A penny for the thoughts of Fabio Capello or indeed for Leonid Slutsky's as these two respected coaches contemplate from afar the end of the Russian fairytale at the 2018 World Cup.
They were both, at various times, supposed to be in charge of making the host nation’s team fit for purpose at the landmark event for the country.
As it happened, neither got anywhere their target, both stepping down as Russia’s manager after they failed to drag an ordinary Russia squad beyond the group stage of first, the 2014 World Cup, where Capello was flying his team home from Brazil after three games, and then Euro 2016 in France, where Slutsky’s European championship campaign ended similarly early.
Put bluntly, managing Russia seemed the impossible job a month ago. It looked as if, under the guidance of a grouchy, third-choice coach Stanislav Cherchesov, they were heading for embarrassment and very possibly for humiliation when they kicked off their own tournament.
The ride turned out to be unexpectedly exhilarating, at least if you were a patriotic supporter, tens of thousands of who arrived at the Black Sea resort of Adler on Saturday with a mixture of hope and trepidation.
If you watched as a neutral, some phases of the adventure were dull to watch, but there has been much to admire in the rugged resistance Cherchesov cultivated.
When Russia finally bowed out, shortly before midnight local time with defeat on penalties against Croatia in their quarter-final, they were departing the festival a good five hours of playing time later than many had forecast.
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They also left the best-looking memento of their last night, Denys Cheryshev’s wonderful first-half goal, struck beautifully from 25-yards after a slick exchange of passes with Artem Dzyuba.
Here are two players who have thrived in the heady atmosphere of a stirring World Cup, one that should refresh all of Russian football. Dzyuba is the man-mountain who revealed there is more to his game than just heavyweight bumping and bruising. He has some cool nerves and some nous, too.
Cheryshev, the Russian who grew up in Spain and has had low-key career in Spanish club football, has started four matches and finished with four World Cup goals.
He will remember forever that he gave his nation hope on the penultimate weekend of Russia’s World Cup and did so with stylish piece of skill and a wonderful finish.
Perhaps Russia might have benefited from having Cheryshev available when a long, sapping evening ended in a penalty shoot-out. He had been substituted long before.
Two of their spot-kicks were poor, Fedor Smolov striking the first weakly, and allowing Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subasic to alter his leap and save. A devastated Mario Fernandes blazed his spot-kick off target completely, as if in panic.
Wallchart
That was a sad end to the evening for Fernandes, the Brazil-born full-back who left his native land seven years ago with personal problems, seeking a fresh start in Russia.
He found it, Russia adopted him, made him their citizen. And his header late in extra-time carried Russia’s fairytale further than seemed credible, an equaliser for 2-2, and into a second successive penalty shoot-out.
Alas, this one did not go the way the spot-kicks against Spain at the last-16 stage had.
The Russians can look back on beating Spain as a real feather in their caps. They also scored 11 goals in their five games and gave the tournament a verve and impetus that has been maintained by others with their emphatic, five-goal opener against a bewildered Saudi Arabia.
Cherchesov may have relied a little too instinctively on cagey, ten-behind-the-ball tactics once Spain and Croatia’s excellent passers were the hurdles to cross in the knockouts but in adversity, there was a spirit to admire in a Russia of many veterans - Sergei Ignashevich turns 39 next weekend - and many men who bore some very unflattering assessments of how ordinary they were when they began their adventure.
They proved almost all of us wrong.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
