Shuji Kajiyama / AP Photo
Shuji Kajiyama / AP Photo

Football

UAE to confirm former AC Milan manager Zaccheroni as Bauza's successor

Italian, who also coached Japan to Asian Cup title in 2011, offered 15-month deal by FA

John McAuley
John McAuley

October 15, 2017

Alberto Zaccheroni is expected to be confirmed on Monday as the new UAE national team manager.

The Italian, who led Japan to the 2011 Asian Cup crown, arrived in Dubai late on Saturday and met with the Football Association on Sunday to finalise the conditions of his contract. He has been offered a 15-month deal, taking Zaccheroni through to the conclusion of the 2019 Asian Cup, which takes place in the Emirates.

He will succeed Edgardo Bauza, who left last month to head up Saudi Arabia's 2018 World Cup campaign.

Zaccheroni, 64, was deemed the right man for the role specifically because of his success and experience in Asian football. He was appointed as Japan manager in 2010 and guided the East Asians to the continental title the following year - the last time they have won the trophy.

Japan qualified for the 2014 World Cup during Zaccheroni’s tenure, although they were eliminated at the group stage. He left immediately after the tournament in Brazil. The former AC Milan manager was most recently installed at Beijing Guoan in the Chinese Super League, but lasted only five months last year. He has not since been employed.

Zaccheroni's availability also played its part, given the FA's two other primary targets, Ricardo Gareca and Jorge Luis Pinto, are attempting to lead national teams to next year's World Cup. They manage Peru and Honduras, respectively.

The FA was not prepared to wait until next month for those campaigns to be resolved, since they wished to go into next month’s international break with the new manager in place. A friendly with World Cup qualifiers Egypt has been mooted, although Zaccheroni is expected to choose the second of their two opponents for that period.

______________

Read more

A look at how UAE fared in their 2018 World Cup qualifiers

Bert van Marwijk rules himself out of UAE national team job

Klinsmann, Zaccheroni, Olaroiu and Aguirre targets for UAE

Olaroiu denies being offered UAE football manager job

______________

Having met with the FA on Sunday, Zaccheroni impressed with his enthusiasm for the role and his hunger in replicating his previous international success with the UAE. Last month, FA president Marwan bin Ghalita said the UAE were aiming to reach the Asian Cup final.

Despite leaving Beijing last year, Zaccheroni has kept a close eye on Asian football and knows well the UAE side already, which was another key factor in his candidacy. When considering Zaccheroni, the FA consulted a number of prominent Italian figures within football, including former England manager Fabio Capello.

With the contract agreed, Zaccheroni could be introduced to the media within the next 24 hours.

Last month, the national team failed to qualify for next summer's World Cup in Russia, finishing fourth in their group behind Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia. The UAE have only once before appeared at a global finals, in 1990.

On Women's Day
While you're here
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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.”

If you go

The flights 

Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.

The trip

The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore  offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.

The hotel

There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.

 

 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

SRI LANKS ODI SQUAD

Perera (capt), Mendis, Gunathilaka, de Silva, Nissanka, Shanaka, Bandara, Hasaranga, Udana, Dananjaya, Dickwella, Chameera, Mendis, Fernando, Sandakan, Karunaratne, Fernando, Fernando.

Tomorrow 2021
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert