Caio Lucas, the Sharjah forward, says his side want to win the AFC Champions League Two title as a farewell gift for Cosmin Olaroiu, their coach.
Lucas is one of several players who will still likely be seeing plenty of the Romanian in the future.
As one of many UAE players in the Sharjah squad, he will be straight back under the coach’s guidance when he takes up his new role in charge of the national team as soon as the domestic season ends.
Olaroiu has overseen a fine final campaign in club football, with Sharjah reaching the final of the President’s Cup.
They are also second in the UAE Pro League, although Shabab Al Ahli – the domestic double winners – can no longer be caught at the top.
The one remaining chance they have for their endeavours to be rewarded with a trophy is in the Champions League Two final, against Lion City Sailors in Singapore on Sunday.
It also represents Olaroiu’s last shot at winning a continental title with a UAE club. He has won everything else, making him – by a distance – the most decorated coach in UAE football.
In 2015, he took Al Ahli to the final of what is now known as the AFC Champions League Elite, only for them to lose out to China’s Guangzhou Evergrande.
As such, Al Ain remain the only UAE side to have won an Asian continental title. Lucas says the players are motivated to rectify that statistic, and see Olaroiu on his way in the best fashion possible.
“As a player, I speak for my teammates when I say we try to do the best every game we play to win, and to listen to watch the coach tells us,” Lucas said.
“For sure, it would be a pleasure for us to give him this gift. We are all together to try to do our best to win the game, and to do it for the coach.
“It is an honour for us to be here to represent our country. We have worked so hard to be here and we will try to do our best.”
Since Olaroiu was confirmed as the replacement for Paulo Bento as UAE coach, Sharjah’s form has dipped. They have won just once, and lost their past five matches.
The coach reasoned that they have been dealing with the effects of injuries in their Champions League Two semi-final tie against Al Taawoun.
The fact they have shuffled their pack accordingly in the league partly explains the drop off in results, but he is confident they are ready to give everything in the final.
“The most important thing is the team who find a way to have the most self-control will be able to play to their maximum potential,” Olaroiu said.
“We hope it will be us, so we can reach our dream. To play in a final and win such a big trophy is a dream you have from when you start to play football.
“In this job, everyone dreams of this. Now our dream is 90 minutes away from us.”
Olaroiu did question whether the stage fits the occasion. The final is being played at Bishan Stadium, which is a municipal sports facility in the centre of the city state.
It is where Lion City Sailors play their regular season matches, but usually only has a small capacity for spectators.
Their home games in this competition have been played at a slightly larger ground across the city, but Sharjah protested at the match going ahead there due to it being an artificial surface.
The preferred venue for a game of such significance in Singapore would have been the 55,000-capacity National Stadium, but that will be playing host to a Lady Gaga concert instead.
The AFC had instructed the Sailors to find an alternative venue elsewhere, only for the club to convince them they could upgrade the Bishan Stadium to suitable standard.
Now the athletics track where the public are usually able to run is taken up by temporary stands, which have taken the capacity to 10,000.
All of the tickets sold out within a day, and Olaroiu is unhappy that a number of Sharjah fans who wanted to travel have missed out.
“My view is it should be in a proper stadium with a bigger capacity because football is for the fans,” Olaroiu said.
“If it was played in a bigger stadium with a bigger capacity our supporters would have more possibility to watch the game. Now, some of them are frustrated because they cannot attend.
“Of course, everything else, like the quality of the pitch, should be at the maximum standard because it is a final. It is publicity for football in the region, and the whole of Asia.
“That is my opinion, but they have made big efforts to fix those problems. Now we are here, and we have to play here.
“It doesn’t matter which conditions – full stadium, no stadium – our target is still the same. We have to follow what we have to do and forget about all these other things.”
Olaroiu said the two finalists were unfancied to reach this point, and Aleksandar Rankovic, his opposite number, echoed that sentiment.
“I don’t think anyone in Singapore was dreaming of us getting to the ACL final,” Rankovic, the Serbian coach of the Sailors, said.
“We had that dream, but it was something we would just whisper about. We didn’t have the courage to speak about it.
“We felt we could go all the way. After we went through the group phase I thought, OK, we can face anybody in this tournament.
“It means a lot. I came here with some goals that I wanted to achieve, and the ACL final is definitely the greatest one.”
England's Ashes squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
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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
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Company%20profile
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Results
Male 51kg Round 1
Dias Karmanov (KAZ) beat Mabrook Rasea (YEM) by points 2-1.
Male 54kg Round 1
Yelaman Sayassatov (KAZ) beat Chen Huang (TPE) TKO Round 1; Huynh Hoang Phi (VIE) beat Fahad Anakkayi (IND) RSC Round 2; Qais Al Jamal (JOR) beat Man Long Ng (MAC) by points 3-0; Ayad Albadr (IRQ) beat Yashar Yazdani (IRI) by points 2-1.
Male 57kg Round 1
Natthawat Suzikong (THA) beat Abdallah Ondash (LBN) by points 3-0; Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Ahmed Al Jubainawi (IRQ) by points 2-1; Hamed Almatari (YEM) beat Nasser Al Rugheeb (KUW) by points 3-0; Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) beat Yu Xi Chen (TPE) by points 3-0.
Men 86kg Round 1
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) beat Mohammad Al Khatib (PAL) by points 2-1
Men 63.5kg Round 1
Noureddin Samir (UAE) beat Polash Chakma (BAN) RSC Round 1.
Female 45kg quarter finals
Narges Mohammadpour (IRI) beat Yuen Wai Chan (HKG) by points.
Female 48kg quarter finals
Szi Ki Wong (HKG) beat Dimple Vaishnav (IND) RSC round 2; Thanawan Thongduang (THA) beat Nastaran Soori (IRI) by points; Shabnam Hussain Zada (AFG) beat Tzu Ching Lin (TPE) by points.
Female 57kg quarter finals
Nguyen Thi Nguyet (VIE) beat Anisha Shetty (IND) by points 2-1; Areeya Sahot (THA) beat Dana Al Mayyal (KUW) RSC Round 1; Sara Idriss (LBN) beat Ching Yee Tsang (HKG) by points 3-0.
More on animal trafficking
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
