Sparky’s Column

Changes aplenty in the off-season

Summer is here and that means fans are starved of action on the pitch. All the action is behind the scenes with agents and club CEO's working up a sweat as players become pawns in a game of transfer chess.

The biggest signing of the summer for the UFL so far has been Grafite moving from Wolfsburg to Al Ahli. The only other player in the League that can match his success at club level is Delgado of Al Jazira. The Brazilian formed a lethal partnership with Edin Dzeko as Wolfsburg stormed to their 2009 title, when he scored an amazing 28 goals in 25 games. He was only the sixth foreigner to win Player of the Year in Bundesliga history. The only negative is that he is 32, without being ageist it is a player in the twilight of his career but with a pedigree that should make him a force in the Etisalat Pro-League.

Al Wasl have been snapping up Emirati talent - Ali Rabih and Mubarak Hassan have just been joined by Hamed Al Hosani of relegated Al Dhafra. The key for all the teams in the League is to sign the best local players possible. They will always form at least seven of the starting line-up and, as Al Jazira proved, these players are the backbone of a successful side. Al Wasl's early movement may be an indication of a big season ahead for Maradona's new charges.

Al Ahli may be looking at letting some of the foreign stars go. It's no secret that Italian World Cup winner Cannavaro is the man most have their eyes on. The central defender has stated his intention to see out the remaining year on his contract and has even been bold enough to say he would like to coach the team in the future. The Board are refusing to name anybody who could be shown the exit but watch this space. The Club are desperate to move higher than the 8th position they have occupied for the last two seasons. Could this mean a complete clear out of the overseas contingent? One thing is certain plenty of agents and the Club board will be busy in Al Quasis this summer.

There has been one chink of light in a TV schedule that has featured fishing or spelling bee's as an excuse for sport. The UAE Olympic team played a pre-qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games in the strange atmosphere of North Korea. You will not see a more regimented crowd than in Pyongyang. The stadiums are always full of khaki clad fans but the crowd sit in an orderly fashion cheering to order. This helps the away teams as it's as intimidating an atmosphere as a school sports day. The UAE took full advantage of this and came away with a 1-0 victory which sets them up nicely for the home leg and the next stage on the road to London 2012.