Zeljko Petrovic must be glad he is not starting his Al Shaab reign under the glare of a derby game. The Serb, instead, will watch from the stands as the players, club officials and fans let loose their emotions as the two Sharjah clubs clash in the top division for the first time in more than four years.
Petrovic will take over the reins of the team from the start of the second half of the Arabian Gulf League; Jamsheer Muratocalo will continue in his capacity as interim coach for Thursday night’s potentially nerve-racking game against Sharjah and the following game at Al Wahda.
It seems to be a wise decision by the Shaab management, for a derby is never really good initiation for a new manager, especially for someone who is venturing into this part of the world for the first time. An experienced hand like Muratocalo, who is also a member of the club’s new technical committee, would do a lot better job of soaking up the pressure in the dugout.
And then, Muratocalo has also done a good job of rallying the team since the club dumped Marius Sumudica, and the win over Dubai in the last game has helped boost the morale of the players and fans.
Shaab were a goal down with eight minutes left on the clock, but goals from Michael N’dri and Thiago Quirino helped the team to win only their second match of the AGL campaign.
Shaab officials have requested that Sharjah allot half of the seats for their fans, and the players have decided to spent their own money to gift tickets to their fans.
“This decision of the players reflects the positive spirit in the team,” said Dr Sarhan Al Mayani, head of Shaab’s technical committee. “It is also a way of thanking the fans for standing together with the team through the dark times.
“I hope Sharjah will accept our request for 50 per cent of the tickets because our fans really want to see this derby game. They have waited a long time for this match.”
The last time Shaab and Sharjah met in the league match, it was the penultimate round of the 2008/09 season. Shaab were the winners that night thanks to Abdullah Eissa’s sixth-minute strike, but the three points could not save the team from relegation.
The two Sharjah rivals met in the relegation play-offs in September last year, and this time Sharjah were the winners, thanks to Marcelinho’s 94th-minute winner. That win, however, did not matter much as Sharjah failed to displace Shaab in the top division.
After spending a season in Division One, though, Sharjah are looking a different side. With Paulo Bonamigo guiding them, they are playing like the “Kings” of old and are level on 19 points with Al Nasr and Al Jazira, behind the top two, Al Ahli and Al Shabab.
Sharjah seem calm and confident.
“We are preparing for this game like we have done for our earlier matches,” said Ali Mohammed, Sharjah team’s administrative manager. “There is no extra pressure on the players.”
Mohammed also believes the charm of the derby has been diminished through the years because of the presence of a large number of players from outside Sharjah in the two teams.
“This is our first derby match in four years, but it is different now,” he said. “Before, at both Sharjah and Shaab, all the players were home-grown, but now most of the players are from outside.”
That, however, will matter little to the Shaab fans, who will be hoping to see their team take three more points. But that, as Mohammed points out, could be a double-edged sword for the visitors.
“Our players will not be short of motivation, but the Shaab players probably have a stronger motivation,” he said. “They are in desperate need of points to improve their position, which means the pressure will be on them. We will be playing without any pressure.”
That, however, might not be possible. Once the two teams step onto the pitch, in front of packed stands, there might be no escape from the intensity.
And Petrovic will be glad.
Past 10 Sharjah derbies
Al Shaab 1 Sharjah 0
Sharjah 1 Al Shaab 0
Sharjah 4 Al Shaab 1
Al Shaab 0 Sharjah 2
Sharjah 1 Al Shaab 2
Al Shaab 2 Sharjah 1
Al Shaab 5 Sharjah 4
Sharjah 1 Al Shaab 2
Sharjah 3 Al Shaab 0
Al Shaab 1 Sharjah 5
Three of the best meetings
February 5, 2003 Going into the 16th round, Shaab were fighting for the title, level on points with Al Ain (29) and one behind Al Wahda (30). A 2-1 defeat to Sharjah, however, led to a sharp slide in their fortunes. They took only three points from the remaining six matches and finished fifth. Al Ain clinched the title with 48 points.
March 10, 2006 Powered by Ali Samereh's two goals, Shaab raced to a 4-2 lead by half time against their arch-rivals. Sharjah, however, fought back in the second half and Anderson levelled at 4-4 in the 85th minute. The visiting fans were, however, left heartbroken when Samereh struck the winner in injury time.
April 9, 2007 It was 1-1 in the 90th minute, but Samereh stunned the home fans with the winner for Shaab. Emotions boiled over in the final seconds and Sharjah's Salem Saif and Masood Shojaie were given their marching orders.
arizvi@thenational.ae
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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Naga
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'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
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The%20specs
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SHAITTAN
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JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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AL%20BOOM
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THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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As it stands in Pool A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5