BOLTON // Ali al Habsi has warned his Bolton rival Jussi Jaaskelainen that he will not be giving up his No 1 spot without a fight.
The Omani keeper was a revelation when he replaced the injured Jaaskelainen for the closing stages of last season's Premier League campaign, and his efforts - including four clean sheets in the crucial last eight games - undoubtedly helped the club avoid relegation.
But Habsi's position and future is now in doubt after his Finnish rival signed a four-year contract to stay at the Reebok Stadium when many had expected him to leave on a Bosman free transfer this summer.
Habsi, 26, has one year left on his deal and has yet to discuss a possible extension to stay at the Reebok Stadium. But with clubs, including Galatasaray, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Premier League newcomers Hull City keeping tabs on him, the Premier League's first player from the Gulf said: "I won't rush into any decision just yet and am keeping my options open.
"We shall see what happens, but it is down to Bolton to see what comes next. I am waiting for them to come to me with an offer and I am concentrating on my game.
"I still have a year left on my contract and I showed everyone what I can do last season. Jussi is a good player and has helped me a lot, but at every club there is competition and players fighting for a starting position in the team.
"He has signed a new contract, but that doesn't mean he is going to be the first choice. Jussi was the No 1 before he got injured, but I came in and feel I did very well and deserve to keep the shirt.
"Like every player, I want to play first team football and feel I have proved I can be a No 1. I like it at Bolton, but if that doesn't happen here then I may have to look at other options."
Sam Allardyce, Habsi's former Bolton boss and the man who brought him to the Premier League from the Norwegian side Lyn Oslo, admits the Omani is now in a difficult predicament.
"Ali wants to play first team football and after what he did last season, he deserves that. He made a massive contribution in keeping them in the Premier League and Bolton have a problem now in keeping both Ali and Jussi happy.Ali is good enough to be a No1 in the Premier League and waited patiently for his chance at Bolton so it would be disappointing for him to be back on the bench.
"I am surprised Jussi stayed at Bolton to be honest. I cannot believe another club did not take a keeper of his calibre on a free transfer. When you see teams like Aston Villa, Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City all linked with keepers, why has someone with Jussi's experience and quality been overlooked?
"He was superb for me at Bolton and I think he's one of the top three or four in the country. Doing well is not all about scoring goals; you need a good keeper and Jussi can get you a lot of points. But he will have to look over his shoulder now as Ali will push him all the way for a starting spot."
@Email:akhan@thenational.ae
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
The years Ramadan fell in May
The%20specs
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
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Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
