there.
It, along with the outstanding Rafael van der Vaart's relocation to midfield, changed the game. And, perhaps, the season.
¿¿¿ Compare and contrast two beaten managers of the Claret and Blue persuasion this weekend.
Deprived of 10 sidelined players, Gerard Houllier refused to make excuses and talked of his young Aston Villa side needing to learn lessons after their 2-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers.
With a rather shorter injury list and more experience on the bench, Avram Grant kept complaining about the absentees who missed West Ham United's capitulation at Liverpool. One is a man taking responsibility, the other a manager seeking to escape the blame.
¿¿¿ Dismissals in defeat can be expressions of frustration, but the cost can only unfold over the coming weeks.
Wigan Athletic would probably have lost against Manchester United even if Hugo Rodallega had not jumped in two-footed at Rafael da Silva, but the consequence is that the top scorer misses rather more winnable games against West Ham and Stoke City.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are without Fabricio Coloccini, their centre-back, for three games after he elbowed Elmander.
It may prove to be a particularly damaging display of indiscipline for both.
sports@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
TOP 5 DRIVERS 2019
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 10 wins 387 points
2 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, 4 wins, 314 points
3 Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 3 wins, 260 points
4 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 2 wins, 249 points
5 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1 win, 230 points
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain
Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L / 100km
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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More on animal trafficking
Results
ATP Dubai Championships on Monday (x indicates seed):
First round
Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x4) 6-4, 6-1
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x7) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
