What a month April was for UAE Sport. Special mentions go out to the UAE Olympic football squad. terrific qualifying campaign for the U23 team and their reward is a trip Wembley to play Team GM, which more than likely will see David Beckham as captain. An incredible test for our young stars. The UAE rugby also got their Asian 5 Nations campaign underway, and despite a tough opening game against Hong Kong a promising month lies ahead. We'll keep you updated. Could May see the departure of Diego Maradona from Dubai? Hints of unrest from the former Argentine international have surfaced over recent weeks and we'll keep you up to date on all the developments. Here's to another fantastic month of UAE sport.

31st May 2012 Hilton Tower Race

With the summer heat kicking in, it's imporant to find activities you can do away form the summer sunshine. Vertical marathon's are definitley an option and I went to give one a go.

28th May 2012 Al Gaffal Dhow Race

Yesterday saw the 22nd Al Gaffal Dhow Race take place. In one of the most spectacular events of the year I had to get out to the start line, an island 56 nautical miles off the Dubai coast to see what it was all about.

Thursday 24th May 2012 Chris Robshaw

Chris Robshaw, the England rugby captain has been in Abu Dhbai with his Harlequins side preparing for their first Aviva Prermiership final taking place this coming weekend. I caught up with him after a tough morning training.

Wednesday 23rd May Manchester City in Abu Dhabi

10 days on from Manchester City's remarkable season finale in England, excitment is still at fever ptich in the UAE's capital. I went up to talk to those close to the club about what has been achieved.

Tuesday 22nd May 2012 The Middle East Touch

With the news that Real Madrid's all time top goalscorer, Raul, has signed for Al Sadd in Qatar, I can't help but think the 3 time Champions League winner will soon become a top class manager. Well, that is if my theory has some substance. You may not see the middle east as a place for developing real managerial talent (Diego Maradona hasn't exactly set the world alight with results) but some of the most successful managers of the moment have all had middle eastern experience.
Let's start with Frank De Boer. The Dutchman headed to Qatar with his brother Ronald to see out their playing days together at Al-Rayyan. Al-Rayyan Sports Club are actually one of only 6 teams in the world to have won a league title with negative goal difference. After his playing days ended, De Boer set out on his managerial career with the youth team at Ajax before roles with the Dutch national side. Frank is now Head Coach at Ajax and has won the Eredivisie two years running, his time at the Amsterdam club making him one of Liverpool's top targets.
Next we look at another rather successful manager, a guy called Pep Guardiola, the Barcelona coach of the last 4 years only to leave after this weekend's Copa Del Rey final. Pep Gaurdiola played for Al Ahli based in Doha. In fact they are the oldest sports club in Qatar. Pep enjoyed two seasons playing at the Khalifa International Stadium. Guardiola went on to become Barcelona's most successful manager, securing 13 trophies in just 4 seasons,. That could be 14 trophies come the Copa Del Rey final this weekend.
Next, Roy Hodgson. The former UAE national coach. Although Hodgson has himself admitted that his time in the UAE coincided with a wonderment about where his career was going he has specifically pointed out the fact he managed to get his message across to "players that many say are uncoachable" gave the now England manager huge confidence.
So, you may be thinking Raul's decision to step into the fairly new football scene of the middle east is just to collect one final big pay cheque, he, however, in the process could gain some of the most valuable experience of his career and go on to become a top manager, just like the 3 I've pointed out. Another manager that worked here was David O'Leary, but I'm not sure he can be classed as a "manager of the moment".

Saturday 19th May 2012 Umbro Football Academy

Such a busy afternoon on The Grill. What with the Play-Off Final, the Heineken Cup Final & Champions League Final all happening aswell as tennis in Rome and a whole host of other sporting occasions taking place we weren't short of things to discuss. These guys could be the ones of the future. Kids in the UAE who are soon off to Madrid with the Umbro Football Academy.

Thursday 17th May 2012 Fabio Capello

It seems that there is no end to the names being linked with football in the UAE, and more specifically, the UAE national job. Alongside the likes of Diego Maradona being linked to the job, although that surely would simply be a marketing decision as his results on the pitch at either club or international managerial level have not been great, we now have Fabio Capello apparently mulling over a big money move. This comes at exactly the same time that the former England manager is being linked with Chelsea. So is there any depth to the UAE link? There is no doubt that the UAE certainly can offer a good salary for someone who wants to cash in before retiring, Fabio when leaving his England post made it clear he wanted one more job. Could that be a 2 year gig in the desert whilst grabbing the money? In a role reversal, a former UAE coach is now the England manager. Roy Hogdson, said of his time here that "the players are almost uncoachable". Would Fabio mind, you can't imagine he'd be too fussed about success on the field as he sees out his career and takes the money? So, is the UAE link, a deal that would be more about money than anything else, something to get Chelsea to offer the big money too? Is Fabio's camp using a "big offer" from the UAE to get Roman spedning the big money to get Fabio? It does seems that the link to the job here in the UAE is coming more form Capello's team, as the UAE FA have announced that no decision will be made about the manager's job until after the Olympics. This leads to one thing, if current U-23 UAE boss Madhi Ali does well at the Olympics, he will get the job and not the Fabio Capello.

Tuesday 15th May 2012 Dubai Autodrome 12 Hour Endurance Kart Race

On Friday night I competed in a 12 hour endurance kart race. Well, when I say 12 hours, it may have been a little less. See how we got on here. Dubai Autodrome hold 4 heats of endurance kart races each year. Two 24 hour and two 12 hour events. Some of the best teams in the world take part, and it's definitely worth a go.

Part 1...

Thursday 10th May 2012 Sir Chris Foy

With less than 3 months until the London Games, I spoke with Sir Chris Foy about the upcoming London Olympics.

Wednesday 9th May 2012 Asamoah Gyan

Asamoah Gyan's first season in the UAE Pro League could well be his last. Did we ever doubt it? His goals have helped Al Ain to the tittle. Gyan has scored 19 league goals this season, he is the top scorer in the pro-league, looks in fine health (so would you if you had Jebel Hafeet to run up each day) and and  says he is happy in Al Ain as he has his two brothers with him. One line however may strike fear into Al Ain's supporters and that is I’m ready to go anywhere and I need to make the right decision. I think any decision I make I think has to be the right decision for me, not for the people.” He is of course being handsomely paid to star in the pro-league and arguably he's the best player to grace the UAE pitches, certainly when you look at players in the peak of their careers. With his salary, being paid by Sunderland and Al Ain you have to say it would be very easy to live the quiet life and continue to play football here, but with any professional footballer, surely the ambition to compete in the most competitive leagues burns brightly. It looks as though Gyan is ready to move on, because despite the money, that is one aspect the pro-league can't compete with. Competitiveness. Weather Martin O'Neill calls him back or he goes somewhere else, Jebel Hafeet, and the Al Ain fans seemed to have lost a star player.

Tuesday 8th May 2012 Cross Fit Games

Marcus Smith has been flying the flay in the Asian heats of the Cross Fit Games in Korea. I caught up with him to see how his training was going.

Monday 7th May 2012 Manchster City

Manchester City are on the brink of their first Premier League tittle since 1968 after a 2-0 win at Newcastle yesterday. A massive achievement for the club in what has been a truly exciting & enthralling season in England. Inevitably the cries of "Man City bought the tittle" will begin to cry, if they haven't been cried out already. I have to say, I'm won't be joining them in sharing that point of view. Yes the Abu Dhabi owners have poured a lot of money into the club since they bought the blue half of Manchester back in 2008 but they have taken their time, letting the club grow naturally, not expecting instant success within one season of investment. When Roman took over at Chelsea they went from finishing 4th to winning the league in the space of less than two seasons. What I like about Man City's plan is, it's long term, and a plan that isn't just about going for glory on the pitch, it's also about developing the youth too. Abu Dhabi have invested heavily, but they have done it right. Which owners would you prefer? Manchester City's or Blackburn's? The owners of the latter apparently weren't even aware that you could be relegated from the Premier League. Abu Dhabi certainly don't need to worry about whether they're in a league that you could fall out of, results for them haven't been a problem. Much of that good form down to the powerhouse in midfield, Yaya Toure, the former Barca star who this week praised the club's owners, saying that they "want to make a club that makes history and they are going the right way about it". With plans on a new training camp, key names such as Patrick Vieira visiting Abu Dhabi supporting the Sky Blues Supporters Club and Manchester City making an extra effort to get into the community in the UAE, you have to say they are not putting a foot wrong. If you find yourself wanting to feel aggrieved that they have bought the tittle remember that Man City has been an Abu Dhabi outfit for four years now. The club went from 10th, to 3rd, then an FA Cup win before being on the brink of the tittle this year. It's a healthy progression, which is good to see.

Thursday 3rd May 2012 Hilton Tower Race

On May 18th, up to one hundred and twenty runners will take to the stairs at the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Residences (adjoining property of the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah beachfront Resort) for the Hilton Tower Race. These runners will not only enjoy a fantastic sea view from the 35th floor at the finish line, but they will also be racing up 730 stairs to support the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Foundation. I spoke to Emily McGuire from Hilton about the day.

Tuesday 1st May 2012 Roy Hodgson England Manager

It has been announced officially today that former UAE football coach, Roy Hodgson will be England's new manager. The man born in Croydon, London has a wealth of football management experience. A host of clubs across Europe have had the pleasure of having him at the helm and Switzerland, Finland and our very own UAE have all employed him as national coach. Here in the UAE between 2002 & 2004 he guided the UAE through the Asian Cup to finish 5th. I wish him all the best in the England role. I genuinely think he is the right man for the job.