Brendan Rodgers confirmed Monday that captain Scott Brown and Jozo Simunovic signed new Celtic deals on the eve of their Uefa Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Parkhead club confirmed that 32-year-old Scotland captain Brown, who joined the Scottish champions in 2007, has penned a two-year contract which takes him until at least 2019.
Defender Simunovic, 23, who arrived in Glasgow from Dinamo Zagreb in 2015, has penned a new four-year deal until at least the summer of 2021.
Rodgers is preparing for the visit of free-spending all-star French side PSG in their Group B opener where he will have Leigh Griffiths back after a calf injury but will still be without fellow striker Moussa Dembele as he works his way back from a hamstring complaint.
However, he confirmed the boost the squad will get from two players happy to extend their time at Celtic.
"I am delighted for both," he said. "Scott has been a great captain here over many years and certainly in the period I have been here, he has consistently played at a very high level.
"We were talking towards the end of last season and it was a case of just getting the Champions League qualification out of the way and hoping to get something agreed.
"So I am absolutely delighted because he is a very important figure for us on and off the field and I have been delighted at his performance level and how tactically he has been playing the game.
"Jozo is a young player that, obviously there was a focus on his injury past, but this is a great arena for him to play and he is in an environment where he needs that development and once he is fit and trains and plays consistently he is an outstanding talent.
"So it is great news for our squad because we are trying to build and create something here.
"A lot of our players now are tying into longer deals, which is great.
"It is a really exciting period and we have one or two others that we will look at to try to ensure the squad remains as stable as possible whilst looking to progress at the same time."
Last season, Rodgers' first in charge at Parkhead, Celtic finished bottom of their Champions League section which included Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach with three draws.
This season the Scottish champions have German giants Bayern Munich and Belgian champions Anderlecht also in their group but PSG are the side most of Europe is talking about.
The French club were bolstered in the summer with the signings of Brazilian superstar Neymar, who reportedly cost €220 million (Dh968m) from Barcelona, and 18-year-old French sensation Kylian Mbappe who joined on a season-long loan from Monaco, with an option to make the deal permanent for €180m.
Along with Uruguay international Edinson Cavani, who signed from Napoli in 2013 for a fee reported as €55m, PSG bring with them the most expensive front line ever assembled.
Rodgers believes attitude will be key in dealing with a side built to go all the way in the tournament.
"It should be a great spectacle," said the Northern Irishman. "We worked very hard last year in the league and went through a tough qualification phase and this is the competition that we wanted to be in.
"In these types of games attitude is everything.
"They are put together to win this competition. There is no question about that, with the quality they have and what they have been building over the last few years and over the summer, bringing in Neymar and Mbappe, who is an amazing young striker. So their focus is clearly on winning it.
"Getting ready for our first game 12 months ago, I didn't believe we were at the level we are at now.
"Attitude is everything. If you stand off top class players they will show you why they are top class.
"I am also looking forward to seeing us play on the counter attack as well because this is a level where you have to stay calm.
"A positive start is what we want."
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How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Results
6.30pm: Madjani Stakes Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m, Winner: RB Frynchh Dude, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Mnasek, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Grand Dubai, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m, Winner: Meqdam, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Cosgrave, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,900m, Winner: Sanad Libya, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Madkhal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
