ABU DHABI // Saeed Al Kathiri, the Al Wahda and UAE striker, is a wanted man, with Al Ain, Al Jazira, and Al Wasl competing for his signature before the transfer window closes on Sunday.
Al Kathiri, 25, has a contract with Wahda that runs to 2015 but his first-team chances this season look slim with the Argentine pair of Sebastian Tagliabue and Damlan Diaz set to spearhead the attack.
Ismail Matar and Mohammed Al Shehhi are also both ahead of him in the pecking order.
Al Kathiri was not named in Wahda’s 16-man squad for their 3-2 win over Al Nasr in the Arabian Gulf League opener last week.
But a move away from the club where he has spent his entire career is no formality.
Karel Jarolim, the Wahda coach, said he had “no idea” about any offers when asked if he would be willing to release the player.
“I cannot answer a question which I am not aware of,” the Czech said on Wednesday at a pre-match briefing for Friday’s game in Dubai against Al Ahli.
“We are preparing for an important match against Al Ahli and we are focused only on that at the moment.”
Speaking about the game, Jarolim said he had a lot of respect for Ahli.
“We know their strengths,” he said. “They have got dangerous players in attack and quality in the midfield and defence. They have some big names and so do we.
“Our preparation for this game has gone well. We evaluated our own game against Nasr last week and worked on the mistakes. Hopefully we can improve our game against Ahli.
“We are not too worried about Ahli but play our own game and to our own strength.”
Wahda will again be without Marco Estrada, the Chile midfielder signed from French side Montpellier in the summer, as he is recovering from a groin injury.
“He has started training but won’t be ready for this game,” Jarolim said.
“We are in no hurry to rush him back. He is too valuable to us and he will return to action only if he’s 100 per cent.”
Hussain Fadel, the centre-back who made his league debut for Wahda last week, was ready for the challenge of facing the likes of the Brazilians Grafite and Ciel, and the Portuguese midfielder Hugo Viana at Al Ahli.
“I have a lot of respect for every player,” he said. “I have also played against some quality opposition when I played for Kuwait and Al Qadsia, and looking forward to the new challenges ahead.”
Al Dhafra already in a hole after early loss to Emirates
Abdullah Misfir, the Al Dhafra coach, says his team’s 1-0 defeat in the league opener to Emirates has made his task harder ahead of a tough away trip to Baniyas on Friday.
“We had a poor first game and, worse, we had a player sent off,” he said. “With such a result it is difficult to raise the moral of the players, especially when they are playing a team that has big ambitions this season. I have told the players to be patient.
“We had three days to correct our mistakes, both in attack and defence. We haven’t completely given up hopes though. If we can play true to our potential still we may return with a good result.”
apassela@thenational.ae
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Tathoor, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: Aiz Alawda, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
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Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohammed Daggash
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Winner: Somoud, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
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Winner: Al Jazi, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
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- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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