RRUGBYUGBY | Page 4 TTENNISENNIS | Page 7 Boks thrash Murray to Canada to make Grand storm into Slam return quarters in Australia Wednesday, October 9, 2019 FOOTBALL Safar 10, 1441 AH German WC winner GULF TIMES Schweinsteiger hangs up his boots SPORT Page 2 OOREDOO HONOURS BARSHIM, SAMBA AND MANSOUR orld high jump athletes with a token of apprecia- champion Mutaz tion on behalf of Ooredoo. Barshim, 400m hur- Dr Thani bin Abdulrahman al- Wdles bronze-winner Kuwari, the Second Vice-President Abderrahman Samba and former of the Qatar Olympic Committee sprint legend Talal Mansour were and President of Qatar Athletics honoured for their outstanding Federation (QAF), was also present contribution to sport by Ooredoo on the occasion. Chairman HE Sheikh Abdulla bin HE Sheikh Abdulla also thanked Mohamed al-Thani at the com- Mansour, the Qatari sprinter who pany’s headquarters in West Bay. holds an Asian indoor record for Qatar’s leading telecommunica- the men’s sprint, for his contribu- tions operator was a National Part- tion to the fan experience at Doha ner of the IAAF World Champion- 2019. ships which concluded on Sunday. Mansour received the Chair- In the presence of Sheikh Saud man’s recognition for his eff orts bin Nasser al-Thani, CEO, Ooredoo behind the scenes to report on all Group, Waleed al-Sayed, CEO, the action, with Sheikh Abdulla Ooredoo Qatar and a host of noting his dedication in providing senior executives from Ooredoo, exclusive and breaking news from HE Sheikh Abdulla commended behind the scenes to his many both athletes for their outstand- followers and sports fans in Qatar ing commitment and dedication, and the wider Gulf region. His noting they achieved their feats enthusiasm motivated many other despite having just recovered social media influencers to cover from injuries which had caused the event, HE Sheikh Abdulla said. them to miss almost the whole HE Sheikh Abdulla added: “It gives athletics season prior to the Doha us great pleasure to be able to Worlds. recognise the eff orts and achieve- Barshim defended his world title ments of our national sports stars with a leap of 2.37m at the Khalifa who made world records and International Stadium on Friday, represented our country in the becoming the first high jumper to best possible image. L to R: Former Asian sprint champion Talal Mansour; CEO, Ooredoo Qatar, Waleed al-Sayed, hurdler Abderrahman Samba, Second Vice-President of the Qatar Olympic do so at the IAAF World Champi- “We thank them all for proudly Committee and President of Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) Dr Thani bin Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, Ooredoo Chairman HE Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohamed al-Thani, world onships. flying the flag for Qatar and champion high jumper Mutaz Barshim and Ooredoo Group CEO Sheikh Saud bin Nasser al-Thani pose during the felicitation ceremony. At bottom, Ooredoo Chairman HE A few days earlier, Samba had look forward to more sporting Sheikh Abdulla with Barshim and Samba. claimed bronze in the 400m achievements in the near future. hurdles which included a top field We’re proud to have been National including Karsten Warholm and Partner for the IAAF World Athlet- Benjamin Rai, who took gold and ics Championships, and delighted silver respectively. to have contributed to the success Sheikh Abdulla presented both of this prestigious event.” BOTTOMLINE Sanchez: Working at Aspire shaped me as a person By Sports Reporter process and that he was the lucky coach knowledge that help us to be able to with coaches coming from diff erent Doha to be there at the time of triumph. In compete in the best shape.” Asked if it countries, so they are also well prepared many ways the progress of Qatar’s play- would be an advantage that most play- when they move from the Academy to ers resembles the development of his ers have known him for many years, he the senior teams of their clubs, where n the fi rst Star Chat of Day 2 of the own career as a coach. agreed that stability is always a good they also get to work with a lot of for- “Aspire Academy Global Summit” After working with small clubs in thing in football. eign coaches.” in Football Performance and Sci- Spain and in the academy of FC Bar- “The players that have worked with In terms of inspiration, he is not lim- Ience, the delegates had the oppor- celona, he joined Aspire Academy as a me for many years know, of course, iting it to the recent success of Qatar’s tunity to get an insight into the work of youth coach in 2006, later got the op- what I expect from them. But the most football national team, he also thinks Felix Sanchez, head coach of Qatar’s portunity to train youth national teams important relationship is the one the that Aspire Academy graduate and high national football team, that won the of Qatar and step by step worked his players have on the pitch. And the fact jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, who just AFC Asian Cup title earlier this year. way up from age group to age group that a lot of them have played together won a gold medal for Qatar at the recent Asked if this success signifi cantly before being put in charge of the senior at Aspire Academy and in youth na- 2019 IAAF Athletics World Champion- changed something for him, he said that national team in 2017. tional teams make things easier for us ships in Doha, can be a role model for with success and responsibility go hand “I would not be here today if I had coaches.” his team and future national team play- in hand and that it meant for the team not joined Aspire all those years ago. It Refl ecting on his early days in Qatar ers. to keep up the good work and to push is a project that is unique in the world he stressed the importance of getting a “It shows that someone coming from themselves even more in the future. and working here and being exposed to deeper knowledge of the environment a small country like Qatar can set him- “In times of success it’s important some many great people from all over fi rst. “I think when you get outside of self high goals and also reach them. In to set yourself clear targets to keep up the world also shaped me as a person.” your own country, you should use the football it’s quite similar. All of us, the the motivation and for us, these targets Sanchez also stressed the impor- fi rst year to fi nd out more about the lo- Qatar Football Association, Aspire were the Copa America and the Asian tance to create a good environment, so cal culture and try to understand the Academy and the clubs are working to- Cup qualifi ers,” Sanchez said. a team can fl ourish on the pitch. “The mentality of a place. You can still bring wards the same target, which makes our Speaking about the role he played coach is the one people see, but there in your ideas, but you also have to adapt daily work much easier. We all have the on the way to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup are so many more people working with them accordingly. passion to do something big for Qatar in victory, the Spaniard stressed that this the team. We are very fortunate to have “The players at Aspire Academy on 2022 and have a competitive team at the achievement was the result of a long a group of professionals with excellent the other hand, have always worked World Cup.” Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT FRIENDLY Illness and injury hinder Germany for German W Cup star Messi-less Argentina AFP Reus. Dortmund As a result, Loew has called up defender Robin Koch from Freiburg and midfi elder Sebas- ermany are set to hand tian Rudy, who played a key role Schweinsteiger out several debuts with in Hoff enhiem’s shock win at Joachim Loew missing Bayern Munich on Saturday. a host of fi rst-choice With defenders Matthias Gin- Gnames for today’s friendly ter, out with a shoulder injury, against an Argentina without Li- and Jonathan Tah, who has a onel Messi. cold, also missing, Loew will test Like the Germans, Argentina new players. must do without some big names Hertha Berlin defender Niklas hangs up his boots in Dortmund, where only two Stark will start, as will Freiburg thirds of tickets have been sold forward Luca Waldschmidt, in for the friendly. for fi rst-choice striker Timo His next challenge may be helping Germany boss Joachim Loew as a trainee coach The match is a repeat of the Werner, who has a cold. 2014 World Cup fi nal, but Ar- There will be much attention gentina’s Manchester United on Barcelona goalkeeper Marc- defender Marcos Rojo is set to be Andre ter Stegen, who will start the only survivor. with German captain Manuel Angel Di Maria and Sergio Neuer on the bench. Aguero have been left out of the Loew has said Neuer will re- Argentina squad while play- turn for Sunday’s Euro 2020 maker and captain Lionel Messi qualifi er at minnows Estonia, but is suspended. there are calls for Ter Stegen, 27, The 32-year-old superstar is to usurp Neuer, 33, as fi rst choice. serving a three-month ban after “I don’t feel under any more accusing governing body CON- pressure than usual,” said Ter MEBOL of “corruption” at the Stegen in Dortmund.