Being a "fanboy"

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Brisan123 said:
So a beach holiday with bikinis and shorts and a decent meal with a few pints and a bit of live music is possible ?? Once I’m not watching over my shoulder for the moral police day and night I’ll be happy
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Absolutely. You wouldn't do it on a public beach cos they are "dry" in an alcoholic sense, but going to a beach bar or a hotel resort on the beach front is exactly what you described, have a little Google for Barasti Beach Bar for example.
 
Dubai Blue said:
Mate, honestly, you don't even realise you're in a muslim country most of the time. It's catered for westerners with a nod to local traditions. Tons of bars, loads of live music, even buying booze to keep in the house is simple.

Ramadan is the only time you'll feel it but it's so much less strict than it was even 7 years ago when I arrived. See my earlier comment on that.

Anyone slagging this place off has either had a one-off bad experience and generalized it for the region of "middle east" or read too much Daily Mail.

If you want any specific examples of "what is xyz like?" DM me.

Honestly, great standard of living and the only downside is having to stay inside a bit more in the summer when it's getting 40°C+ and not seeing Everton live...then again away days in Europe are much cheaper cos they don't hike the prices up for people flying in from Dubai!
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The muslim aspect never bothered me at all, I've ended up turning jobs down because I don't like the shallow nature of the place, too money obsessed for my taste, feels like your in some dystopian 70's sci-fi novel and underneath it all theres something really shady going on, but they I don't care for Singapore for the same reasons and everyone else seems to like it, so I guess it's just not to my taste
 
Walken said:
The muslim aspect never bothered me at all, I've ended up turning jobs down because I don't like the shallow nature of the place, too money obsessed for my taste, feels like your in some dystopian 70's sci-fi novel and underneath it all theres something really shady going on, but they I don't care for Singapore for the same reasons and everyone else seems to like it, so I guess it's just not to my taste
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It's deffo a temporary place, but I use if for what I want. Got here straight out of uni, good job, jumped up the ladder and reaped the tax free pay. Saving a bit along the way but also enjoying the perks of cheap oil to buy a couple nice cars.

There is no option to retire here cos they don't give citizenship, and you can only get residency if you have a visa (I.e a job or a huge investment in something), so I'll just get a nice leaving bonus (a gratuity pay is UAE law) and take it to my next location (ideally Europe I think) using my company's network to move internally.

I agree some people here are absolute tools, but they hang out in poncey bars flaunting there cash...I go to more down to earth places to avoid them and make friends with people I like.

Corrupt ongoings behind the scenes...probably...but where isn't that happening in all honesty?
 
Dubai Blue said:
It's deffo a temporary place, but I use if for what I want. Got here straight out of uni, good job, jumped up the ladder and reaped the tax free pay. Saving a bit along the way but also enjoying the perks of cheap oil to buy a couple nice cars.

There is no option to retire here cos they don't give citizenship, and you can only get residency if you have a visa (I.e a job or a huge investment in something), so I'll just get a nice leaving bonus (a gratuity pay is UAE law) and take it to my next location (ideally Europe I think) using my company's network to move internally.

I agree some people here are absolute tools, but they hang out in poncey bars flaunting there cash...I go to more down to earth places to avoid them and make friends with people I like.

Corrupt ongoings behind the scenes...probably...but where isn't that happening in all honesty.
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oh yeah don't get me wrong they were good offers and had I not had other options I would have took them and done pretty well out of it, and would have gotten to know how to get the best out of the place socially like yourself.

As for the corruption, I haven't a clue of anything specific, I just get an odd vibe in places like that and Singapore, like that scene in logans run where they find out its all a con, I remember there being no homeless in singapore and asking every taxi driver how they have solved this issue, everyone gave me a different answer, creeped me out!
 
Dubai Blue said:
Absolutely. You wouldn't do it on a public beach cos they are "dry" in an alcoholic sense, but going to a beach bar or a hotel resort on the beach front is exactly what you described, have a little Google for Barasti Beach Bar for example.
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Will do mate
I’ll start doing some research if for no other reason but to keep her happy
Thanks for the heads up.
 
Dubai Blue said:
Living over here, you get used to having to search hard for a proper football fan to have a half decent discussion with. A lot of people here have no real connection to a club and so typically just pick a big team like Barca, Madrid, Juventus, Man City etc. They tend not to have much of a well-rounded view of football and the history, legacies, tactics & overall experiences/emotions that comes with growing up and following a team that you truly connect with from an early age. I find that sort of "top line" football knowledge a bit boring and hard to really talk about for too long.

Now, I am not the one who decides what is a real football fan, but one thing that really makes me cringe is player fan boys.

Endless Facebook video montages about Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar...and now Salah, people having social profile photos of them (forums I understand!), phone covers, desktop backgrounds, constant discussions about being the G.O.A.T. and "why Messi is better that CR7" etc...and these are grown men doing this.

I understand idolizing players, but by doing so they are not supporting a club, just an individual in what is obviously a team sport. As a result they follow the player, severing their allegiances with a football club they "supported" and adopting a new one each time he transfers. Can you imagine doing that?

A player's career is far shorter than a football fans life-span, and to me it's just such a hollow way to enjoy football.

Anyways, it's just something that's been on my mind and has been heightened by the comparisons now each player is representing their national team. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Similar encounters?

I'll end with a very recent anaecdote...

I work for the ad agency for Chevrolet out here in Dubai. My senior client at Chevrolet is an Egyptian, and football fan. He was a Man U fan even prior to Chevrolet's sponsorship agreement that commenced in 2014. On the night of the CL final, I open up my Facebook feed to find him posting "Come on Liverpool". Bizzare to say the least.
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Pics of bird again pls
 
Globalisation has taken football under it's ugly wing, and being a 'fan' has changed out of all proportion.

Without sounding like an auld arse, which I am, I remember a time when team-fan identity was largely parochial in nature.

Liverpool, Manchester, The Midlands, London and the South, you followed your team and that was it.

I remember Liverpool home games in the 1960's, not as a spectator of course, and 99.9% attending would be local.

Now their home games are marked by glory hunting, well heeled, tourists from all corners of the globe.

It's a bit like wearing a New York Yankee's cap, but living in Burnley.

You have no connection to the club via, geography, family, or social class, but you are 'buying in' to the dream, via some spurious link.

The RS are champions in this respect, not sure if they can claim a trophy?
 
The fanboy thing is very strong here in America. Everton did a horrific job of exploiting Tim Howard and Landon Donovan's relative fame over here (Howard's especially...he was here for a damn decade!). Two of the most marketed and recognizable American players we've ever had. I bet less than 5% of the population has ever even heard of Everton. 10% max.
 
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