When Mahdi Ali sits down to pick his team for Wednesday night’s World Cup qualifier against Malaysia, one name should be the first on the team sheet. And, no, it’s not who you think it is.
For someone whose goal won the UAE a second Gulf Cup of Nations, Ismail Al Hammadi can sometimes seem overlooked, marginalised to the edges of the national team’s recent successes.
This could be about to change for the most in-form player in the country. After a stunning start to the 2015/16 season, the Al Ahli winger is ready to take centre stage.
It has been two-and-a-half years since his 107th-minute goal gave Mahdi Ali’s men a 2-1 extra-time win over Iraq in the Gulf Cup final in Bahrain. Since then, he has continued to be one of the coach’s trusted core, though not always first choice and not always in the thick of the action.
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Al Hammadi’s appearance record at major competitions since Mahdi Ali took over as the senior national coach is a curious one. He has taken part in 15 of 16 tournament matches and yet completed a full match only once.
At the 2013 Gulf Cup he was taken off in all three group matches and did not play in the semi-final win over Kuwait, before coming on in the final to score the winner.
In the same competition the following year, in Saudi Arabia, he again was substituted in all the group matches, introduced in the semi-final defeat against the hosts and taken off again in the third-place play-off win over Oman.
At the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia his role was mostly reversed. He came off the bench five times: in three group matches, the semi-final loss to the hosts and the third-place play-off. Ironically, he completed all 120 minutes in the quarter-final win over holders Japan, which the UAE won on penalties.
Clearly, it is not a matter of trust, as Mahdi Ali continues to select him time and again. Nor is it a fitness issue, at least not entirely.
More likely is that the Emirati coach envisions specific tactical roles for the Ahli winger. For the UAE, Al Hammadi is required, along with his fellow attackers, to be the first line of defence, consistently pressing the opposition in their own half. In addition, as one of the wide attackers in Mahdi Ali’s 4-3-3, he is often tasked with stretching defences from the start. It is no surprise he is often withdrawn once his energies run out.
Alternatively, he brings a dynamism to the team when introduced late in matches and his speed is an ideal weapon to use against tiring opposition defenders, as it proved in the 2013 Gulf Cup final in Manama.
Still, there is little doubt that Al Hammadi does not enjoy the higher profile of teammates Omar Abdulrahman, Ali Mabkhout and even his talented but inconsistent club colleague Ahmed Khalil. Until now.
Al Hammadi has started the season on fire, scoring a hat-trick in the 8-1 Arabian Gulf League thrashing of Fujairah.
Considering he scored only three league goals in each of the previous two league seasons, he looks set to easily beat his best campaign tally, six, which he has achieved twice before.
It is not just the goals that have impressed. It may be early in the season, but his movement has been impressing since the end of 2014/15, especially in Al Ahli’s successful Asian Champions League run.
This season, he has noticeably been on the ball more than in the past, increasingly moving into the centre of the attack rather than hugging the touchline and running down blind alleys, as he was prone to do in the past.
Last Wednesday, he played a central role in Ahli’s excellent 1-0 win over Naft Tehran in the Champions League quarter-final first leg that leaves Al Ahli on the brink of the semi-finals of the continent’s top club competition.
More of this, and he will no longer be in the shadows of Omar and co. And, who knows, he might even play 90 minutes against Malaysia tonight.
akhaled@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at NatSportUAE
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- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
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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.
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If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
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Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
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Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
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Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
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