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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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 Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| ghost wrote: |
| ...It is unlikely that this situation will change, because the youth in countries where [i]per capita incomes are high in the Gulf region[/i], .... |
According to WORLD BANK DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS 2005, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita, apart from Qatar which is rated 11 worldwide , the Gulf states are not any more among the countries with high per capita incomes:
Country rank
Luxembourg 1
USA 3
Ireland 4
QATAR 11
UK 18
UAE 23
Bahrain 32
Oman 40
Saudia Arabia 46
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Israel = 28 ! |
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ghost
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia
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| Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:23 pm Post subject: Saudi potential |
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| And while we're on the subject, given that KSA have never managed to get beyond the opening round in any World Cup, |
In 1994 Saudi qualified for their first World Cup, and advanced to the second round by winning their opening games against Morocco and Belgium.
After that Saudi qualified for FIFA World Cup in 98, 2002, 2006 - and although the records show they lost more games than they won, the potential is there if they can get their act together.
With the electric combination of Yassar Al Kahtami (24 years) and the `veteran` Al Jaber (34 years).....the team can go far....but from observing the games one quickly comes to realize that once Saudi is a goal or two down, they seem to lose their motivation and fighting spirit, but if they are ahead they can do very well.....it is a learning curve and with previous South American coaches like Calderon (Argentina) and Paqueta (Brazil), Saudi are on the road to improved performances in the future.
And the problem is not money, as evidence we saw the transfer of Al Kahtami to the Al Hilal team for a whopping $10 million U.S. dollars. If Saudi does what Turkey has done (get foreign players into the league to raise the level of the game, and bring in foreign coaches for tactics and expertise) they could become like Turkey......but they would need to develop more training centres for youth at the age of 14-16 years....those are the key years for training soccer players, as after that it is too late too learn the techniques.
The speed of the Saudi black players (who are the descendents of slaves brought to Saudi area many moons ago) and the skills of Al Jaber and others could produce very good results, but once again it is the mental aspect of the game which needs working on, and ghost feels a good psychologist might be in order.
Watch this space for an update in the coming months.
ghost |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:18 am Post subject: |
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| Apart from the fact that I was wrong in saying that KSA never progressed to the 2nd round - seems they did so once, and then were defeated - your slightly adapted cut and paste ("electric combination") is in no way informative and in no way challenges my premise. By international standards, KSA are a 5th rate footballing nation. I'm still waiting for an explanation of the word 'honourable' in the football context. |
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dmb
Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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| BTW 007 makes a very good point when he reminds us that, contrary to what is often assumed, the Gulf countries, especially KSA are actually not rich. It's commonly assumed that having oil means that all the citiznes of a country will be filthy rich without having to lift a finger, but as the stats above show, that is not the case at all. Even the richest Gulf state according to these stats, Qatar, has a lower GDP than the US and the wealthier Western European countries. |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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| dmb wrote: |
| ... the mighty Scotland have rocketed up to 25th. |
Still Scotland behind England, rated 5, and Nigeria (11).
BTW, dmb, I wonder why the England team did not use the Union flag in the world cup, and instead are using the flag of St George. Any reasonable reason? |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: Saudi potential |
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| ghost wrote: |
| [ ...The speed of the Saudi black players (who are the descendents of slaves brought to Saudi area many moons ago) ... |
Can you say the same in USA or UK, "American black player", or "British black player", I think you will be accused of racism!
| Quote: |
| (who are the descendents of slaves brought to Saudi area many moons ago) |
This is not true, most of the black population in Saudi Arabia are in Macca and in the south of the country (e.g, Jizan, Najran, etc). Most of the black population originated from Africa (Somalai, Sudan, Egypt, ) and Yemen, where people came for Hajj in the last coupled of hundred years, and stayed in Macca since that time, that's why we see a lot of them in Macca, and still the same trend is happening with Africans from Somalia and Sudan, which came for Hajj and stay in Macca.
Islam has abolished slavery 1427 years ago, and gave the black population their freedom and civil rights long way before it has been given to them in America or any other culture. |
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dmb
Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| 007 wrote: |
| dmb wrote: |
| ... the mighty Scotland have rocketed up to 25th. |
Still Scotland behind England, rated 5, and Nigeria (11).
BTW, dmb, I wonder why the England team did not use the Union flag in the world cup, and instead are using the flag of St George. Any reasonable reason? |
This one is easy. The blue in the Union Jack comes from the St. Andrew Cross.
(one of my pet hates is English fans who wave the Union Jack at England games) |
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ghost
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:46 pm Post subject: modern slavery |
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| Islam has abolished slavery 1427 years ago, and gave the black population their freedom and civil rights long way before it has been given to them in America or any other culture. |
Yes, on paper slavery was abolished a long time ago, but a modern type of slavery exists in Arabia Saudia with thousands of third world workers being exploited, underpaid, and having their wages witheld for months (and sometimes not paid at all, as per contract).
EFL teachers and other ``skilled expats`` have it very lucky in Saudi Arabia, but for the unskilled people of Sri Lanka and other locales, the picture is much less rosy - many of those folks only earn around $200 U.S per month, and live in very unfortunate conditions. So much so, that India took the unprecedented step of no longer allowing their citizens to work as maids in Saudi.
ghost |
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