They arrived in consecutive months and left in successive weeks. Paulinho and Etienne Capoue had much in common. They were not just Tottenham Hotspur midfielders, signed in 2013 and sold in 2015. Both went at a loss. There may be some relief that they recouped £16 million (Dh90.8m) from Guangzhou Evergrande and Watford for the pair, though Paulinho cost more than that himself.
They have a symbolic value. They were part of a greater narrative, a spending spree and an experiment. They were bought with some of the proceeds of the sale of Gareth Bale. It amounted to a test of one pillar of Moneyball, and a reason why the word has almost become toxic in a footballing context. First Tottenham and then Liverpool sold their star player and, rather than looking for one replacement, invested in several newcomers and saw them struggle. After investing over £100 million, each regressed.
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The precedent, and the antithesis, came in baseball. Michael Lewis’s celebrated book referred to the wider use of statistics to confound established wisdom in scouting. Yet it focused on the Oakland A’s as they lost three of their outstanding individuals — Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen — at the end of the 2001 season. Their visionary general manager Billy Beane knew he did not have the budget to recruit a first baseman, an outfielder and a closer of the same stature. Instead, with savvy recruitment, he set about ensuring the team replicated its collective output from the previous season.
That was Moneyball. That was Tottenham’s aim after Bale’s £85 million move to Real Madrid and Liverpool’s objective following Luis Suarez’s £75 million switch to Barcelona 12 months later. If there was a winger capable of scoring 26 goals in a season, he was unattainable for Spurs. Suarez had delivered 31 goals in 33 league games; forwards of that calibre were already at the game’s superpowers and beyond Liverpool’s reach.
So each, believing themselves astute transfer-market operators, divided their money seven ways. Instead of the cult of the individual, they hoped for collective improvement. They were disappointed. Of 14 signings, only three — Christian Eriksen and Nacer Chadli for Tottenham, Emre Can at Liverpool — have proved remotely successful. Many, including Tottenham’s three club record buys of Paulinho, Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela, and Liverpool’s buys of Dejan Lovren, Mario Balotelli and Lazar Markovic, have to be classed as failures.
Without Bale, Tottenham scored 11 fewer league goals. Shorn of Suarez, Liverpool’s mustered 49 fewer. They have resorted to spending for a second successive summer on attackers. Spurs’ goal return only recovered thanks to the emergence of the home-grown Harry Kane. Paulinho and Capoue may be setting a trend that Anfield equivalents such as Markovic and Adam Lallana will emulate in future years by making an undistinguished exit.
The legacy left by Paulinho and Capoue may not lie in the Spurs midfield, where Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason came through the ranks to displace them, as much as in the examples to other clubs. Liverpool attempted to replace a match-winner with the closest possible equivalent — Alexis Sanchez spurned them to join Arsenal — but the next time a superstar is sold, the search may be for a successor, rather than an Oakland-esque group of players with a combination of attributes.
Paulinho and Capoue’s cases can be called Moneyball, but Tottenham lost much of their money. The broader question is if they represent a failure of theory or of practice. Any idea is only as good as its implementation. Tottenham and Liverpool struggled to identify correct targets and negotiate deals, as the excessive fees they paid indicated. Their additions were not all used correctly, hindered by the choice of managers who did not rate them. Whereas Oakland were baseball’s underfunded overachievers, Spurs and Liverpool became not their footballing equivalents as much as their opposites.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,00
On sale: Available for preorder now
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
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.
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
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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.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5