If second-season syndrome afflicted some, Jose Mourinho’s variant of it only enhanced his reputation.
He won the league title in his second season at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea again, twice adding the Champions League for good measure.
His second season at Tottenham began with a 90-minute illustration of how to kill any summer optimism.
Lest any was lingering after defeat to Everton, Mourinho branded his players “lazy” and said they had the wrong state of mind. Perhaps, he could say, this does not qualify as his second season in charge.
The only comparable situation in his career came at Porto when, after a January appointment, he won the league and the Uefa Cup in his second campaign, but first full season.
The theme of his career has been that, once his players improve from his methods and he uses a famously analytical brain to diagnose what his side needs and strengthens accordingly, glory follows.
Yet there is a second, less flattering theme: that as Mourinho strays further from his prime, the highs are not as high and things unravel quicker.
His second season at Manchester United did not yield the title. His mood soured part way through it, spiralling towards a sacking the following December.
Tottenham finished last season with 14 points from a possible 18 so one game, however wretched they were against Everton, represents too small a sample size to definitely say ambitions will go unrealised this season. But it was nevertheless an awful start.
A recurring feature of Mourinho’s rhetoric is his capacity to blame others: the fault always lies with them for failing to implement his perfect plans.
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Player ratings from Spurs 0 Everton 1
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A regular tactical issue is Mourinho's struggle to adapt to the times. Pressing is the prevailing theory and Mourinho's awareness of his need to adapt is apparent in his frequent mentions of it in the All Or Nothing documentary. Knowing its importance and knowing how to implement it are separate issues, however.
The “lazy pressure” Mourinho criticised is supported by the statistics: of the 12 teams who played over the weekend, Spurs ranked 12th for successful pressures, tackles, blocks and interceptions. But if Tottenham felt slow and uninspired, it was not the first time. The same could also be said of his United, especially in his last year.
The half-time withdrawal of Dele Alli, which Mourinho admitted was tactical, felt symbolic and not merely because a No 10 is often supposed to be his side’s most creative player.
Instead, he was removed because, the Portuguese said, “we need more creation.” Alli was a flagship success of Mourinho’s first few weeks; with one league goal and assist since January, that effect has worn off.
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Gallery from Spurs v Everton
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Mourinho liked to cite the table from his time in charge, showing Spurs fourth in two-thirds of last season, as an endorsement.
Yet the fact they only ranked eighth expected goals showed that fine finishing compensated for a lack of creativity. Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son’s prowess in front of goal are assets, but Mourinho is yet to resolve the question of their supply line.
He was unfortunate to be missing his best technician, Giovani Lo Celso, on Sunday but the fact Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had three central-midfield sidekicks – in first Harry Winks, then Moussa Sissoko and finally Tanguy Ndombele – shows Mourinho, a manager famed for his decisiveness, is still experimenting with options.
Ndombele, the club record buy, is the one he trusts least but his Tottenham have played in straight lines too often. That predictability does not promise to offer a route into the top four.
For a decade, though, a second-season Mourinho offered a different kind of certainty: a guarantee of success.
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%208
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
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.”
WISH
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The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
Price, base / as tested: Dh155,000 / Dh205,000
Engine: 3.3-litre, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 370hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 510Nm @ 1,300rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.6L / 100km
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
