As club football gets the measure of what a winter World Cup means for its rhythms, a thought for those coaches not busy pouring their energies into how to manage player recuperation or offering sympathy or praise to footballers recently returned from Qatar. The winter World Cup, with barely any holiday time to follow it, has complicated the life of the unemployed, elite manager.
They are a distinguished group, too. Look back over the last five European Cup finals and you find three of the seven different managers involved in them currently out of work, waiting for the right offer.
Zinedine Zidane won the Champions League three times on the trot with Real Madrid, from 2016 to 2018. Thomas Tuchel led different clubs, Paris-Saint-Germain and Chelsea, in successive years to finals, his yield a silver medal and then a gold. Mauricio Pochettino made history for Tottenham Hotspur by guiding them to a final; less than 12 months ago Pochettino was on his way to a league title at PSG.
Nor are these recently medalled, admired out-of-work managers only in Europe. Marcelo Gallardo, who left Argentina’s River Plate in November after an eight-year spell that included two Copa Libertadores triumphs and a winning final in the Copa Sudamericana – the continent’s secondary trophy – is ready to end his short break from touchlines and accept a fresh challenge. Gallardo has already heard from a range of possible suitors well beyond South America.
Each of these coaches’ potential career plans were affected by events in Qatar, especially once France and Argentina won their respective semi-finals. It meant the president of the French Federation, Noel Le Graet, strengthened his resolve to have the long-serving France coach Didier Deschamps extend his commitment with the national team to another World Cup, the 2026 tournament. Deschamps, whose men lost on penalties in the Qatar final, signed his new contract last weekend.
The confirmation that Deschamps, who steered France to the 2018 World Cup title, would take his term into a second decade had several knock-on effects. One of them, indirectly, was the suspension of Le Graet from his position, not for backing Deschamps but in part for dismissive remarks he made about the leading alternative – Zidane.
“I would not have picked up the phone to him,” said Le Graet of Zidane, a hero, as a player, of France’s 1998 World Cup win. It was a sour remark publicly criticised by Kylian Mbappe, France’s highest-profile current player, among others.
Zidane has made no secret of his ambition to manage France, and, had Deschamps overseen a failure in Qatar, would have been well positioned, even if Le Graet was lukewarm on him, to take the reins. Zidane has turned down major club offers in the 18 months since he stepped down from a second spell coaching Real Madrid, always with the France possibility in mind.
With that vacancy now closed, Zidane is understood to feel he needs to return to touchline duties somewhere by the middle of this year. Among the jobs Zidane was sounded out for was PSG, last summer, after Pochettino had been pushed out, despite winning the Ligue 1 title. Christophe Galtier accepted the position instead, and should be secure there at least until June.
Argentina’s rousing win at the Lusail Stadium four weekends ago also meant the Argentinian Football Federation will not be looking for a new manager. Lionel Scaloni, initially a caretaker, now a World Cup winner, is a national idol.
Both Pochettino and Gallardo, former Argentina players, would have been sounded out if Argentina had flopped in Qatar. So would Diego Simeone, whose 11-year spell managing Atletico Madrid appears to be nearing its end date, most likely this summer.
That would crowd the elite pool of job-seeking coaches even further. Some are impatient. Pochettino, like Zidane, is eager to be back in work, six months on from leaving PSG. Tuchel, while enjoying his break since his Chelsea sacking in September, has made it clear he is on the market. Gallardo wants to capitalise on his elevated reputation.
For coaches sitting nervously on benches of big clubs, the de luxe list of would-be replacements is daunting.
Real Madrid – where the veteran Carlo Ancelotti faces a series of big dates in the coming week, Sunday’s Spanish Cup final to be followed by the Club World Cup – are already planning the Italian's succession despite the fact he won the double last May. They have sized up Pochettino in the past.
At Juventus, where a new board are in the process of taking charge, form under Max Allegri may have picked up after a poor start to the campaign but the pursuit of the Serie A title will seem very distant if they lose to table-topping Napoli, already seven points clear on Friday evening. Zidane is former Juventus player, and, as a coach, has been on the club’s radar for many years.
FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT)
Tuesday
Mairobr v Liverpool
Spartak Moscow v Sevilla
Feyenoord v Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester City v Napoli
Monaco v Besiktas
RB Leipzig v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur
Wednesday
Benfica v Manchester United
CSKA Moscow v Basel
Bayern Munich v Celtic
Anderlecht v Paris Saint-Germain
Qarabag v Atletico Madrid
Chelsea v Roma
Barcelona v Olympiakos
Juventus v Sporting Lisbon
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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.
THE%20SWIMMERS
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The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
Age 26
Born May 17, 1991
Height 1.80 metres
Birthplace Sydney, Australia
Residence Eastbourne, England
Plays Right-handed
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$5,761,870 (Dh21,162,343.75)
Wins / losses 312 / 181
Wonka
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
