Roy Hodgson confronts his past tonight. It may seem a more forgiving environment, a place where he was a popular overachiever. It was a time when expectations and scrutiny were lesser, appreciation greater and his reputation higher. It was when he was Fulham manager.
Two-and-a-half heady years at Craven Cottage incorporated a dramatic escape from relegation, the highest Premier League finish in Fulham's history and an appearance in the Europa League final.
Half a season at Anfield has seen a stumble around mid-table that has prompted John Henry, the new owner, to describe the results this season as "unacceptable".
His old club, meanwhile, are perched precariously above the relegation zone after an underwhelming start to Mark Hughes's reign. If something unites Liverpool and Fulham, it might be a shared sense among supporters that they wish Hodgson was still on the banks of the Thames.
It is a move that, like Paul Konchesky's similar switch from Craven Cottage to Anfield, has benefited no one so far. Hodgson, understandably, believes he merits time.
He can point to an inauspicious first few months at Fulham before the three victories that salvaged their Premier League status in 2008 and kick-started a time of unprecedented success for the club.
"It was a fantastic two-and-a-half years for me there," said the 63-year-old. "It will bring back very good memories.
"The club were good to me, the players were excellent and they were a joy to work with. It was a wrench to leave them but a job like Liverpool doesn't come along every day.
"Unfortunately, when you leave a club and you play against them, there is only one thought in your mind. We need to win."
They will be the favourites. One element of their manager's record in the capital normally serves to depress Liverpool. Today it should encourage them. Their wait for an away win stretches back 26 league games (that Hodgson's personal record on his travels is of one victory in 27 attempts highlights Liverpool's dismal run on the road) while they visit a club whose home form is bettered only by Manchester United and Chelsea.
The tonic for Liverpool today should be provided by the return of their captain. Steven Gerrard has spent a month on the sidelines after damaging his hamstring on international duty.
But, while Hodgson was reluctant to suggest he will start, the midfielder should be involved.
The opposing captain is another common denominator between the two clubs and an advocate of Hodgson's. "If I was a betting man, I would guarantee they are going to finish in the top four," said Danny Murphy, Fulham's former Liverpool midfielder.
"The club is in a bit of a predicament, but you couldn't ask for a more humble gentleman to deal with that.
"I didn't want to see him go, but football success generally means that people move on. The great thing for him was that he got to manage one of the great teams in Europe and Liverpool got one of the best coaches around.
"I hear positive sounds coming out of the club about him. The people up there don't suffer fools."
Fulham are without a goal at Anfield since 2006 and arrive minus two of their premier strikers, with Moussa Dembele joining the long-term absentee Bobby Zamora on the sidelines.
Hodgson, meanwhile, was able to rest his regulars for Wednesday's Europa League stalemate against Utrecht and is likely to make 10 changes.
The reunion may serve as a reminder of Hodgson's credentials to his doubters on Merseyside but, as Gerard Houllier's recent return to Anfield with new team Aston Villa shows, this is not the time to be sentimental.
sports@thenational.ae
9.30pm, Abu Dhabi Sports 3
Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
Sunday's games
All times UAE:
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm
Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm
Everton v Watford, 8.30pm
Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm
How to donate
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Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Results
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Spirit Of Light, Clement Lecoeuvre (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer)
6.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner Bright Start, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
6.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner Twelfthofneverland, Nathan Crosse, Satish Seemar
7.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Imperial Empire, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
7.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m
Winner Record Man, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner Celtic Prince, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
