About

Why did you choose Dubai?

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• Positive destination and good opportunity for salary and full time coaching.

• Because they have a vision.

• The weather and lifestyle is great, along with the fact it is safe.

• More facilities for sports.

• Seemed like a place where football had the opportunity to grow.

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What is the best thing about living in Dubai?

• The opportunity to meet new cultures and different people, and the weather of course is fantastic.

• The salary is good. Overall lifestyle is great. Meeting different nationalities and people from different backgrounds. The cleanliness of the whole place.

• The weather in the winter period, and the ability to travel from Dubai airport.

• Multi cultural society, changing landscape and opportunities.

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What took some getting used to after moving to Dubai?

• Adapting to the culture and you are very much there to work. It’s a very work driven culture and expect a lot. Also, Summers of 48 degrees!

• The crazy roads out here! No one indicates.

• The Dubai life style. Back in the UK you have to do everything yourself. Out in Dubai, everything is done for you.

• The summer heat.

• Coaching a range of nationalities within a squad and the desire to win outweighs all else.

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What is the standard of football like in Dubai?

• Depends on what academy you’re working with. Most academies have their “high performance” groups as they like to call it. That is a very similar standard your good/very good kids in UK.

• There is also a lot of recreational based sessions so be expected to work with all abilities (foundation). These type of sessions will more than likely make up your session load. Lots of engagement/fun based sessions to help improve FUNdamentals.

• Its good but its lower than UK standard!

• Asian; acceptable. Globally; they have taken advanced steps.

• It is okay. Not as competitive as Europe or the UK. But still has players who understand the game.

• Within the Pro League - better than people think. Under that it is vary varied. Some top ex-pros playing in amateur leagues for fun. Private academies using it as a springboard for Europe, all in the same league as Sunday league shitkickers.

• Differs. There is a lot of grassroots school schools/mass participation. But there are a lot of talented, smart players here.

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What are some key cultural differences in Dubai that someone may need to beware of before moving?

• You need an alcohol licence if you are a resident. There are certain laws around marriage etc. Who you know goes a long way over there. Very much money focused place in a thriving environment.

• Football is pretty much commercial based over there so competing from a business/marketing prospective with other academies. Be prepared for some discussions around marketing/business strategy to increase participation.

• Be respectful and don't be seen drunk on the streets of Dubai.

• Islamic country, but very liberal and modern. Just respect the laws, as you would back in your own country.

• In the Pro League, Div 1, Div 2 you cannot treat match officials like they are in the UK. The disrespect could get you into a lot of trouble, especially for using loud swearing.

Have you been able to forge a social life in Dubai?

• Yes lots of expat groups and lots of community based groups.

• Yes! Its easy to make new mates and have a social life.

• Not really. But is to do with myself. But others can easily forge a social life, especially through football.

• I work a lot with the local population. Throughout my 5 years here I have been to 1 brunch. I see so many Brits waste their times and money there getting drunk. Due to the climate it can then take 3-4 days to fully recover from a hangover. If you put the hard work in, genuinely help people through your work and take opportunities whilst other people are loving their social time, you get ahead. That’s not to say it’s all work no play. I turned my work into play and I get involved in amazing experiences that I cannot back home; camel racing, falcon racing, desert camping, jet skiing etc.

• Yes, huge expat community that is extremely welcoming.

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How safe and welcome do you feel in Dubai?

• Very safe to be there. You feel very protected and great standard of housing and schooling if company help you.

• Very safe. Uber gets me from A to B for less than £20.

• Safest place on the planet for me and especially women too.

• From my previous experience I think it's amazing.

• Very safe and welcome.

• I’m from the UK, I’ve visited 50 countries. I live in New Zealand and I can tell you the UAE is the safest country I’ve visited. Switzerland and Iceland would be next.

• Really its a safe country.

• 4th country I’ve coached and worked in and Dubai is by far the safest!

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What changes do you see happening in the future of Dubai football?

• Lots of football academies and some very good progressive academies. More qualifications and openings/partnerships with local professional clubs.

• Great opportunity to go and develop in a fanatic place.

• More sports academies an bigger complexes being built.

• Right now, not that much. The city and the country are not sports minded like the UK. There is no proper pyramid structure or grassroots leagues.

• The FA has just allowed foreign ownership of clubs in its two top divisions for the first time ever this season, with Gulf Heroes and Dubai City FC participating in Division 1.

• More foreign ownership of clubs, more foreign players. This could mean more spectators at games if for example Dubai City FC (British ran club) markets itself well with the Brit Ex-pat community.

• The standard of play will also increase as Non-EU passport holders in particular Brazilians and Africans use this place as a means of getting a UAE resident permit as it’s then easier to get an EU tourist visa to go on trial in Europe.

• Landscape of football is massively shifting in Dubai. Been fortunate to be at the heart of it and the changes have massively affected grassroots roots and now affecting UAE FA.

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If you had to convince someone to come to Dubai, what would you tell them?

• I was there for 5 years and never looked back. To work FT in football with a diverse audience was great. I learned a lot about myself by just doing it. Day off at the beach on your doorstep isn’t a bad shout ether.

• I progressed from head coach to academy manager within 4 years of being there.

• Take the risk! After the first week, you'll thank me!

• A place to make dreams come true.

• It is a nice place, quality of life is so much more better.

• Even 1 year of work here will change your outlook on life and your range of skills that you can use within your work for the future - BUT ONLY if you get out of the expat bubble.

• Best place to work and live.

• Best advise I would ever give a young coach is to leave the UK and work abroad. Dubai is the perfect place for this due to the environment.

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What are some of the misconceptions you have been presented with in regards to Dubai?

• Financially can be difficult to set up. Lots of deposits required upfront and very expensive lifestyle to keep up with (my advice would be to by entertainer voucher).

• 12,000 AED looks a lot on paper for example but it definitely takes time to adapt how expensive it is to be over there. Get use to £5 for margarine for example.

• People saying its strict when its really not! Everyone is polite and helpful!

• That it is hot all year round. That is not true. Only 4 months of the year. The other 8 months, it is great weather, if not perfect!

• UAE Nationals are all obese and lazy. There are some top local players and a massive fitness/endurance sports scene here that’s driven by the locals. Whilst most of the Brits are hiding inside AC and sleeping off hangovers people are exercising in 40 degrees and 80% humidity in the summer.