Manchester City Football Community

Manchester city football Community Week, in association with Manchester City Football Club, returns to Abu Dhabi and Dubai next week.

Hundreds of youngsters from across the UAE will receive top training tips from the English Premier League’s coaches led by football legend Patrick Vieira.

Vieira, who joined Manchester City in 2010, made 28 appearances for the Blues and played a pivotal role in City winning the FA Cup in 2011. Upon retiring at the end of last season, he took his new role as Football Development Executive. More than 500 children, aged between seven and 14, have been selected from local and international schools to participate in the event.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are delighted to host the Etihad Airways Football Community Week for the third year running and are pleased to welcome the playing and coaching staff back to Abu Dhabi to provide the community with this unique opportunity.

“Patrick Vieira is one of the leading members of Manchester City’s football club and having him here will be an inspiration to the participating young children and a great chance for them to meet him and learn how to become future Manchester City stars.

“Etihad has a fantastic track record for hosting community sporting events in the UAE and we are thrilled to launch the Etihad Airways Football Community Week which builds upon previous editions of the Etihad Soccer Schools.”

Ian Cafferky, Chief Brand & Commercial Officer for Manchester City Football Club, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Abu Dhabi and help promote grass roots football in the region on behalf of Etihad Airways.

“Manchester City Football Club is honoured to be able to share its knowledge, skills and coaching techniques to help develop Football in Abu Dhabi, and support the UAE’s growing reputation in world sport.”

The Etihad Airways Football Community Week will take place at Zayed Sports City from Monday 5 to Tuesday 6 March. The Manchester City coaches will then head to Dubai on Wednesday 7 March, before returning to Abu Dhabi on Thursday 8 March.

Manchester City Football Club Photos

Manchester City Football Club Photos - Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton), they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894. The club has played at the City of Manchester Stadium since 2003, having played at Maine Road from 1923. The club's most successful period was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they won the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison.

After losing the 1981 FA Cup Final, the club went through a period of decline culminating in relegation to the third tier of English football in 1998 for the first time in their history. The club has since regained top flight status where they have spent the majority of their history. In 2008, they were bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group, spending millions of pounds on top class players. Success soon followed. In 2011, Manchester City qualified for the Champions League and won the FA Cup, and in 2012 won the Premier League.

History

History Manchester City Football Club, It is widely accepted that Manchester City F.C. was founded as St. Mark's (West Gorton) in 1880 at St. Mark's Church, in Gorton, a district in east Manchester. Prior to this, St. Mark's played cricket from the 1860s and the side evolved out of that cricket team – the key organiser was churchwarden William Beastow. In 1887, they moved to a new ground at Hyde Road, in Ardwick just to the east of the city centre, and were renamed Ardwick Association Football Club to reflect their new location. Ardwick joined the Football League as founding members of the Second Division in 1892. Financial troubles in the 1893–94 season led to a reorganisation within the club, and Ardwick were reformed as Manchester City Football Club.

Profile of Virat Kohli

Profile of Virat Kohli  - Virat Kohli  born 5 November 1988 in Delhi is an Indian international cricketer., Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi to Prem and Saroj Kohli.He has an elder brother, Vikash, and an elder sister, Bhavna. Virat attended school at Vishal Bharti and Savier Convent. Virat's father, Prem, worked as a lawyer and passed away in December 2006. Little is known of Virat Kohli's personal life. A typical modern-day cricketer, Virat Kohli plays his game aggressively, bares his emotions loudly in public, yet retains the element of maturity that forms an integral part of every good and great player. Anil Kumble said he had thought hard before calling Kohli the best under-22 player in international cricket - that would rate as perhaps the best compliments he has received. It is also proof of Kohli's transformation as a player.

Kohli himself readily admitted to committing mistakes and walking the wrong path in the immediate aftermath of becoming only the second India captain to win the Under-19 World Cup in 2008. Monikers such as brash, arrogant were stuck on him as Kohli struggled to balance his career and the adulation that came with success. But some introspection and the expert guidance from the Indian team's seniors allowed Kohli to bounce back.

Today he is recognised for his growing maturity, and, more importantly, for his superb skills with bat in hand. Even in the presence, or absence, of his other prolific partners, Kohli has become one of the most dependable batsmen in the Indian middle order. His defensive technique is organised, he is an accomplished strokeplayer all round the wicket - his timing on the legside is especially silken - and he relishes performing when the pressure is on. He was an important presence during India's World Cup triumph, where he struck a vital century in the tournament opener and then played his hand in the summit clash with a patient 35 which formed a crucial part of the third-wicket partnership with Gautam Gambhir that allowed India to recover from the early loss of the openers. Then came the tour to Australia later that year, when he truly proved he belonged at the highest levels in both forms of the game. On a tour in which India's senior batsmen struggled throughout, Kohli stood out, scoring India's only Test hundred - a mature, composed innings in Adelaide. And with India almost out of the CB Series, Kohli uncorked his best with an astonishing 86-ball unbeaten 133 to help India chase down 321 in under 40 overs.

His gung-ho attitude, his youthful charm and his aggression have also made him the mascot of his IPL team, the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kohli has repaid the franchise by helping Bangalore reach the finals of the 2009 and 2010 IPL seasons and then almost single-handedly taking them to the title clash in the 2011 Champions League Twenty20. His fantastic fielding, and the ability to assess situations and seize the moments make Kohli one of the most exciting young talents to watch out for in the international circuit.

India Players Cricketer Virat Kohli

India Players Cricketer Virat Kohli - Virat Kohli  born 5 November 1988 in Delhi is an Indian international cricketer., Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi to Prem and Saroj Kohli.He has an elder brother, Vikash, and an elder sister, Bhavna. Virat attended school at Vishal Bharti and Savier Convent. Virat's father, Prem, worked as a lawyer and passed away in December 2006. Little is known of Virat Kohli's personal life.. A typical modern-day cricketer, Virat Kohli plays his game aggressively, bares his emotions loudly in public, yet retains the element of maturity that forms an integral part of every good and great player. Anil Kumble said he had thought hard before calling Kohli the best under-22 player in international cricket - that would rate as perhaps the best compliments he has received. It is also proof of Kohli's transformation as a player.

Since Virat Kohli made his debut in 2008, he and India have played just four ODIs against Pakistan. The Champions Trophy game in Centurion when Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf took the game away from India, the 2010 Asia Cup match in Dambulla where Harbhajan Singh sealed it with a penultimate-ball six, the World Cup semi-final in Mohali, and today's encounter. Before today, Kohli's scores against India's fiercest rivals were 16, 18 and 9. He was thrilled that his Mirpur masterclass has cleared that blot on his CV.

"I hadn't done too well against Pakistan, played thrice before. Even in the World Cup semi-final, I got out and I was really disappointed. Playing against them is always a high-pressure game, all eyes are on that game. It is really satisfying to chase down a big score in a crunch game for us."

Still only 23, Kohli already has so many big innings that he was asked to rate where this stood among his best knocks. "I rate this (equal) with Hobart but yes this is special because of the game today, to get a hundred against a good opposition." The Hobart demolition job had given India a chance of reaching the final of the Commonwealth Bank series if Sri Lanka lost their final match. The 183 today gives India a chance of reaching the final if Sri Lanka win their final match.

Kohli's innings really skyrocketed once the batting Powerplay was taken after 35 overs. At that stage he was on 110, and India needed 115 to win. Eleven overs and a spree of Kohli boundaries later, he was on 177 and India needed 23 more, raising an outside chance of a third one-day double-century.


Virat Kohli's made 183, his highest ODI score, to lead India's highest ever successful chase in one-dayers © AFP
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Did the thought ever cross his mind? "I don't know, I was just looking at the ball and hitting it," he said. "It did cross my mind once and I was like, this can't be real and I decided to focus on the game and react to the ball. It sort of crossed my mind but it was about keep batting, keep hitting the ball."

Another offshoot of the lack of matches against Pakistan is the lack of chances to learn how to read the variations of their top-quality spinners, particularly Saeed Ajmal. "Well I have seen him bowl earlier as well but I can tell you that is not easy to pick him," Kohli said. "You can watch the videos but still to play him is tough because he can turn it both ways. We had a plan against him, me and Rohit, it kind of worked for us. He is a world class bowler, perhaps the best spinner in the world right now."

While the headlines will belong to Kohli, it was a big day for another young India batsman as well. Rohit Sharma hit a rough patch in the one-dayers in Australia, and had been deprived of opportunities so far in the tournament. He responded with a half-century, and the 172-run stand with Kohli put India on the brink of a memorable victory. "I am a big fan of Rohit Sharma's batting," Kohli said. "When he plays a long innings, he is a treat to watch. It is an absolute pleasure to bat alongside him."

Their efforts silenced a largely pro-Pakistan crowd. If Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh on Tuesday, Kohli will get a chance on Thursday to improve his Pakistan record once more.

Profile :

Full name Virat Kohli

Born November 5, 1988, Delhi

Current age 23 years 194 days

Major teams India, Delhi, India Red, India Under-19s, Royal Challengers Bangalore

Playing role Middle-order batsman

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm medium