The following answers from Eden Hazard come courtesy of the official Chelsea magazine.
On Chelsea’s season overall:
Eden Hazard: "This season was an 'almost' season – almost getting to the Champions League final, almost champions in the Premier League. I hope next season it will be better and we can go to the next level.
“I came here for trophies and in my first season we won the Europa League. This season we didn’t win any trophies but we were back in the Champions League, which is the best club competition in the world.
“For a young player like me it is good to play for a club that can get to the semi-finals, because one of the reasons I play football is for these big games. Hopefully next season we can go further, get to the final and win it.”
On the direction he, and Chelsea, are headed in for next season:
Hazard: "Next season, with this team, I think we can win the Premier League and maybe the Champions League. If we win trophies that will make it better because it will be a good season for the whole of Chelsea.
“I know maybe I have to do better in training or on the pitch – I want to score more and help the team score more goals and next season I hope we can be better.”
On Jose Mourinho’s expectations, including his “We want more from you” joking upon receiving the Chelsea Player of the Year award:
Hazard: "It's true and it's good. I prefer it when we speak like this, rather than things like, 'He is the best, he doesn't need to work'."
On winning the Chelsea award, the PFA Young Player of the Year trophy and other individual accomplishments in 2013/14:
Hazard: "We know it's a collective sport, but individually trophies are sometimes good and I'll take this one (Chelsea Player of the Year), I'll bring it to my home and tonight I enjoy this one for me. I'm happy.
“I have to say thank you to my teammates because the training is very important. If I feel good in training, I feel good on the pitch and in the games and that’s what happened this season. The season was better than my first and I hope next season will be better again.
“It was a good season for me but, as the boss says, we finished third and I hope next season we finish first. I always want to score more goals and improve, that is a big objective.
“My aims here are to win trophies to play games, to score goals and to enjoy my time on the pitch. As a player I want to continue working hard and enjoy playing as I have this year.”
On how he sees himself at this point in his career:
Hazard: "I try to play like I did when I was a young boy playing in my garden – sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not so good but I try to always make sure I give my best to help the team, even if I am not having the best game myself.
“I think I’m not complete yet but I have experience. When you are young, you sometimes play one good gamea nd then one bad game. This season I was able to be more consistent which is good for me.
“I am still young and a lot of good players – legends like JT (John Terry), Frank (Lampard) and Drogba – have won this trophy (Chelsea Player of the Year) before me and I give thanks from my heart today, because I have great teammates around me and I play with very good players.”
On his 2013/14 highlights:
Hazard: "Man City away, for me, was the best performance from us as a team. Everybody said we could lose this game, because when we went there (at the beginning of February) Man City were playing very well and nobody had won there but we did very well – the way we played for 90 minutes was fantastic and we were the only team to win there in the league all season.
“I scored a hat-trick against Newcastle here at Stamford Bridge and I hope I can score another one of them next season, two maybe.”
The latest edition of Chelsea magazine goes on sale from 19th May. You can download a digital version of Chelsea magazine to view on your tablet at www.chelseafc.com/mobile.
Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE
THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali
Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”
Favourite TV programme: the news
Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”
Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
