Al Ain in Dh30m deal to set up soccer academy

Abu Dhabi: In one of the Middle East's richest-ever sponsorship agreements, private shareholding company Al Qudra Holding will fund an ambitious Dh30 million football academy at the Al Ain Club.

The deal was signed yesterday at the Emirates Palace Hotel between Shaikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Bin Khalid Al Nahyan, President of the Executive Committee of Al Ain Club and Salah Al Shamsi, Chairman of Al Qudra Holding. The foundation will be known as the Al Ain Soccer Academy (ASA).

The academy is being formed with the support of His Highness General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and President of Al Ain Club, and Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, First Vice President of the Club, and First Vice President of the Honorary Board, and Shaikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Second Vice President of the Club and Second Vice President of the Honorary Board.

"The Al Ain Academy will form our gateway towards a more professional sports world. The Academy will build a sporting generation capable of hoisting the UAE flag high," said Shaikh Abdullah. "We have allocated Dh 30 million that will be pumped into the current Al Ain Soccer School to change it into an Academy," Al Shamsi said. "By providing this sponsorship, we want to show our appreciation to this great club for increasing the profile of UAE football around the world."

The Academy will provide sports training and academic teaching at the same time, within a special atmosphere that will enhance the spirit of creativity and excellence in the students of the Academy. Al Qudra Holding's management has appointed two of its companies who are specialised in both fields of education and sports management, namely - GEMS Al Qudra Educational Company and Al Qudra Sports Management. These two bodies will supervise all the activities of the Academy in order to guarantee their excellence by using professional expertise.

The academy will include many centres to discover talent so as to cover all Al Ain regions.

It will include centres in Al Makam, Al Yahr, Mezead, Zakher, Al Heer, Abu Krya, and Al Hili in addition to the main centre in the headquarters of the Club. Sport groups at the Academy will be divided into various age groups of 12 to 18 years.

The academy will replace the Al Ain Soccer School, who has so far produced many distinguished players and graduated talented players who form the backbone of the senior team such as Subait Khater, Rami Yaslam, Humaid Fakher, Abdullah Ali and Ghareeb Hareb in addition to former stars such as Mohammad Obeid (Hamdoun) and Mattar Al Shabani.

"Al Ain Club Soccer Academy is not merely a place of entertainment and sports - it will also be providing technical, sports, health, psychological and nutritional support for the players," said Hamad Al Ameri, Member of the Executive Committee and General Supervisor of Football.