WEDNESDAY, JuNE 29, 2016 VOLuME XI ISSuE NO.21 QR2.00 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com P 6 | FOOTBALL P 26 | RAMADAN EVENTS CHANGE AT ARABI’S HELM THE GRAND FINALE QATAR’S FIRST Veteran Uruguayan coach Gerardo Sharq emerge as winners of the ENGLISH SPORTS Pelusso replaces ex-Italy and Chelsea Al Wajba Palace football tourney WEEKLY star Gianfranco Zola at Al Arabi. by beating Barzan in the final. FOLLOW US SPECIAL STORY P 19 | FOOTBALL ‘This is the end for me’ P 28 | BEACH VOLLEYBALL Rio calling! P 20 | POSTER CHILE COPA AMERICA PAGES 22-23 CHAMPS UK £1, Europe €2 | Oman 200 Baisas | Bahrain 200 Fils | Egypt LE 2 | Lebanon 3,000 Livre | Kuwait 250 Fils | Morocco Dh 6 | UAEDh 5 | Yemen 75 Riyals | Sudan 1 Pound | KSA 2 Riyals | Jordan 500 Fils | Iraq $1 | Palestine $1 | Syria LS 20 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | Wednesday, June 29, 2016 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com 3 EXCITEMENT NOW JUST A TOUCH AWAY OutlookThe writer can be contacted at [email protected] Despite all the hype and hoopla, England suffer humiliating loss ĈĈI didn’t expect England to progress Hodgson who is paid $4.6m a year, simply adds problems. Almost all top scorers in La Liga are beyond the quarterfinal stage insult to injury to the game’s so-called inventors. foreigners and the national team didn’t have a It isn’t fair to apportion the blame to one indi- genuine striker. URO 2016 has reached the quarterfinal vidual. Of course, Hodgson made some mistakes, On the contrary, some La Liga stars like France’s stage. And missing from the line-up are reshuffling the pack too often, leaving many eye- Antoine Griezmann, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo Echampions Spain and England. Both, over- brows raised. As a result, England never looked and Wales’ Gareth Bale benefited from their expe- whelming favourites to progress, were dumped a settled combination. But ultimately, it’s the rience so much so that they led their teams into out last Monday. players who’ve to perform on the field. Wayne the quarterfinals almost singlehandedly. Spain’s defeat to Italy couldn’t be seen as a Rooney, Joe Hart and Harry Kane, to name but Spain have an additional problem, with cen- shock, but Iceland’s stunning win over England a few, failed miserably while players like Jamie tral defenders Sergio Ramos and Gerrard Pique, ranks as one of the biggest upsets in history as Vardy, Dele Alli and others got limited oppor- often at loggerheads on the domestic circuit, fail- much as the Three Lions’ embarrassing loss at tunities. ing to click as a reassuring pair. the 1950 World Cup when they were knocked out Frankly speaking, I didn’t expect England to Be that it may, we still have some mouthwa- by United States, an amateur side also compris- progress beyond the quarterfinal. As is the case tering fixtures in store, with Saturday’s Germany ing postmen and funeral directors! often, it’s the English media which has created vs Italy tie getting the top billing. The defeat to Iceland was equally humiliat- all the hype and hoopla around this team. ing as they were beaten by a country, as England Are they paying a price for hosting the world’s great Gary Lineker put it, “which has more vol- best league? Homegrown talents are few and far canoes than professional footballers”. between and the relentless domestic schedule The fact that Iceland’s national joint-coach Heimir is draining the energy of those who get oppor- Hallgrimsson is a part-time dentist, compared tunities to play with top clubs. Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi to England’s full-time professional manager Roy Even Spain seem to be suffering from similar Editor-in-Chief Bold and innovative is coming to Doha (Doha Stadium survey by DSP Plus, June 22). INBOX In addition to seeing the cream France’s decision to ban alcohol near of world snooker in Doha, it would the match venues and fan zones also give Qatari cueists a big chance Editor-in-Chief Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi P.O. Box: 24598, Doha, Qatar is the latest in a long list of such to rub shoulders with the best in Tel: +974 44138065, Fax: +974 44138597 myopic reactions (Doha Stadium the business. I just can’t wait for Managing Editor Kumar Ravi WEDNESDAY, JuNE 22, 2016 VOLuME XI ISSuE NO.20 QR2.00 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com P 6 | FUTSAL P 24 | RAMADAN EVENTS INTER FAVOURITES UNDYING SPIRIT Plus QATAR’S FIRST Movistar Inter of Spain start as The pair of Sheikh Hassan bin Khalid , June 22). the tournament! Senior Editor/Writer ENGLISH SPORTS firm favourites at the upcoming Al Thani and Ahmad Askar reign Aswin Abraham Intercontinental Cup in Doha. supreme at the NBK tennis tourney. WEEKLY Editorial: Tel: +974 44138522, Fax: +974 44138593 FOLLOW US Senior Sports Writer As your survey findings rightly Ahmad Rashad, Doha. N Ganesh e-mail: [email protected] Sports Writers indicate, it isn’t fair to punish a well- Sajith B Warrier Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 Mohammad Amin-ul Islam e-mail: [email protected] behaved majority for the potential Advantage Djokovic Sarath Pookkat Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 misdeeds of a misguided minority. e-mail: [email protected] Photographers Mohan Blanket ban on alcohol at venues World No.1 Novak Djokovic undoubt- Vinod Divakaran can infringe on the rights of foot- edly looks the man to beat at the Fadi Al Assaad PAGES 16-19 ball fans who travel from around ongoing Wimbledon (Doha Stadium P 20 | POSTER DSP SPECIAL DANIEL STORY STURRIDGE Mohammed Dabboos P 22 | CUE SPORTS the globe to enjoy the matches. Plus, June 22). Qatar ready for P 28 | TENNIS Snooker Worlds Serbian valley! Publishers: ASPIRE Printing, Publishing and Distribution A K BijuRaj UK £1, Europe €2 | Oman 200 Baisas | Bahrain 200 Fils | Egypt LE 2 | Lebanon 3,000 Livre | Kuwait 250 Fils | Morocco Dh 6 | UAEDh 5 | Yemen 75 Riyals | Sudan 1 Pound | KSA 2 Riyals | Jordan 500 Fils | Iraq $1 | Palestine $1 | Syria LS 20 Hats off to your magazine for With this being an Olympic year Publishers: ASPIRE Printing, Graphic Designers Abhilash Chacko coming up with such a bold and and going by the Serbian ace’s cur- P O Box: 24598, Doha, Qatar. Publishing and Distribution Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 Gopakumar K Printed at ASPIRE Printing Press innovative survey. rent form, it won’t be a surprise if Joice Michael Lusan Worsley, Doha. he accomplishes a Golden Slam e-mail: [email protected] www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus Technical support Shaheen Mohammed this year. I feel it’s a matter of time Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar e-mail: [email protected] Abdul Naser M www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar Great opportunity before he surpasses Roger Federer’s record of 17 Grands Slam in the www.facebook.com/dohastadium www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar © Stories and photographs appearing in this publication may not be reproduced without the permission of It’s great news to fans like me that Open era. ASPIRE Printing, Publishing and Distribution. the World Snooker Championship Noor Mohammad, Doha. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | Wednesday, June 29, 2016 3 OutlookThe writer can be contacted at [email protected] Despite all the hype and hoopla, England suffer humiliating loss ĈĈI didn’t expect England to progress Hodgson who is paid $4.6m a year, simply adds problems. Almost all top scorers in La Liga are beyond the quarterfinal stage insult to injury to the game’s so-called inventors. foreigners and the national team didn’t have a It isn’t fair to apportion the blame to one indi- genuine striker. URO 2016 has reached the quarterfinal vidual. Of course, Hodgson made some mistakes, On the contrary, some La Liga stars like France’s stage. And missing from the line-up are reshuffling the pack too often, leaving many eye- Antoine Griezmann, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo Echampions Spain and England. Both, over- brows raised. As a result, England never looked and Wales’ Gareth Bale benefited from their expe- whelming favourites to progress, were dumped a settled combination. But ultimately, it’s the rience so much so that they led their teams into out last Monday. players who’ve to perform on the field. Wayne the quarterfinals almost singlehandedly. Spain’s defeat to Italy couldn’t be seen as a Rooney, Joe Hart and Harry Kane, to name but Spain have an additional problem, with cen- shock, but Iceland’s stunning win over England a few, failed miserably while players like Jamie tral defenders Sergio Ramos and Gerrard Pique, ranks as one of the biggest upsets in history as Vardy, Dele Alli and others got limited oppor- often at loggerheads on the domestic circuit, fail- much as the Three Lions’ embarrassing loss at tunities. ing to click as a reassuring pair. the 1950 World Cup when they were knocked out Frankly speaking, I didn’t expect England to Be that it may, we still have some mouthwa- by United States, an amateur side also compris- progress beyond the quarterfinal. As is the case tering fixtures in store, with Saturday’s Germany ing postmen and funeral directors! often, it’s the English media which has created vs Italy tie getting the top billing. The defeat to Iceland was equally humiliat- all the hype and hoopla around this team. ing as they were beaten by a country, as England Are they paying a price for hosting the world’s great Gary Lineker put it, “which has more vol- best league? Homegrown talents are few and far canoes than professional footballers”.