DUFC

ARABS UNITED AS CLUB FORMS NEW LINKS WITH DUBAI

23rd September 2002

The Arabs of Dundee United are establishing exciting new links with the United Arab Emirates, which could see the Club involved in close season visits plus coaching and youth player exchanges.

The growing friendship between Dundee United and Dubai came after a chance conversation involving Lord Watson of Invergowrie, the first Chancellor of Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, in 1999; and Dundee West MP Ernie Ross at the opening of the Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies in May this year. On these two occasions they mentioned to His Highness Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Deputy Ruler Dubai, Minister of Finance and Industry UAE and Patron of the Al-Maktoum Institute that Dundee United's nickname was the Arabs.

Scott Carnegie, Chairman of Dundee United said, "This delighted His Highness and it set in motion a chain of events that could have excellent benefits for the Club and help in the growing business and economic connections between Tayside and Dubai.

"I have been invited to join the delegation which is being led by City of Dundee Lord Provost John Letford JP, to Dubai next month. During the visit I will take the opportunity to see the football facilities in Dubai as well as to visit one of the leading football clubs in UAE."

"In addition we welcomed the first official visit to Tannadice by senior Dubai officials including Mirza Al-Sayegh, Private Secretary to His Highness Shaikh Hamdan Bin Riashid Al-Maktoum and Chairman of Al-Maktoum Institute Board, Mohammed Bin Ghannam, Secretary General of Al -Maktoum Foundation of Dubai and Professor Abd al-Fattah El-waisi, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Dundee.

"From this visit and the forthcoming visit to Dubai I am confident that we will soon be able to form a very strong relationship that will see a number of important football related exchanges taking place between United and Dubai. This should include potential for close season tours to Dubai plus player and coaching exchanges. As the relationship grows I would expect to see many more initiatives introduced."

Professor El-Awaisi said, "We are very excited to be able to catalyse the good relationship between Dundee United and Dubai. This is, in fact, part of the Institute's strategy to serve the communities in Dundee and Scotland as a whole."

Mirza Al-Sayegh said "We are delighted that the Club's nickname is the Arabs and this is already creating great interest back in Dubai. We enjoyed our visit to the Club and I am confident that this visit and the forthcoming delegation will further strengthen these links."