Monday 10 30 December 2013 Regional Globe Soccer Awards Mahdi wants a lot more local interaction UAE boss seeks greater inputs from high-profile coaches

By Kenny Laurie UAE national team coach Mahdi Ali believes the likes of and should pass on their knowledge to local football coaches to help grow football in the region. Some of world football’s biggest names were in the country this week at the eighth Dubai Interna- tional Sports Conference and last night’s Globe Soccer Awards. But while the names such as , and Franck Ribery have spoken to a select audience in Dubai, Ali believes more should be done to make better use of their time in the UAE. Speaking at the Global Soccer Awards where he was awarded the GCC Coach of the Year, Mahdi Well done: Juventus boss Antonio Conte was voted the Best Coach of the Year. said: “It’s very important to see the big coaches and hear them answer Mahdi went onto praise the questions. And I was speaking with event that saw Guardiola and Rib- “They are at the an organiser and I hope they make ery recognised, among others, but highest level and we training sessions for coaches while as a passionate football man, the want to learn from they are here. UAE coach believes that extending them” – Mahdi Ali “At the end of the day, they are knowledge is more important than coaches and we want to know what anything else. is going on. They are at the highest Mahdi said: “I think the Global experience. New things that they level with a lot of experiences and Soccer Awards a successful event are implementing now at the top we want to learn from them. especially now that is a recognised level of football, they can pass that “I hope that in the future they event and gives global recognition onto the coaches here. make it part of the event that the of the UAE and for Dubai. “We can see what the updates are coaches have sessions with local “It’s great for all the sports globally. It’s a good opportunity to coaches to pass on their wisdom people who are here. The coaches gain this experience.” and to help them learn.” of the UAE can come here and gain While the UAE coach may have hoped for more input from the esteemed guests at the event, Guar- diola and Ribery did give some insight into their success and phi- losophies. Awarded with the Media Attrac- tion in Football and Most Success- ful Coach prizes, Guardiola spoke about the importance of playing entertaining as well as winning football. “I focus only on the game, but it is a global sport,” said the Spaniard. “In England, Spain and Germany

every game goes into all the homes Images Getty Pictures: and it is global so we try to enter- tain. “We are not doing anything in- novative in coaching, it is the talent that provides the best innovation. The best players give the best inno- vations in the sport.” Guardiola’s superstar winger at Bayern Munich Franck Ribery ex- panded on his and his coach’s ideas of the way football is played and be- lieves that the Spaniard is the best man to take his club forward. “The Bundesliga is a strong league and it is our philosophy and culture to attack, we score many goals and we put on a show. “I’m happy at the moment be- cause Pep won everything at Barca, he knows how to win the Champi- ons League and the league and we

can win things with this kind of Images Getty Honoured: Mahdi Ali collects his GCC Coach of the Year award from (l) . coach.” Positive: Busacca (l) feels prospective Cup referees have been trained well enough. Monday 30 December 2013 11

Man of the moment: Pep Guardiola (c) was adjudged the Most Successful Coach. Guardiola gives the credit to players as he gets top honour

By Joy Chakravarty “I am lucky to have Pep Guardiola proclaimed himself such great players in “lucky” after claiming two Global my teams” Soccer awards last night. – Guardiola The Bayern Munich coach, who won two Champions League and three titles with Barcelona, Juventus boss Antonio Conte, was named the Most Successful who has guided his team to two Coach, as well as the Best Media successive Serie A titles and to the Attraction in Football. top of the table again this season, While Franck Ribery won the was declared the Globe Soccer Best Globe Soccer Player of the Year af- Coach of the Year. ter his exploits in 2013 with Bayern UAE national coach Mahdi Ali, Munich and French national team, who has guided the team to Gulf Spanish midfielder Xavier Hernan- Cup triumph and now into the 2015 dez and the now-retired Portuguese Asian Cup, was named the Best star were honoured with Coach in the GCC. Mahdi was hand- Globe Soccer Player Career Awards. ed the award by Fabio Capello, the Real Madrid and Portugal for- legendary Italian and current coach ward Cristiano Ronaldo was voted of the Russian national team. the Fans’ Favourite, an award that “It was a great season for us and was presented to him on Saturday it gives us a lot of confidence going when he inaugurated the eighth into 2014. I would like to dedicate Dubai International Sports Confer- this award to my entire team that ence. has made this possible,” said Mahdi. Bayern Munich was chosen Globe Well-known Italian agent Gio- Soccer’s Best Club of the Year. The vanni Branchini, instrumental in Champions League winners were bringing Guardiola to Bayern Mu- chosen by an international jury nich and someone who has man- ahead of Chelsea and Juventus, aged several superstars in the game, winners of last two Serie A titles – was honoured with ‘Agent Career’ the other two shortlisted teams. Award, while Ronaldo’s agent Jorge After picking up his second award Mendes was named the ‘Best Agent for the night, Guardiola said: “I am of the Year’. Mendes, who also a lucky guy. I am lucky to have such worked out Jose Mourinho’s move great players in my teams and I am to Chelsea this year, won the award lucky to have the support of such for a record fifth time. Italy’s Alar- great clubs.” ico Rossi was named the Best Fan of the Year. Rossi, who coaches youth Stars of the show: Bayern After being named the Best Me- teams, believes scoring goals is not Munich player Franck Ribery dia Attraction in Football, Guar- the only thing you can learn in foot- (c) with former Barca player diola said it was an important role ball, and submitted the winning Deco (r) in Dubai last night. of the coaches and players to make sure they keep football entertaining slogan (Scoring is not the only goal) and attractive for fans and media. that won him the award. Busacca: World Cup referees will be of the highest calibre

By Joy Chakravarty a month before the tournament “We referees also need to have a added. “Sometimes it is impossible starts, FIFA has hosted a couple of sense of responsibility. to see a decision. With players run- FIFA’s Chief Referee Officer has seminars already for the prospec- “The players have invested a lot ning so fast all around, sometimes voiced his belief that the officiating tive referees, drawn from various 08 of effort and time for big moments decisions are based on feelings. at next year’s World Cup would be parts of the world, including one for World Cup games refereed by like the World Cup, and we should And let’s not forget that referees are of the highest standard ever. the AFC and OFC regions in Dubai France’s Joel Quiniou, a record be aware that our mistakes can ruin human beings too and can make a Speaking at the eighth Dubai in April this year. all that.” genuine mistake.” International Sports Conference, Among the key training imparted active refereeing duty in 2011 to But Busacca – who refereed the Referees will be given a helping which concluded yesterday at Mad- was protecting players and the im- take up his present role with FIFA, 2008 Champions League final in hand at next summer’s tournament inat Jumeirah, Massimo Busacca age of the game and fair play, better said: “Apart from the fact that a Rome between Barcelona and Man- after FIFA have confirmed officials said almost two years of methodical ‘reading’ of the game, guarantee referee has to be physically fit and chester United – also insisted that will be provided vanishing spray training has been imparted on the of decisional consistency and uni- should have phenomenal amount respect has to be a two-way street. to mark out the correct distance at prospective referees who will con- formity and understanding differ- of concentration, it is imperative “There has to be mutual respect free-kicks for the defensive wall to trol the matches in Brazil. ent football mentalities and knowl- that he has a good knowledge of the for each others. Referees have to stand. The spray was successfully Although the actual list of refe- edge of various teams. game and prepares for the match as respect the players, but the players trialled at the Club World Cup ear- rees will only be announced in May, Swiss Busacca, who retired from well as the players do. have to respect the referees too,” he lier this month in Morocco.