AL AIN // Winfried Schaefer reiterated his desire to "win all" for Al Ain yesterday after signing a one-year deal to remain with the club.
The German coach led his side to two cup wins and secured direct qualification for next year's Asian Champions League.
"The challenges will be tougher with the Asian Champions League included next season," he said.
"I want to reiterate we want to win all for Al Ain. I am proud the club have kept faith on me and I want to deliver it for them."
Schaefer, 59, who led Ain to both the Etisalat and President's Cup, and third in the Pro League, felt he has built a strong team and expects to keep the Brazilian striker Andre Diaz in his squad next season.
"Diaz has been informed of the new one-year contract and he will fly down from Brazil to complete the signing," he said.
"He was a character at times but he did a good job for us."
Diaz will join the Chilean international Jorge Valdivia, who has a four-year contract with the club.
The Moroccan international Soufiane Alloudi, who missed most of the last season because of injury, is unlikely to return.
Schaefer took charge of the nine times league champions in the middle of the 2007-2008 season and turned their fortunes around by winning two of the three domestic titles after a four-year drought of the trophies.
"It has been a wonderful season," said Schaefer.
"I wouldn't have been able to achieve them without a good team. I promised to rebuild the team 17 months ago and we made good progress this season.
"We reached a good level and now we need to improve, which means more hard work, particularly with the Asian Champions League.
"There were many young players and three of them, Salem Abdulla, Musallam Fayez and Mohammed Fayez, went on to play for the national team.
"Some of the younger players took the responsibilities on their young shoulders whenever they got an opportunity when a senior player was either was injured, suspended or were on national duty."
apassela@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Correspondents
By Tim Murphy
(Grove Press)
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
