The first time Fulham won promotion to the Premier League, it went to the head of their leading goalscorer.
Louis Saha tells the story, with self-deprecating humour, of how, reaching England’s top division, and celebrating Fulham’s arrival there with two goals away at Manchester United on day one of the 2001-2002 season, he rewarded himself with a gift.
It was a motorbike, a powerful one. He revved it up, thrilled and a little awed by the power of the machine. And then he tried to steer it, whereupon bike and striker, who had no licence to drive it, crashed to the ground.
His leg was left burned and cut, his pride utterly wounded. Saha, panicking, kept the injuries secret from his club, fearing the anger of his manager, the Frenchman Jean Tigana, and even that his contact might be cancelled.
"I'd bitten the dust like Twit of the Year," Saha recalled in his entertaining memoir, Thinking Inside the Box, "and ended up in A&E as my gash needed stitches to stop it healing into a thickened, raised scar."
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He made up a yarn for the Fulham team doctor about a kitchen accident with a frying pan. He got away with it, too, playing through the pain of his motorbike injury to score the goal that secured Fulham’s first-ever Premier League points.
Saha remembers the incident as a turning point, a lesson in self-discipline. He was never so indulgent again, and went on to have a long, successful career with four more English clubs, including United, after his goals had guided Fulham up and towards what would be a 13-year stay in the Premier League.
With Fulham back again now, after four seasons in the Championship, their challenge will be to keep players from racy temptations, and ensure a sleek, if lightweight vehicle of a team stays upright and steady while adding powerful boosters to its engine.
Fulham were last on to the Premier League starting grid for the coming season, having arrived via the Championship play-off final, where they beat Aston Villa 1-0 in May.
But they were widely praised as the most stylish of their division’s teams for much of the second half of last season. Credit for that is in large part due to Slavisa Jokanovic, the Serbian coach who was appointed in December 2015, with Fulham in difficulties.
Jokanovic settled on the type of football he wanted, and, in time, on the 13 or 14 players he trusted to achieve it.
Part of Fulham’s fluency and strength over the last 18 months - they also reached the play-off semi-finals in 2016-17 - has developed from consistency of selection, and the finessing of relationships on the pitch.
And there lies the dilemma for Jokanovic. History dictates that any promoted club, in order to survive in the Premier League, must strengthen. Yet the formula for success that steered Fulham back to the top flight needs preserving, too.
The axis of the pass-and-move football that earned Fulham such broad applause last season was the midfield, where the Scotland international Kevin McDonald’s authority, the Norwegian Stefan Johansen’s energy and eye for a pass, and the blessed left foot of captain Tom Cairney became a winning combination.
But their midfield routines must now accommodate a new man, an eye-catching signing that has signalled Fulham’s ambition under owner Shahid Khan.
Khan authorised the €30 million (Dh127.7m) transfer fee for 27-year-old Jean Michael Seri, recruited from Nice, a central midfielder whom grander clubs than Fulham had been asking after.
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Ranked: Premier League home and away kits for the 2018/19 season
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Back in 2001, when Saha’s head was briefly turned by a flashy motorcycle, Fulham’s bold statement signing on reaching the Premier League was goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who had been a semi-finalist at a World Cup and a European Championship, and still had many prosperous years ahead of him.
This summer, besides Seri, Fulham have signed on loan a World Cup winner, Andre Schurrle, who set up the only goal of Germany’s 2014 final against Argentina.
With Schurrle on one flank and the brilliant left-sided Ryan Sessegnon - 18 years old, homegrown and tipped for greatness - on the other, Jokanovic should have the width he likes, and, with the signing of Aleks Mitrovic, for close to €25m from Newcastle United, the manager has his desired target man at the sharp point of the attack.
Mitrovic, a Serbia international, spent the last six months on loan at Fulham, scored regularly, helped their play-off push and rejuvenated his own career, which had stalled at top-flight Newcastle. Now he has a point to make about his own Premier League credentials.
If he can thrive in elite company in the way Saha did, the last time Fulham came up, the Londoners should be safe and sound.
The Energy Research Centre
Founded 50 years ago as a nuclear research institute, scientists at the centre believed nuclear would be the “solution for everything”.
Although they still do, they discovered in 1955 that the Netherlands had a lot of natural gas. “We still had the idea that, by 2000, it would all be nuclear,” said Harm Jeeninga, director of business and programme development at the centre.
"In the 1990s, we found out about global warming so we focused on energy savings and tackling the greenhouse gas effect.”
The energy centre’s research focuses on biomass, energy efficiency, the environment, wind and solar, as well as energy engineering and socio-economic research.
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
Favourite mountain range: The Himalayas
Favourite experience: Two months trekking in Alaska
Second ODI
England 322-7 (50 ovs)
India 236 (50 ovs)
England win by 86 runs
Next match: Tuesday, July 17, Headingley
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
