Wednesday cover: Not good enough – Al Wahda dismiss Jose Peseiro with eye to top



The National’s Sport cover for the Wednesday, February 10 issue, featuring sacked Al Wahda manager Jose Peseiro.

The Arabian Gulf League club dismissed the Portuguese on Tuesday in the wake of a 2-2 draw against Emirates Club on Monday that saw the Abu Dhabi side collapse and concede both opposition goals in added time.

Peseiro had led Al Wahda to second in the AGL last season, but the club had their mind set to a title this year and are in fourth with four points separating them from leaders Al Ain and Al Jazira.

Friction had also emerged between club and coach when he became the driving force behind a decision to nix a possible deal for Tim Cahill.

Amith Passela reports that Abel Braga, the Brazilian who led Al Jazira to an AGL and President's Cup double in 2010/11, is the frontrunner to take the reins at the Al Nahyan Stadium.

“They were on the decline in the last two matches,” Ahmed Al Rumaithi, chairman of Al Wahda’s board of directors, told Amith. “The team wasn’t heading in the right direction. Now we have certain things planned for the team and the new coach will be announced soon.”

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Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
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Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

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​​​​​​​Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books

23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees

Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.

FIXTURES

Saturday
5.30pm: Shabab Al Ahli v Al Wahda
5.30pm: Khorfakkan v Baniyas
8.15pm: Hatta v Ajman
8.15pm: Sharjah v Al Ain
Sunday
5.30pm: Kalba v Al Jazira
5.30pm: Fujairah v Al Dhafra
8.15pm: Al Nasr v Al Wasl

Take Me Apart

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(Warp)

LUKA CHUPPI

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Match info:

Real Betis v Sevilla, 10.45pm (UAE)

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)

Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)

Saturday

Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)

Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)

Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)

Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)

Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)

Sunday

Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)

Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)

Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)

Indika
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The Baghdad Clock

Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld