ABU DHABI // Luis Milla said Al Jazira face a “challenging task” when his side face winless Ajman as Arabian Gulf League play resumes after a three-week hiatus.
Milla is quick to note that what he cites as challenges are not the same as excuses, however.
“This game has become more difficult for us because of several complicated factors,” the Jazira coach said.
“Firstly, we won’t have the home comforts as the game has been shifted to an away venue. The other issue is we have to start all over again as we go in to this game after a long break.
“We didn’t have the full squad in training, as some players were away on national duty and some are not available for this game because of suspensions and injuries.
“I am not trying to find excuses, but these are the actual facts.”
Jazira will play at Al Wahda club’s Al Nahyan Stadium because the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium is being used for Group A games in the ongoing Fifa Under 17 World Cup.
“Playing the home game in another venue, even if it is across the road, won’t give the players the home comforts. It is a mental thing, but we need even that one per cent advantage,” Milla said.
“When we start after a long break, we need to start everything all over again. Some of our key players were away on national duty and they rejoined the team only two days ago. We don’t know their physical and mental conditions. Again, this doesn’t help us in our preparation.”
Jazira will be without of Ali Mabkhout, who scored three goals in the UAE’s 4-0 thrashing of Hong Kong in an Asian Cup qualifier last week. He is serving a one-match ban for a red card issued against Al Shabab.
Ali Kasheif, the goalkeeper, and Khamis Ismail, the midfielder, both returning from national duty, have to pass fitness tests ahead of the match.
The good news for Milla is that Nelson Valdez, the Paraguay international who suffered a knee injury when Jazira went down to Al Wasl 3-2 on September 21 after having two players sent off, is likely to make the line-up.
“Valdez has recovered and did a great job getting back to his ideal fitness level and may play the full 90 minutes or participate at some point of the game to share the attacking responsibilities with Ricardo Oliveira,” he said.
Abdelaziz Barrada, the Moroccan international, is also back from national duty and is certain to be named in the line-up.
Ajman have yet to win a point in the league, but Milla does not judge them by those results.
“It is true they have lost all three games so far, but they have an excellent record in the League Cup, being unbeaten in four games. So we are prepared for a tough game,” he said.
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
UAE v United States, T20 International Series
Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.
1st match: Friday, 2pm
2nd match: Saturday, 2pm
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh
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