PSG Champions of the inaugural Al Kass U-17

In a spectacular finale to ten days of relentless battling for the first Under-17 international championship, French side FC Paris Saint-Germain earned their right to the Golden Cup, which was brought down to the field by the Qatar Armed Forces' Paratroopers.

PSG had beaten Juventus after the lines man discounted a goal they scored in the last minute as an offside led to tense penalty kicks that they won 5-4, after three-time Juventus Man of Match Matiello Federico surprised the crowd and his fans by missing the third kick. An earlier match on the same evening over third and fourth places saw Ajax Amsterdam beat Kashima Antlers 1-0.

Chairman of the Al Kass Local Organizing Committee Issa Abdulla al-Hitmi congratulated the winners and the rest of the teams on the eye-opening experience gained during the tournament, which acted as a simulation of the World Cup to the international players.

"Though none of our local or regional teams made it to the finals, I was happy to hear their coaches, after every match, speak of the growth and the improvement they saw," he said. "I am proud that Qatar has been home to the opportunity for these budding talents to experience how football is played on the international stage; whether in pace, technique or strategic tactics everyone here has become a better player than they were before the tournament, and that is what the U-17 is about."

Coaches of the four Arab teams participating agreed. Abdulrahman Arrammal, coach of the U-17 Al Jazira team said, "This tournament has been a great benefit to Al Jazira. It helped us develop our skills and expose our players to big names and to an international tournament."

Arrammal's team had finished in 10th place followed by Egypt’s Al Ahly, while Qatar’s Aspire International and Aspire Qatar finished in the 7th and 8th places respectively.

"This is the first time that the Al Ahly club plays with international teams. Because of that we were able to see our level compared to other teams," said Mamdouh Eid, director of co-ordination and PR for Al Ahly.

The inaugural Al Kass U-17, which marks a new yearly event on the FIFA calendar, was also praised by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Qatar Stars League in a special letter to the tournament's organizers.

"2012, has been marked by another milestone achievement with the launch of the Al Kass International Cup U-17. Such a tournament has not only become an additional asset to our football legacy in supporting and showcasing the football stars of the future, but it has also given other talents the chance to step up and shine," he remarked.

"We hope that we have extended our football family and have made new friends with whom we shall grow and enjoy this journey together. Who knows; we may see some of the young men as national team players representing their countries in the 2022 FIFA World Cup."

FC Bayern Munich start journey to Qatar & India

German record league champions FC Bayern Munich start their preparations for the return-leg (second phase) of the German Bundesliga tomorrow with a week long training camp in Qatar and a visit to New Delhi for friendly match against India on January 10.

The clubs players had 12 days of holiday and rest over the christmas and new year period, now the preparations start in full earnest. A squad of 24 players will leave for Doha tomorrow morning from Munich for a week long camp in the Aspire Academy, one of the best training facilities in the world.

Coach Jupp Heynckes and his team will try and set to base to regain the Bundesliga title, which restarts on January 20 with a match against old rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach. The Bavarians still have the chance to win three titles - UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup.

But it isn't only about training for Heynckes and his men. FC Bayern will take on Egyptian giants Al Ahli at the Al Sadd Stadium, Doha on January 7, while on their way back Bayern Munich will visit New Delhi to play a friendly match against Team India at the Audi Football Summit which is the international farewell match for Indian football icon Baichung Bhutia.


More information about the India vs Bayern Munich match and where to buy tickets online are available at www.audifootballsummit.in

The official Twitter account of the Audi Football Summit can be found under www.twitter.com/AudiFS2012 .

Al Kass International Cup Under-17 2012 in Doha, Qatar

Some of the biggest clubs in world football will be sending their youth teams to the Qatari capital Doha to compete in the first edition of a new international football tournament to be named as the Al Kass International Cup Under-17. The annual event will be held from January 8 to 17, 2012 at the outdoor football pitches at Aspire Zone in Doha.

The competition is being organized by Al Dawri & Al Kass Sports Channel (Al Kass), together with the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF).

"This is going to be the first edition of an annual event that is set to further contribute to building on the foundations of a proud footballing nation up to the FIFA World Cup 2022 and beyond," said Issa Bin Abdulla Al-Hitmi, general manager of Al Kass.

The initiative is expected to benefit the global youth football movement as emerging junior teams from top clubs such as FC Paris Saint-Germain (France), Vasco da Gama (Brazil), Juventus (Italy), AFC Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands), FC Barcelona (Spain), Kashima Antlers (Japan), Al Jazira (UAE) and Al Ahly (Egypt) discover new frontiers, build partnerships and make lifelong friendships.

The teams will be competing to win the the trophy for first place along with a 200,000 USD cash prize to be allocated to the winning club. There will also be awards given to the most valuable player of each match. The local Aspire Academy will also have two teams participating in the Cup, Aspire Qatar and Aspire International.

"Aspire Zone is honoured to be hosting such an innovative tournament to support youth development in football. The Aspire Academy has a strong history of hosting visiting youth football teams for friendly matches against our Aspire teams and the Al Kass International Cup U-17 will give our boys valuable experience. The players on display could be the future stars of world football so we just may see them returning to Qatar in 2022 to play in the FIFA World Cup," observed Ivan Bravo, Director General of Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence.

"Through the friendships forged during the annual Al Kass International Cup U-17, clubs will build a lasting relationship and intimacy with Qatar and its beautiful football stadiums leading all the way up to World Cup 2022," said Hamad Al-Mannai, director of the Al Kass International Cup U-17.

"We already know that Qatar is investing in the future of football and Doha is propelling itself as one of the leading sports capitals of the world, and we look forward to having a world class level of sportsmanship at the tournament," added Al-Mannai.

Officials said that all three stakeholders behind the initiative stand to gain from each other's expertise and contribute collectively to the growth of a footballing culture in Qatar and around the region.

With the tournament being held during football's winter break and located in a part of the world that truly bridges the East and the West, Ward Abdallah, head of the tournament's media committee, asserted that Al Kass U-17 has the tools required to communicate with the world's football community, "We will be launching a new website and using social media tools to ensure that we can reach and communicate directly with our Al Kass U-17 football community."

A number of key sponsors have already signed up to become part of a tournament of Al Kass International U-17's standing. These include Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, Qatar National Bank, Fifty One East, Qatar Stars League, Q.media, Ritz Carlton Hotel, Mannai Air Travel, QVision, Qatar Airways, The Look Company, and Swiss Open Air.

VIDEO: Sunil Chhetri's penalty against Qatar

India yesterday scored a memorable victory against Qatar. But sadly it wasn't live on any Indian television channel and many would have liked to see the goals scored by Sunil Chhetri and Sushil Kumar Singh.

Now here is the video clip of Chhetri's penalty taken by a fan at the Al Sadd Stadium.

2011 Asian Cup - My personal Review

I was in Doha for the whole duration of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup - Qatar and made my personal observations during course of the tournament. Asia's premier football tournament, which was held from January 7 to 29, showed that football in this part of the world is developing but there is still a long way to go before Asian football can challenge the best in the beautiful game though some nations are much closer then others.

The tournament also reaffirmed the fact that the Asian heavyweights from the East - Japan, South Korea, Australia - are moving fast ahead of their rivals from the rest of the continent. The best matches in this edition of the tournament where those, when these three sides faced each other.

Japan became fitting champions in the end after a 120 minute final battle royale against Australia on Saturday, January 29, through a great strike by substitute Tadanari Lee after the Samurai Blue had overcome archrivals South Korea in a penalty shootout in the semifinals.

While Australia came to Qatar under German coach Holger Osieck with an experienced squad with many of their key players above the age of 30, both Japan and South Korea came into the tournament with rather young and inexperienced squads. The coaches Alberto Zaccheroni (Japan) and Kwang Rae Cho (South Korea) both said before the start of the championship that their teams should gain valuable international experience and if possible bring home the title.

Japan continued their domination of Asian football with their fourth Asian Cup title in the last six editions, while South Korea failed once more as they remain without an Asian Cup title since 1960. And the Taeguk Warriors will have to wait until the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia to try and bring the title back to the Korean peninsula.

With the Asian Cup taking place in Qatar a lot of expectations had build in the Gulf that an Arabian side could be the surprise element in the tournament like Iraq had been in the 2007 edition. But the sides from West Asia did not really set the tournament on fire. There were the upset wins by Jordan and Syria against Saudi Arabia, but that had more to do with the Saudis, who aren't as strong as they used to be as a national team and Jordan holding Japan in their opening game, where the young Japanese hadn't settled as a team. By the quarterfinals all teams from the region where out of the tournament.

And then there are the most populous countries on the planet - China and India - who came into the tournament with contrasting expectations. China came to Qatar as the highest ranked team in Group A and with hopes of at least progressing to the knockout stages, but after an opening win against Kuwait, a loss to the hosts Qatar was followed by a draw against Uzbekistan to finish third in their group, which meant elimination.

India meanwhile were drawn in the toughest of all groups, in Group C. Little was expected from the Bhangra Boys, who suffered a 0-4 loss to Australia, a 2-5 defeat against Bahrain and lost 1-4 against South Korea. It was the expected last place finish for India, but acceptable defeats for a nation who returned to the top of Asian football after 27 long years. Still India's fans need to be complemented as they came out in numbers and supported the team in a very positive way.

Overall Asian football didn't take the leap which many had hoped for to show that Asian football has really arrived, but as the tournament progressed the quality of football got better. Overall an interesting tournament, but very few fans attending continues to be a problem for the Asian Cup and the Asian Football Confederation. And it is unlikely to be solved in the next edition as Australia is so far away from the rest of the continent.

To end on a personal note. I enjoyed being in Qatar for the whole duration of the Asian Cup. It has given me a much better insight of Asian football and also the strength and weaknesses of football across the continent plus one could watch nearly all games as the five venues across Doha where easily accessable. And I hope to be back for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia...

Qatar Motorshow 2011

I will publish some write-ups over the next few days on my blog which are non-football related but part of my experiences while in Qatar for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.


The first-ever Qatar Motorshow was held from January 26 to 29, 2011 at the Doha Exhibition Centre with major international car makers taking part in the show with enthusiastic locals flocking to the exhibition to have a look at the numerous cars on display.

Alongside the Motorshow the first Middle East Automotive Summit was held to discuss and debate the future of mobility and the transformation of the automotive industry with a focus on intelligent transport systems, urban infrastructure planning, meeting mobility demands and evolvement in the future and what this all means to the Middle East. And the summit was only a starting point for all the above topics.

The biggest exhibitor at the Motorshow was the Volkswagen Group with its brands VW, Audi, Skoda, Porsche, Lamborghini and Bentley all represented. Besides the growing importance of the market in the Middle Eastern to the VW Group, its third biggest shareholder also happens to be the state of Qatar with a holding of 17 percent.

“Compared to other markets our share in the Gulf is low, so we are using the Qatar Motorshow to push for a bigger market share here,” said Martin Winterkorn, the Volkswagen Chairman of the Board Management, who had come down for the Motorshow.

Numerous car makers made regional launches of new cars and updated models, but unlike in other parts of the world the focus was on big, gas consuming vehicles while elsewhere the main topics at such exhibitions is often on ecology and the reduction of fuel consumption, but here it was about horse power and speed.

And then there are the Arabian curiosities like the 24 carat gold ‘enhanced’ VW Touareg, the VW Touareg Dakar rally car, the Porsche Panamera 4S Exclusive Middle East edition and the Mercedes G55 AMG Arabia. All the above mentioned cars are costly, but potential status symbols for wealthy people across the Arabian peninsula.

The Doha Debate: WikiLeaks

I will publish some write-ups over the next few days on my blog which are non-football related but part of my experiences while in Qatar for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.


Finally I went to something which had nothing to do with the Asian Cup football while in Doha as I was asked by DW radio/online to do some non-football stories once in a while.

I have seen the Doha Debate on television a number of times and when I read on Monday, January 24, morning that a Doha Debate about WikiLeaks would take place that evening I tried to find out where in the city the debate would take place and if one could just go there to attend. After fellow journalists informed me that that was possible, I and two colleagues made our way to the Qatar Foundation at Education City.

We reached the venue on time and the organisers where very helpful to accommodate us in the media block to follow the debate, but due to our seating we had no chance to actively take part in the debate. But still it was interesting to see how such a show is produced and follow the often heated debate.


The panel was chaired by seasoned journalist Tim Sebastian along with four panellists, two in favour and two against the motion. Speaking in favour of the motion were Sir Richard Dalton, former British Ambassador to Iran, and Carne Ross, who resigned from the British Foreign Office over Iraq; while former Canadian diplomat Scott Gilmore and Carl W. Ford, a former intelligence chief at the State Department, opposed the motion.

The highly-charged debate was held only weeks after the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks published confidential US diplomatic cables, exposing official corruption in several Middle Eastern states and a yawning gap between the private and public positions of Arab rulers on Iran. It could be a potential trigger for further unrest in the region.

Panellists clashed frequently over the rights and wrongs of leaking secret State Department cables with the audience included in the discussions with Tim Sebastian often asking the questioner if he or she thought they got an appropriate answer. And from the reactions it was clearly visible that the house would be in support of the motion.

A teenager won instant applause when he said: "I would rather live in a world where I am told the truth than in a world where I am told lies". Another female student from Qatar asked: "Is it really that wrong to know the truth? "

And a counter argument was made that there are facts which the public just should not know. Governments are representatives of the people and they act on their behalf.

In the end an audience of mostly Arab and Muslim students supported the motion: 'This House believes the world is better off with Wikileaks', by a surprisingly clear margin of 74 to 26 percent.


It surprised me that the topic of Palestine and Al Jazeera networks releasing secret documents only the day earlier did not come up for discussions. I asked afterwards if the audience had been asked not to go into the topic, but it was answered with a no.

After the recording we got to know some interesting facts from the shows producers. Amongst other things that the Qatar Foundation itself produces the Doha Debates, the program reaches up to 400 Million viewers around the world and the debates do touch issues which are controversial in the Arab and Muslim world.


The Doha Debate will be shown on BBC World Service Television over the weekend of February 5/6 and on a number of other television stations around the world.

Doha City Tour

Today was an off day here at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and the Local Organising Committee organised a Doha city tour for interested media. And sport journalists will tell you that we cover events in different parts of the world, but often we only get to see the airports, hotels and stadiums/sporting venues. So it was a welcome change to get a chance to see some of Doha and what it has to offer.

On a sunny and warm Doha morning around 40 journalists from around the world met early at the tournaments Main Media Centre. Surprisingly the interest wasn't too big, so we were split into three busses to be driven around Doha along with guides. The tour would be around four hours, so we could get an impression of local life and culture.

The first stop was the local Doha camel meat market. Sounds awkward to some, but the camel is not only a transport vehicle but also a source of food in this part of the world. So we all were very curious to see if it was any different from a livestock market elsewhere in the world. On the way we were told that a whole camel would cost anything between 2,000 to 4,000 USD depending on its breed, colour and age. We walked through the market and tons of photos were taken with the animals, who don't know what faith awaits them.

Thereafter it was to the Souq Waqif, the few hundred years' old market in down town Doha. Literally translated it would mean 'the standing market' and it was rebuilt a few years ago to its old charm. The market has its Arabian flair with small alleys and bigger roads going through it and the smell of spices like in a typical bazaar.

Next stop the Museum of Islamic Art. Build by Chinese architect I.M. Pei the museum had opened only two years ago and has the most complete collection of Islamic art. It was really impressive to see artefacts from far west as Spain and east as India, but with limited time we rather rushed through the museum.

The last and final stop on our Doha tour was the Cultural City, where amongst other things the Doha Film Festival is held. It is directly along the coast and it being built as a place for art, film and theatre. But like most of Doha it is under construction and one would have to come and see the finished product and events taking place there.

Doha: Let it Rain...

Those of you who know me know that I am curious about the weather wherever I am. And in this part of the world rain fall is worth a story due to the dry climate.

I now have been for two weeks in Doha for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and this week so far has been all about rains after late-last week had been about a cold spell. The breeze was quite cool as it was coming out of the desert especially when you sit in the open stadiums during the evening matches. Honestly I didn't think it could be this wet and cool over here.

But the weather changed with overcast skies and then we got our first drizzle on Monday evening. The worst was Wednesday with rains for most of the day and it was a wet affair at the Al Gharafa Stadium during the South Korea vs India match. Whoever could was looking for roof cover in a stadium which is only has roof cover across one-fourth of the ground.

Yesterday the weather improved with the sun coming out again and I at least thought the wet spell was over, but when I looked out today in the morning I got to see an overcast sky and raindrops coming down.

Over the last few days I was told by locals that it rains around four days a year on average, but now we have had rains on four of the last five days. That means in simple statistics that it shouldn't rain anymore in the rest of the year, only 344 days remaining. So it most likely now become a wet year.

The problem is that in this part of the world they are not used to rains and you realise that once it poors. Due to so little rain there are minimal drainage and sewer systems to drain out rain water from the city, so you have streets which are flooded, the sand and water make a terrible mix, while traffic is hampered as it gets slippery on the roads.

My first impressions of Qatar

I arrived in the Qatari capital Doha on Thursday, January 6, 2011. And my first impressions of the city and the country after a full week are quite mixed. Lets start with something which came as a surprise to me. I had expected Doha to be more developed, further advanced while life seems to be slower then in other cities in the Gulf.

First when you land at the Doha International Airport you realise this city isn't simply a smaller version of Dubai and things aren't as perfect as they are in Dubai. Doha and the whole of Qatar seem to be one major construction site with the city growing in all possible directions even into the sea with the new international airport coming-up on reclaimed land.

When you go to the main Khalifa Stadium and the Aspire Zone you realise what impressive sports complex had been build ahead of the 2006 Asian Games. But traffic is a major issue across Doha with roads on work days often chocked with a mass transport system the need of the hour. In that sense the country desperately needed to get the 2022 FIFA World Cup so its overall infrastructure would get a boast. The envisaged mass transport system with metro and rail services could do wonders.

Though Qatar is working to develop itself as a global centre of business and sports in certain things it remains a different world altogether. Alcohol is not freely available, driving on the streets of Doha is a challenge as many do not follow rules and regulations, and then there are the cars left abandoned road side damaged after accidents. Why? The joke is the locals can buy a brand new car the next morning until they crash that too plus the low price of petrol which stands at 0,15 Euros (10 Rupees) per litre. A reason why most people drive heavy S.U.V.s instead of more eco-friendly vehicles.

But there are positives too. Security isn't an issue here as Qatar is one of the safest countries on the planet. You often do not see police around, but everyone tells you if you have problems or create trouble then the police would be there in 120 seconds. Another positive is the influence of immigrants on the country, then speaking Hindi or Malayalam could help you get around easier.

Then there are also the curiousities. Take e.g. inside one of the countries biggest shopping malls the Villagio Doha there is an ice skating ring where the Qatar Raiders ice hockey team are based. Everyday you see kids training there and on weekends there are matches played.

And then there is the cool weather. No I am not joking, over the last few days the night time temperatures have gone down considerably plus cool winds out of the desert forcing one to wear jackets and sweaters to watch evening matches in the stadium.

Overall it is an interesting experience, but I would still say a lot of work to do for Qatar ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Ronaldinho to return for Brazil

Brazil coach Mano Menezes has recalled AC Milan star Ronaldinho for the prestigious friendly against Argentina in Doha, Qatar next month. The 30 year old makes a return to the Selecao after an 18 month absence, which also saw him miss the 2010 FIFA World Cup as former national coach Dunga did not consider Ronaldinho as needed.

The performances of Ronaldinho for the Rossoneri have not gone unnoticed, but one will have to see if Ronaldinho can recreate the magic that made him one of the stars in the Selecao many years back. And Menezes said, "He is a player in good form in a position we need. We want to see the Ronaldinho who was admired as one of the best in the world."

Mano Menezes has once more called-up a young squad which does include a number of experienced players. Mano Menezes has also recalled talented teenager Neymar after dropping him for the October friendlies against Iran and Ukraine for disciplinary reasons.


Brazil

Goalkeepers
Victor (Gremio) Jeferson (Botafogo), Neto (Atletico Paranaense)

Defenders
Daniel Alves (FC Barcelona), Rafael (Manchester United), Adriano Correa (FC Barcelona), Andre Santos (Fenerbahce Istanbul), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), David Luiz (Benfica Lisbon), Alex Costa (FC Chelsea), Rever (Atletico Mineiro)

Midfielders
Lucas (FC Liverpool), Ramires (FC Chelsea), Sandro (Tottenham Hotspurs), Jucilei (Corinthians), Douglas (Gremio), Philippe Coutinho (Internationale Milan), Ronaldinho (AC Milan), Elias (Corinthians)

Forwards
Robinho (AC Milan), Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Andre (Dynamo Kiev), Neymar (FC Santos)

Coach
Mano Menezes