The afternoon of Wednesday the 12th]]> London’s Saudi Super Cup Re-ignites Big Questions in Pursuit of Modern Saudi Arabia.

The afternoon of Wednesday the 12^th of August may have just been another quiet midweek for football fans across England. Unless you’re a fan of one of the six clubs involved in League Cup football, that is. But for millions of football fans from a distant nation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, London was either blue or yellow that afternoon. The Saudi Super Cup between Riyadh arch-rivals Al-Hilal & Al-Nassr was being played out at the unlikely scene that is Loftus Road.

However random it might sound at first mention, this was not only a telling sign of the ongoing globalization of football. It was also a well calculated move from the Saudi FF, as few as those are. Permanent home to some 34,000 Saudis and visited by another 100,000 annually, the majority of them during the summer holidays, London was by all measures an ideal setting to try out the first edition of the season curtain raising match to be played outside the country. The estimated attendance of 15,000 fans at the 18,000 QPR ground stood as testament to this decision. And while the number will undoubtedly be a source of pride among organizers & followers of Saudi football alike. It is the quiddity of those in presence that has reignited a heated debate as old as the kingdom itself. On Wednesday, as with very much every regular football match in England, thousands of men and women flocked to the stadium, many dressed in their team colours. Except this time, many of them were Saudis, more controversially, Saudi women.

A section of the female attendance among Al-Hilal support.

A few weeks earlier, a video surfaced showing two women being harassed by a mob of younger men in the western Saudi city of Jeddah. And although the women in said video were veiled, many twitter users made a point of claiming the women were “dressed provocatively” and are thus to be blamed for the incident. The authorities for their part looked to identify and punish the men involved in the incident, but they also subscribed to this line of thought, with one official stating the women will be prosecuted too for “seducing & arousing” the men.

This was not the first time nor will it be the last in a long history of struggle for women’s position in Saudi society. A cause which continues to shape a big part of the question of Saudi identity. The 2015 Super Cup was but the next episode of this never-ending debate.

Under Saudi laws, women would not have been able to attend this match had it been played in its customary home in Riyadh. But holding the game in London gave them a unique opportunity to experience first-hand the passion & atmosphere of local football. This, however, was not to everyone’s liking back home. Saudi Twitter exploded with various hashtags, most notably (#فضيحه_السوبر_في_لندن) which roughly translates to #Supercup_Scandal_in_London. Over 250,000 tweets split between those commending the safe presence of women in the stadium amongst thousands of Saudi men as an example that should be replicated at home and others who called it an obscene ploy for westernization of Saudi Muslim youth.

                   Harassment has nothing to do with a woman’s dress according to one twitter user.

Those advocating for the more liberal cause of allowing women in stadiums argue the match demonstrated that with the proper enforcement of anti-harassment laws such as those implemented in Britain, the presence of women in football matches (among other public areas, perhaps including women driving) would not lead to multiple incidents of sexual assault and public indecency. Something their opponents often cite as the main reason behind it “not being the right time” for women to be afforded more freedoms in the kingdom. On the other side of the argument are the more conservative Saudis who took to Twitter denouncing those ladies who attended the match and calling them “A disgrace to Saudi women” while the broadcasting Saudi private channel “MBC” received its share of criticism for repeatedly focusing the camera on unveiled women at the stands.

         This tweep directs his anger at the match director for repeatedly showing unveiled women.

Gratned, Saudi Arabia is known to the world as an ultra-conservative country. Being the birthplace of Islam as well as the destination of the annual hajj journey undertaken by millions of Muslim, it is always going to be one of the most conservative places on earth. But as with any society, within its 30 million strong population, the kingdom is home to an array of various cultures, traditions and upbringings all seeking to coexist under the banner of one predominantly Arab Muslim state. And as the world’s second largest oil producer moves into the 21^st century, the push and pull forces between modernity and conservativeness continue to shape the socio-political scene in the country with football at the heart of it.

]]> https://ahdaaf.me/2015/08/14/londons-saudi-super-cup-re-ignites-age-old-women-debate/feed/ 0 https://ahdaaf.me/2015/07/05/the-middle-eastern-leagues-a-place-to-develop/ https://ahdaaf.me/2015/07/05/the-middle-eastern-leagues-a-place-to-develop/#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2015 11:36:48 +0000 https://ahdaaf.me/?p=4851 Ryan Babel arrives in the UAE after a series of deals bringing in the likes of Thiago Neves, Jorge Valdivia and Denilson amongst]]> Ryan Babel arrives in the UAE after a series of deals bringing in the likes of Thiago Neves, Jorge Valdivia and Denilson amongst others. All of these players have excelled at some point in their career, with the latter being a Premier League player under Arsenal for some time. Valdivia is an elegant, yet undiscovered gem who never played in Europe – discounting loans – and according to many failed to pursue a career of greatness. His time at Palmeiras and Al-Ain – far from Europe – were significant points during his career.

Ryan Babel arrives in Al-Ain (photo: @alainfcae)

Thiago Neves, just off the back of his 2^nd spell in Riyadh for Al-Hilal moves to the Pride of Abu Dhabi (otherwise named the Manchester City of the UAE; Al-Jazira) as they are fondly known as. Possessing the best attendance in the UAE and the biggest stadium there too, Thiago Neves has a lot to look forward to with a team who’s average finish in the Arabian League is a highly 3^rd place (the highest in Emirati football, currently).

What does this signal towards Emirati football? The league is growing, players from abroad – between the years of 21 and 28 – are being imported to aid in their growth as a footballer. Players in their prime will engage in the league and showcase their talent on the Asian stage, unlike previously where Gulf, Chinese and even American leagues were famed as retirement homes. The transfer of Xavi heavily contradicts my previous statement, however Manuel Lanzini and Everton Ribeiro would beg to differ.

Everton Ribeiro hugs Ismail Al-Hammadi after scoring against Sharjah (photo by Trivela)

Lanzini completed his first season at Al-Jazira with the highest league assists (9) while Everton Ribeiro helped Al-Ahli to the last 8 of the AFC Champions League, a first for their club. In the final ACL group game, he scored and assisted as Al-Ahli came from 2-1 down to defeat Iranian outfit Tractor Sazi and take his team from the verge of elimination to a last 16 spot. A glamorous tie with the UAE league champions Al-Ain ensued, and I had the pleasure to watch Ribeiro live for the first time. It’s safe to say that having watched the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Phillipe Coutinho, Alexis Sanchez and Andres Iniesta live – Everton Ribeiro ultimately ranked very highly amongst not just myself, but Asian football fans alike. Although Carlos Munoz left the club, Ribeiro made do with what was at hand and formed a formidable partnership with the rejuvenated Emirati striker Ahmed Khalil, who although popped up on the stage almost nine years ago, is only 23 today and left with a very disappointing gaze from the Asian football faithful. A player destined for greatness and a move to Europe, ended up not matching the heights of his infamous brother’s career: Faisal Khalil.

Moving on, Asamoah Gyan’s possible reluctance to leave Al-Ain for Qatari side Lekhwiya or Shanghai in China further strengthens the power that Emirati teams possess on one side (however I firmly believe that should an offer over £15m come in, Al-Ain should definitely accept). The incoming Ryan Babel will definitely shine light on a league increasing in popularity, quality and consistency. A winger still of good quality to play in the European Champions League, he will now ply his trade in Asia and bid to help Al-Ain towards their 2^nd ever Champions League title.

Babel replaces the outgoing Miroslav Stoch who returns to Fenerbahce after a season long-loan, a very decent spell marred by his Asian football ban. Now, it is up to Babel to fill the void left by Asamoah Gyan’s persistent injury problems, Omar Abdulrahman’s lack of goalscoring prowess and the departure of former Rennes winger Jires Kembo-Ekoko. This is where, I believe, Babel will add to with his trickery and pace possibly proving vital to a team possessing a dearth of dynamic goalscoring ability up front.

Al-Ain were blunt against Al-Ahli and Al-Nasr in the AFC Champions League and President’s Cup respectively, and when they scored three against the former in the 2^nd leg it was after a brace from none other than the ever-reliable (when fit) Asamoah Gyan.

Asamoah Gyan has scored 93 league goals in 85 games since arriving in the UAE.

Therefore, returning to my point, players are no longer brought in for their popularity, previous quality or simply experience – but because they will add a certain level to a part of the team. Babel adds promise in various positions up front where as I just mentioned Al-Ain lacked due to Gyan’s injury. Thiago Neves undoubtedly adds more experience, quality and his familiarity with the Middle Eastern game in attacking midfield. Jorge Valdivia will also fill the void in creativity and goalscoring, where his understanding of the region and league will help Sebastian Tagliablue’s peculiar hit-and-miss performances last season become a fairy tale.

In fact, take it from a manager who has worked with Pep Guardiola and JuanMa Lillo. Interviewing Raul Caneda for ahdaaf.me, former manager of La Liga and Saudi Arabian clubs, he tells me that “in the Middle East there is no sense of positional play, just pace and direct football. But we can see it change with coaches coming in to add their experience and knowledge to the game here” and with the likes of Zlatko Dalic and Cosmin Olaroiu – none doing much outside of their home countries in Croatia and Romania – proving their strength in the region with their tactical acuity.

(See here on how Cosmin Olaroiu turned Al-Ain into the Manchester United of the Emirates and Zlatko Dalic proving his Mourinho-esque adaptability in important games to help them win the title and reach the AFC Champions League semi-final)

All in all, Middle Eastern football fans can look forward to a promising 2015-16 season as more and more transfers signal an act of team building and progression, as opposed to stardom and foreign attraction.

*ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ON OUTSIDEOFTHEBOOT.COM

If you happen to be a long]]> Do you support a club called Jaish? you may want to look away now!

If you happen to be a long time follower of the Qatari Stars League (QSL) or even the AFC Champions League, you may have noticed the emergence of two clubs in the past five years, El-Jaish SC & Lekhwiya SC. The former was established in 2011 while the latter is just two years its senior.

In the past four seasons, Lekhwiya won three league titles, only missing out on the 2012/13 title after finishing second, 5 points behind the country’s most successful club, Al-Sadd. In turn El-Jaish upon its foundation in 2011 played in the QatarGas League, the second (and lowest) tier of Qatari football and instantly won promotion to the QSL. In the following season, they finished second, 2 points behind Lekhwiya and went on to finish third and second respectively in the following two seasons. At the time of writing this article, Lekhwiya are second in the league while El-Jaish are third with more than half the season played already.

This would have been an extraordinary story, worthy of multiple headlines had it happened in a top European League. However, it is not completely unprecedented in this part of the world. In fact, it becomes all the more familiar when you know that El-Jaish is Arabic for “The Army”, and Lekhwiya is the local Qatari name for “Internal Security Forces”.

Lekhwiya Unveil defender Chico Flores & manager Michael Laudrup, both signed from English Premier League side, Swansea City.

The enrollment of Police, Military & Security Force football teams in professional leagues is a common phenomenon not only in the Middle East, but in most developing countries where those state armed units have a significant influence on the political scene as well as on the everyday lives of ordinary citizens. Thailand is one example outside the Middle East where clubs like Army United & Air Force Central have regularly featured in the top flight and competed for honours with varying degrees of success. Thailand’s troubled history of military coups is well documented, and the link between the two is anything but arbitrary. Pakistan is another good example.

Within the Middle East, names like Jaish and Shurta “The police” are repetitive across various domestic leagues, the most famous being Al-Jaish FC of Syria who have won a record 12 Syrian League titles (including 5 in the new century) and were crowned champions of the inaugural AFC Cup (Asian equivalent of the Europa League) in 2004. In turn, Al-Shurta of Iraq are a regional powerhouse based in Baghdad, they have won the Iraqi league 4 times and were the first ever winners of the now obsolete Arab Champions League in 1982. Al-Shurta play a local rivalry with Al-Quwa Al-Jawwiya “Air Forces FC”, another state force team from Baghdad. The now suspended Egyptian Premier League features no less than five teams representing various Police and Army units including Haras El-Hudood “Border Guards” & El-Entag El-Harbi “Military production”. Three of those teams made their Egyptian Premier League debut in the new millennium.

Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad boasts one of the largest follower bases in the region, even our own Dan Pascual is a fan!

Fandom as a concept is largely associated with loyalty and the warmth of belonging to a particular entity, and football clubs have always offered just that for millions across the globe. Kuper and Szymanski argued in their book “Soccernomics” that European teams with largest fan bases in their countries came from industrial cities like Manchester, Liverpool, Turin, Glasgow, St. Petersburg and Munich as opposed to traditional capitals like London, Rome, Edinburgh, Moscow and Berlin; this was directly attributed to blue-collar workers in these cities finding a sense of community and belonging in the local football team.

Of course, Middle Eastern cities are different and the concept of a 19th century industrialised city is largely inapplicable here. But let us take a look at some of the most supported teams in the region. Clubs like Al-Sadd in Qatar, Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia and Al-Ain in the UAE. Those three teams have all been established even before their respective nations became independent sovereign states and have thus long been engraved in the living memory of the local residents, those teams have been part of their local communities through thick and thin, long before corporate culture and concepts like CSR came to the region. Their legendary players and coaches were all once the kid next door, anthems and chants became a heritage and were passed from generation to the next. They brought trophies and joyous celebrations to their towns and neighbourhoods for decades.

For all their recent successes and massive wealth, the Al-Jaishes and Al-Shurtas of this region are unable to manufacture this unique link. Not many outside the military or police institutions identify with those teams. In fact, in many Middle Eastern countries, the army and even more so the police have traditionally been tools for repression, used by authoritarian regimes to silence dissidents; hence there is an unshakable negative connotation surrounding those institutions and ordinary citizens are unlikely to associate with football teams representing them. The gulf to be bridged is even wider when the vast majority of the state unit’s members are foreigners such as in the case of Lekhwiya.

                                                     Police aren’t exactly fan favourites in the Middle East!

The 2011/12 QSL season epitomised a worrying trend; Lekhwiya & El-Jaish finished in the top two positions respectively. Meanwhile, Al-Ahly, one of the nation’s most supported historical clubs, was relegated. Al-Ahly was founded in 1950 which may not seem old when compared to many European clubs, but to put that into perspective, Qatar only gained independence 21 years later and was yet to even have a currency back then and the club used to rent their base from a local landlord for 70 Indian Rupees.

The pattern continued with the same two teams finishing in the top three last season and yet another one of Qatar’s legendary clubs, Al-Rayyan, arguably the most popular alongside Al-Sadd & Al-Arabi, dropping into first division’s obscurity.

El-Jaish came into the picture in 2011 and as they won promotion to the QSL, they went on a spending spree signing numerous local stars such as former Al-Sadd captain, Wesam Rizq and Al-Gharrafa veteran Saad Al-Shammari. They didn’t stop there, but naturalized a number of Arab and African players and registered them as locals and recruited a couple of foreign players to allow them to compete with the likes of Al-Sadd and Lekhwiya.

One thing El-Jaish could not buy was fans. While QSL is known for its comparatively low attendance levels, perspective is vital here. For a nation of 2 million people, only 300,000 of whom are locals, to expect a 50,000 crowd week in, week out is certainly unrealistic. But when Al-Sadd, Al-Arabi and Al-Rayan played each other, they regularly drew crowds in the region of 7,000-10,000 fans. Those figures are now becoming a thing of the past despite the best efforts of the league committee. Free entry, raffle draws and matchday family events have all been tried to no avail. The fact remains that outside a few hundred foreign workers who are paid by clubs’ officials to attend the matches, there is very little interest in going to stadiums.

8215 fans may not look impressive, but when adjusted for population, this is the equivalent of 200,000 fans attending an EPL match!

Teams like El-Jaish and Lekhwiya regularly mobilize off-duty soldiers and officers to cheer for the players. Sometimes it is a bus load of school students or workers but manufactured presence aside, the emergence of these clubs is badly hurting an already dying fan culture in Qatar and the region. Increased TV coverage and the growth of luxury lifestyle among the nouveau riche of the oil boom have already taken their toll on matchday attendance levels, but this new phenomenon of state affiliated departmental teams is threatening to kill whatever is left of it.

As random]]> The ninth of February has finally come and with it the Launch of our new website Ahdaaf.

As random of a date it may seem, it is one that we have opted for after endless deliberations. It could have been a month earlier, a month later or anything in between. With the AFC Asian Cup behind us and a new season of Asian club competition to look for, and an exciting 2015 as it is already turning out to be, now transpired to be the time we launch Ahdaaf.

When a guy named Hamoudi got in touch with me on Twitter asking whether I wrote for any websites that specifically deal with Middle East, my first answer was no, but little did I know that we would end up creating that website along with three other Middle Eastern football enthusiasts.

A team of five was created and a site in the name of Ahdaaf presents itself promising a unique journey through the world of Middle Eastern Football. Now I can proudly say “Yes, I write for Ahdaaf”.

Ahdaaf means goals, and our goal is to grow with you, the reader. There is not a chance Ahdaaf will succeed without your active involvement, be it commenting on stories we write, telling us what would you like to see on our pages, sharing your knowledge and experiences or spreading the word about Ahdaaf.

The site is now up and running and new content will continue to populate our pages every day and every night. No spoilers here, I shall leave you to explore the alleys of Ahdaaf and enjoy the original content we thrive to bring you.

But first, please take a moment to visit our “About” page and meet the team behind Ahdaaf.

Wael Jabir

Editor