MAGAZINE
JPGS
2016-2017
Dear readers,
After months of effort, countless hours and a lot of groaning and moaning, we are proud to present this year’s
first JPGS Magazine. We planned on going to back to basics, inspired by previous school magazines. Our
articles range from school activities to interesting reviews, sports, creative writing pieces and events around the
world. In this term, we saw an influx of new enthusiastic faces from all year groups and hope to see many more
throughout the rest of the academic year. Firstly, we would like to immensely thank the facilitator of this
magazine, Mrs. Ellison, without her encouragement and support we would not have been able to coordinate
and produce this magazine so efficiently. Next we would like to thank all the writers who submitted their articles,
met the deadline and made this magazine possible. Also we would like to thank the formatters and designers,
Mohammed Alsafi, Ilham Issa and Radhiyyah Vardalia, for compiling the magazine and giving it a unique look.
Lastly, we would like to thank the Headmaster and all the sponsors for funding this year’s magazine. Even
through gruelling and demanding sessions, editing this magazine has been a memorable experience. We can
only hope that you enjoy reading this magazine as much as we enjoyed making it.
Haya Faisal, Arza Ahmed, Laith Moolla, Adam Usman and Rida Khalifa.
It was a pleasure to work on the 2016-2017 edition of the JPGS Magazine.
We are extremely proud of the amount of work we have done as a Designing
& Formatting team. We hope you are satisfied with the front cover, article
designs and overall aesthetic of the magazine as much as we are.
-Mohammed Alsafi, Ilham Issa & Radhiyyah Vardalia
B E H I N D
T H E
R E D G A T E
BUCKET LISTS
A bucket list is-according to the internet-‘a number of experiences
or achievements that a person hopes to accomplish during their
lifetime.’ We set out to find the bucket lists of several individuals in
the school, to inspire readers to have them, and add things to their
bucket list before they ‘kick the bucket!’
Amira (4CR)
• Become a party planner, dolphin trainer and ski
instructor!
• Go to Germany.
Edwin (5RE)
• Go parachuting, skiing and scuba diving.
• Fly a plane.
Al Waleed (6LT)
• Become an artist.
• Live a decent and simple life.
Mr Williams (Art Teacher)
• Go to Rijksmuseum (Dutch Art and History Museum).
• See a painting by Rembrandt.
• Attend Wimbledon.
Mr Ellison (2GE)
•Travel to further parts of Asia.
• Learn another musical instrument.
• Drive at home.
• See more of his family.
Mrs Gale (2CG)
• See more of the world (Asia preferably).
• Learn another language.
Haniyya Siddiqi and Aribah Farooqi
PREP SCHOOL INTERVIEWS
-Nursery
Poppy
“I want to be Superman”
Zeyan
“I want to be a Youtuber”
-Reception
Batoul
“I want to be a helicopter”
Ali
“I want to be a football player”
-Year 1
Lena
“I want to be a doctor”
Hassan
“I want to be artist”
-Year 2
Zaid
“I want to be a Football Player”
Hana
“I want to be a Fashion Designer”
HANIYYA SIDDIQI
Prep School Book Review
" I love this book because it
is very interesting and
extremely funny. I
recommend this book to
everyone. "
- Julia, 4CR – Horrid Henry
" I like this book because
there are really nice
characters, the book is
really descriptive, there is a
very good storyline and
there is lots of drama. I
recommend this book to all
girls. "
- Eshaal, 5RE – Dork
" This is my favourite book Diaries: Holiday Heartbreak
of all time. It is the best
book I have ever read. It is a
thriller and is very
interesting. All the Harry
Potter books are good but
this one is the best. I
recommend this book to
everyone. "
- Lina, 6LT – Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows
Haniyya Siddiqi
B E H I N D
T H E
B L U E G A T E
THE STUDENT COUNCIL
As the facilitator of the student council, it is
my chief hope that the students themselves
become actively aware of the democratic
process and become involved to change their
own lives. Part of being in a Western school is
to be an all round and educated person. The
students of JPGS have their education in
their own hands - they must take this and run
with it. Our Student Council Logo
-Mr Moolla
for 2016-2017
It was tough week during election season, as many went all out to gain the support
of the students. Several candidates campaigned their hearts out and the school was
covered in posters in order to remind and persuade everyone to vote for said
position. Presidential candidates spent sleepless nights ensuring that their speeches
were written to perfection.
“The most stressful part was waiting for the response of the people I was
campaigning to because it could either turn out really great or quite the
opposite. I really felt the support of my peers on Election Day.”
-Rida Khalifa Y12
“Running for the second time round was actually fun because during my
campaign I met a lot of interesting people along the way. Now someone will
come up to me and say ‘hey Mariam what’s up?’ and I will respond realising
that I actually knew the people. I became more familiar with the school,
coming from a person who joined during A-level. Yeah so I am happy. I don’t
regret anything and Im glad I ran twice. How many people can say that they
went up and spoke in front of the school twice? I did that and I’m glad of it!"
-Mariam Khatri Y13
LAITH MOOLLA
This race could be said to be the closest one yet in the school, as the
current Vice-President Waleed AbuDawood (Y11) was 3 votes away from
replacing our current president Swathy Sethuraman (Y11); also our
current Treasurer Abdullah AlSaud (Y10) was 5 votes leading of one our
representatives Haya Faisal (Y12). Recently however, Abdullah AlSaud
has stepped down from his position and so the runner-up – Haya Faisal –
has agreed to step in.
Message from the President and Vice-President:
“Looking back at all of the previous presidential campaigns and
speeches, it inspired us and drove us to see a change in our school.
Change taking several forms. It can be the change you get at the
bagala when you give 50SR; it can be change by a new way of seeing
things-changing your perspective. Running for president meant we
had to make the students of the entire school our top priority. Being
the first Y11 Presidents is a bit daunting for us but this is what our
peers wanted. We don’t intend on letting them down.”
-Swathy Sethuraman and Waleed AbuDawood
2016-2017 Executive Members:
Swathy Sethuraman – President
Waleed AbuDawood – Vice-President
Mohammed Alsafi – Coordinator
Haya Faisal – Treasurer
Abdulrahman Moumena – Public Relations
LAITH MOOLLA
BAKE SALES:
The Student Council have been working currently on
building shades around the school in response to the
increasing temperature and having exams during the
holy month of Ramadan. They decided that for their
first event, they’ll give the public what they most
desired-crisps, sweets and slushies. Having made
2782 SR, they of course had to reimburse. Their
profit however was most shocking-2000 SR! For a
first event, it was a definite financial success. People
were full of treats and the council earned a profit-
everyone was happy!
MOVEMBER:
November is also referred to as Movember : it’s the
combination of the word ‘moustache’ and November.
In the same way that October is Breast
Cancer Awareness Month, November is the month to
raise awareness for the health issues concerning
prostate cancer, testicular cancer and depression
affecting men. Men all over the world, in response, grow
out their moustaches and beards and cease to shave for
an entire month. It’s supposed to support early cancer
detection and research, also encouraging men to
schedule frequent checkups. Men are also advised to
become more aware of their family history of cancer
and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Thereby, the Student
Council decided to have our very first ‘Movember
Monday’, an event with proceeds that went to our Local
Cancer Charity. Students were asked to wear blue &
pay 10SR. Ribbons were sold to raise awareness for the
cause & a Photo Booth took place, to cherish this special
day. Furthermore, there was also a bake sale took
place during lunch time. According to our Student
Council President, the day was quite successful and
people enjoyed themselves.
LAITH MOOLLA
NEW HOUSE SYSTEM
Interview with Mr Abdullah
What does 2016-17 have in store for the
students of JPGS?
"Having integrated the 6 houses into 3, we
should have people from the same family in the
same house more or less. Joined house
assemblies with Prep and Grammar are now
doable and will therefore be successful."
"Also, other school assemblies that involve all the houses competing against
each other will be introduced. All pupils across the school will wear common
colours specific to their house to help them to identify with the united houses
ethos."
Amna Quraishi
Head of Imperials & Farasan
What does 2016-17 have in store
for the students of JPGS?
"It falls under 3 objectives:
• We want to win and have fun.
• We want everyone to participate
and work together.
• We want to show participation
and pride. "
Mr Terry
House Positions
Prep School
Jamil Al Haddad (Y5)
Lina Muneed (Y6)
Salman Baassiri (Prep Vice Captain)
Masa Banna (Prep Captain)
Grammar School
Ebrima Keita (Y7)
Haadiya Usman (Y8)
Sara AlSaleh (Y9)
Engy Abdelaziz (Y10)
Kaddija Keita (Y11)
Haya Faisal, Farah Bayram (6th Form)
Mohammed Saied Nafar (Vice Captain)
Lara Al Salloum (Captain)
Amna Quraishi
Head of Newton & Tihama
What does 2016-17 have in store
for the students of JPGS?
"I want to encourage all students
to play an active role. This can be
done through participation,
support and encouragement.
All students must take pride in
their respective house, promoting
healthy competition throughout
the school. My house would be
the most successful as well as the Mr Lowe
most fun. House Positions
Prep School
I want all my house captains, Areej Shaikh (Y5)
leaders and members to Ghadi Hassan (Prep Captain)
encourage one another through Grammar School
communication, listening and Mohammed Ben Ali (Y7)
empowerment." Abdullah Usman (Y8)
Asad Ghaffar (Y10)
Hania Sheikh (Y11)
Laith Moolla & Karim Abuzaid (6th
Form)
Adam Usman (Vice Captain)
Manal Ahmed (Captain)
Amna Quraishi
Head of Victoria & Hijaz
What does 2016-17 have in store
for the students of JPGS?
"We want to win! We want to be
victorious in every endeavour
that Victoria and Hijaz will
participate in.
The plan is to unify Hijaz and
Victoria into an unbeatable
house. We will participate in all
academic, sport and art related
competitions. Mr Davis
The House Hub (house council) House Positions
has been selected recently from Grammar School
each year group. Each year will Ziyad Al Salloum (Y7)
have a representative that will Yusuf Demirhan (Y9)
pitch ideas during meetings." Ali Shabokshi, Amr Al-Khotany, Donia
Jabroti & Mohammed Khalifa (Y10)
Kaavya Punn (Y11)
Omar Sammour (Vice-Captain)
Angie Abdalla & Rida Khalifa
(Captains)
Amna Quraishi
Interviews
Year 12
Zaina Alakraa Abdulraouf Kayyal
What are your first impressions of JP? Your first day?
Zaina -“Teachers are very friendly and helpful. Everyone is really sporty here and
no one was sporty in my last school. The students here are nice and approached
me; I felt very welcomed.”
Abdulraouf -“Well, I thought the community and the atmosphere was really good
and everyone was friendly, plus the teachers were all good (great teachers!). The
rooms are nicely spaced; there is lots of room to breathe.”
Compare JPGS to your previous school. What is the difference?
Zaina -“JPGS is different compared to my last school. One main difference
would be that this school is bigger than my old school. Also the students here
want to study more than my previous school.”
Abdulraouf- “Well in the UK, we did lots of outdoor activities. Teachers and
students were friendly, but some of the students were badly influenced. The
buildings were really good and also the atmosphere was good. The two main
differences are that we didn’t have a common room and educational wise, the
exam boards are different, they have some similarities and some differences.”
radhiyyah vardalia & ilham issa
Interviews
Teachers
What are your first impressions of JP?
Your first day?
"The students and staff are lovely and
have been so welcoming! My first day
was a bit of a shock to the system as I
had only just arrived in Jeddah, but
everyone was so kind to me and lots of
students popped in to say hello."
Compare JPGS to your previous
Mrs Bryden school. What is the difference?
"It's much warmer! I don't think schools
What is your inspiration for anywhere tend to be much different, it's
teaching? the people who make a difference; and as
“To help young people to achieve their I've said, the people here are so friendly
dreams and raise their aspirations and the students are (mostly!) always
through high expectations.” polite and willing to learn. I do miss all of
my great ICT resources though!"
What is your most memorable experience as a teacher?
"Too many to mention! Helping students to gain good grades in English to
achieve a place in University; wonderful school proms to say goodbye to
students; and mostly, just making a difference to young people's lives."
Have you experienced a culture shock having moved to Saudi
Arabia?
Yes!! It's just a wee bit different from Scotland... It has certainly been an
interesting first few weeks. I can't thank the students and staff of the school
enough for helping me to settle in!
maha bukhari
Interviews
Teachers
What are your first impressions of JP?
"Physically I liked the layout of the school; I
was quite impressed with my art room and
the art department in general-spacious. That
was really nice obviously since a work
environment is very important.
When it came to the people, I was very
impressed yet again. Everyone was so polite
and conscientious. I felt very comfortable as
Mr Hope
soon as I got here-I really liked it. "
Can you compare your previous school in Newcastle to our school?
"People are much nicer in terms of the students; my previous school was not as
diverse which works really well. All in all, people are a lot friendlier, a lot more
courteous and a lot more polite. Here is just better."
What was your inspiration for teaching?
"Fundamentally, it’s about getting through the courses and helping the students
achieve the grades they want-help them get the highest marks they can possibly
achieve. In my lessons I want everyone to have a great time and learn as much as
they can, obviously to do that you need to put in maximum effort. In terms of
inspiration, inspiration comes everywhere: I’ll go down to Al-Balad in the evening
and that would just inspire me. My personal inspiration filtrates into how I teach.
Obviously the outcomes of inspiration need to be cross-referenced with
qualifications."
arza ahmed & laith moolla
What was your most memorable moment in your teaching career?
"My most memorable moment is the first year I ever taught A-Level; I had
only been teaching for about a year and a half. All of my students got Grade
As, including Top 4 in the country (England). That was really a good way to
start in terms of student achievement. "
Have you had a culture shock arriving in Saudi Arabia?
"Though I’ve been teaching in England for 10 years or so I’ve traveled a
lot: I’ve spent a couple of years in India and I’ve been to all the countries
in South-East Asia. I’ve traveled a huge amount; there wasn’t really a
culture shock. In India I’ve been all around; I stayed in Mumbai for a while
where I did Bollywood jobs rather than teaching. I thought it would’ve
been more of a culture shock but yeah I feel more relax here in fact."
Where has Mr Hope traveled?
(Un-Jumble the words to find out!)
Rumba Abcmiaod
Hilandta Tnivema
Yalamsai Naidi
Gpisnoare SUA
*Most of Europe as well
arza ahmed & laith moolla
INTERVIEWING MRS
PRESTON AND MRS AYAH
(NURSE)
-Do you often get many students in your room that waste their lesson by
acting that they’re not feeling well?
-Yes, some students do, but more students come for genuine reasons.
-When did both of you start working in JPGS?
-Mrs Preston: I started working here in October 2015.
Mrs Ayah: I started working here this May.
-Do you like working in JPGS?
-Yes we really like working here; it’s very interesting.
-If you could go anywhere now, where would it be?
-Both of us would love to go to Hawaii.
-What do you want to say to the students reading this?
-We are here for you so students are always welcome, and we’re here to talk if
any of you have any problems or issues.
By Ikram Yusuf
AS LEVEL ART
Our AS Class of 5: Mohammed Alsafi, Ilham Issa, Dalal Jaber, Noha AlBakri and
Kaavya Punn have been working extremely hard on completing our Portfolios
which are to be assessed early 2017. I wanted to capture the journey of creating,
developing and assembling our artwork so students who have an interest in taking
Art for A-Level could have an insight on what this creative course is like. Each
student decides on a theme that their Artwork will be based on.
MOHAMMED ALSAFI
I’m currently working on Portraits of my Family. My theme is a
fusion of Geometry and Portraits, so later on in this course I will
start incorporating geometric structures and shapes in addition
to drawn portraits. This is my take on observational drawing, with
a modern-futuristic addition that gives the pieces more depth.
MOHAMMED ALSAFI
MOHAMMED ALSAFI
ILHAM ISSA
Ilham Issa is basing her work on Islamic Art. Her aim is to
capture the intricacy, delicacy and fine details of Islamic Art
through her drawings. The collages she creates from multi-
media combine different elements of Islamic Culture which
give an overall representation of Islam, through art.
DALAL JABER
Dalal Jaber is exploring and recreating the progression of
beauty through photography. Her portfolio includes
photographs that capture the evolution of Beauty throughout
the years. She explores fashion, makeup and trends to
recreate what each decade considered a form of beauty.
MOHAMMED ALSAFI
NOHA ALBAKRI
Noha AlBakri’s photography is based on culture Identity. She
currently is capturing life in Jeddah in picture form, which is
also interpreted to be a representation of Jeddah’s Identity.
Each picture tells a different story and brings attention on
often unvalued parts of our city.
KAAVYA PUNN
Kaavya Punn is exploring structure and architecture during
this course. She is continuously experimenting with different
mediums and techniques to achieve the most interesting and
intriguing pieces related to buildings and their construction.
MOHAMMED ALSAFI
MUSIC RATINGS & REVIEWS
2016 was an extremely eventful year, music-wise. There were many album
and single releases from extremely talented and well-known global artists
which we’re going to be briefly reviewing and recommending.
Top 5 Albums of 2016:
1. Beyonce: Lemonade
Beyonce released her long awaited 6th
studio album in the most creative and
rule-breaking way you could imagine.
With no promotion or teasers, she
dropped a ‘Visual Album’ combining
each track & its music video into one
film-like production. The raw lyrics,
moving messages & perfectly
orchestrated visuals earned her 9
Grammy nominations for this record.
2. The Weeknd: STARBOY
Even though this album was
released in the concluding months
of 2016, it still deserves this
position & recognition. The
Weeknd created a perfectly
balanced mix between R&B and
soul & still managed to please the
mass. This Record managed to sell
348K copies in its first week in the
US & debuted at #1. 'Reminder', 'Six
Feet Under' & 'Ordinary Life' are
my favourite songs on the Album.
MOHAMMED ALSAFI
3. Ariana Grande: Dangerous Woman
This is Ariana Grande’s 3rd Studio
Album & her most successful one
yet. She effortlessly put together a
record that catered to almost
everyone. ‘Dangerous Woman’
includes a variety of songs, from
ballads to EDM-inspired tracks. This
Grammy Nominated album was one
of the most streamed albums of
2016 by a female artist.
4. Chance the Rapper: Coloring Book
American artist Chance the Rapper
continues to break the music
industry’s boundaries by releasing his
3rd mixtape. Chance remains
unsigned to any label – by his choice –
all to revolutionize the way industries
work and benefit independent artists
like himself. His 7x Grammy
nominated mixtape is a lyrical &
production masterpiece which
includes songs that feature Kanye
West, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz & more.
5. Sia: This Is Acting
This is Sia’s 7th & most popular
studio album. She showcases her
powerful vocals and unique voice
throughout the whole record,
including her #1 song ‘Cheap Thrills’.
This album is one of the most
cleverly crafted and perfected
albums released in 2016.
MOHAMMED ALSAFI
Top 3 Ballads of 2016:
1. Adele: Hello
Adele began her highly anticipated
comeback by releasing this record-
breaking ballad as her lead single. It
broke countless records and was listed
as the best performing ballad released by
a female artist. Adele’s soulful voice and
powerhouse vocals were clearly missed.
2. Demi Lovato: Stone Cold
This raw, moving & emotional
ballad earned Lovato her first
Grammy nomination for ‘Best
Pop Vocal Album’. Her powerful
vocals & soulful voice perfectly
captured the pain in the lyrics of
this ballad about her heart-
break. 2016 was definitely a
year of recognition for Demi,
due to the success of this record.
3. Justin Bieber: Love Yourself
This R&B/Soul ballad was a
slower & softer sound for
Bieber, which is a genre he less
often caters to. People clearly
enjoyed it, though, because this
Grammy Nominated song is up
for ‘Song of the Year’.
MOHAMMED ALSAFI
ONLINE SAFETY
Technology took over this generation and it is estimated that by 2019, there are
going to be 5.07 billion smart phone user in the world. Smart phones are mainly
used for communication, information and entertainment purposes. Smart
phones changed the ways people did things. People used to visit the library and
search through books for information. However, nowadays we can access
information in a few clicks. People used to email letters but now we can send an
electronic message from across the globe to communicate with our friends and
family. Previously, people used to chat and go to the theatre, but now we have
access to online games and game consoles, such as the PlayStation and Xbox.
Despite the benefits of the internet, there is a dark side to it.
Most people tend to disregard when teachers or adults mention internet
safety. However, it is extremely important for us to realize that is a serious issue.
One must think twice before posting a picture or any content online. People can
find out one’s personal information such as, name, age, and scariest of all –
location!
Cyber-bullying is the use of electronic communication (such as social media and
blogs) to bully someone. It can potentially cause depression, and in some severe
cases, suicide. Cyber-bullying is a huge concern for parents because children
may be reluctant to admit that they are a victim. A person you meet online may
not be the person they claim to be: a 12 year old girl may actually be a 50 year
old man. In fact, 7.5 million Facebook users are under the age of 13. These
children can be easily tricked into meeting strangers online without their
parents’ knowledge.
How can you stay safe online?
1) Don’t post any personal information online – such as, address, mobile number, etc.
2) Be cautious of the pictures and videos you post of yourself on social media.
3) Make sure you have privacy settings on all your social media accounts
4) Never tell anyone your password(s)
5) Don’t communicate with people you don’t know – remember that not everyone
online is who they seem to be!
JOURIE ZEKRI
UNUSUAL EVENTS
Everyone already knows about On the night of 31st October
Christmas, Easter and they celebrated Samhain, when it
Halloween. Does anyone know is believed that the ghosts of the
about La Tomatina (the tomato dead returned to haunt earth.
battle) or Cheese Rolling They thought the sprits caused
festival? These weird yet trouble and damaged crops.
wonderful festivals are treated During some Celtic celebrations
in some parts of the globe as of Samhain, villagers disguised
importantly as Christmas. themselves in costumes made of
animal skins to drive away
Origins phantom visitors; banquet tables
All festivals have an origin. were prepared and edible
Halloween’s origins started at offerings were left out to
the time of the ancient Celtic appease unwelcome spirits. In
festival of Samhain (pronounced later centuries, people began
sow-in). The Celts celebrated dressing as ghosts, demons and
their New Year on 1st other evil creatures, performing
November. This day marked the antics in exchange for food and
end of summer and harvest and drink. This led to
the beginning of the dark, cold “trick-or-treating”.
winter, a time of year that was
often associated with human
death and famine. Celts believed
that on the night before the New
Year, the boundary between the
worlds of the living and the dead
broke.
Who threw that first tomato
that started the La Tomatina
festival? The reality is that no
one knows. According to the
most well-known version of the
story, during the festival of
‘Gigantes y Cabezudos’, locals
were looking to start something
to get some attention. They People gather in the village of
happened to come upon a Brockworth to run after a nine
vegetable cart nearby and pound wheel of Double
started hurling squishy Gloucester cheese down a steep
tomatoes. Innocent onlookers hill. Usually they take off the
got involved until the scene fences before starting the race
became a warzone of flying fruit. to prevent any damage if anyone
The people who started the crashes directly into the fence;
commotion had to repay the they check the site to see if there
tomato vendors, but that didn’t are any stones and other
stop the birth of a new tradition. dangerous objects that can
injure the competitors. Over the
years people have been
competing but the vast majority
have been seriously injured
caused by the steepness of the
hill.
The Cheese Rolling festival
takes place in Gloucestershire,
England, UK. It takes place on
the last day of May.
By Ikram Yusuf, Sabeeh Ahmed
and Amna Quraishi
GALACTIC ADVENTURE
Lost ones wander the fathomless galaxy
Searching for hearts desire
Skyline propels message of old
Unwind truths left cold
Unveil mists secrets
Chasing past stars alignment
Calling out the eternal speech
Over heeding distance by a thread
Overcoming hurdles in tow
Alight with holy pride
Riding winds courage
Along waters kind course
Respect natures abundance
Ablaze in earth’s knowledge
Relieve in dusk’s tranquility
Burning with flames strength
Respect natures abundance
Indulge steels ingenuity
Following storms plea
Ease the howling’s long past
End the patter of tears
Unhinge the lock to the storm
Uplift to clearness again
Bathe in sunbeams embrace
Bespoke of all that passed
Welcome winds song
While overlooking with smile
By Germaine Piccinin
WORLD PEACE POEM
Only if…
Only if there was a day without war,
Only if there was a day without death,
Only if there was a day without bombs,
Only if there was a day without shooting,
Only if there was a day we all become peaceful,
And only if there was a day with love, peace, laughter and joy,
So we get along with each other,
And the world stops bleeding,
Oh! What a happy and peaceful world this would be.
bilal FAISAL
THE KILLING OF HARAMBE
On the 26th of May 2016, in the Cincinnati Zoo, Ohio, USA, a curious 3-year
old boy was fascinated by the gorilla exhibit of the zoo. As his mother looked
away, the excited young individual managed to crawl into the enclosure,
only to fall onto a flooded, rocky ground, ending up with injuries. Inside the
enclosure, he was approached by a large male gorilla, a beloved individual
named Harambe, who was a member of an endangered species of gorilla.
Harambe grabbed the child and started to drag him
across the water, as a large crowd watched,
terrified. At one point, Harambe stopped dragging
the boy, and somehow helped him get up, kind of
like a mother gorilla would do to her offspring.
After that, Harambe continued dragging the boy,
and that frightened the crowd even more. Some
people decided to record the whole thing. The
zookeepers had to act quick, as they saw the gorilla
as a massive threat to the boy, so they made the
decision to kill it. In response, one of them took his
rifle, and with one shot, Harambe dropped dead.
When this incident was reported on CNN, it caused a massive
outrage on the web from supporters of both sides of the story. Some
said that the zookeepers made the right decision, as the gorilla
looked like it was causing a threat to the boy, but the real outrage
was from people claiming Harambe was innocent. A lot of them
became very emotional about Harambe's tragic death, and said that
the gorilla must've taken the boy as his child. Gorillas are known for
dragging their offspring around like Harambe did to the boy and the
moment when he helped the boy get up was probably the strongest
piece of evidence as to why Harambe was innocent. The story also
caused lots of fresh internet memes (an internet joke) to be made,
which is probably why a lot of us laugh when Harambe is brought up.
OMAR BAKIR
What happened to the Ice Bucket
Challenge?
Trends change so often. I’m pretty sure everyone has forgotten about the age-
old Ice Bucket Challenge. It seems almost prehistoric and archived into the
massive filing cabinet that is social media trends. But what happened to all the
donations that were amassed two years ago? Well, as of August 2016,
scientists released a report communicating a breakthrough regarding the ALS
disease.
All the viral videos that were put all over Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
raising awareness for ALS surprisingly accumulated a stunning total of 115
million US dollars, in which all of the proceeds were dedicated to finding a cure
for the 15,000 patients that suffer from this disease. A quick recap for those of
us who have forgotten: ALS is an extremely uncommon disease which affects
nerve cells (or neurons) in the brain and spinal cord. As the disease progresses,
it severely weakens the ability to move, and the ability to speak by damaging
the muscles. The most noteworthy sufferer of this disease is Stephen
Hawking, who is restricted to a wheelchair and uses a speech synthesizer to
formulate words.
Through extensive research and dedication, scientists have now found a
certain gene variant which is related to this disease, and can help them find a
cure for the disease. Currently, there is no cure for this disease, although they
are getting extremely close to finding one. Alongside this genome, they’ve also
been able to find another gene common in all of the patients of ALS which they
can target to help them get back on their feet and be able to speak once again.
They’ve found this through sequencing the genomes of all patients.
Hopefully, another major breakthrough like this can be found, as we get even
closer to finding a cure for the ALS disease. Who knows? Maybe in a few years’
time these people can rejoin our community once again, this time able to walk,
talk and be free of this ALS ailment.
So yeah, that’s what happened to the Ice Bucket Challenge.
Adam Usman
omar bakir
omar bakir
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:
WHAT IF?
Last year, I watched a movie called Ex Machina, and it got me thinking: What if we
achieved artificial intelligence? The answer seemed obvious then. It would revolutionize
the way things are done. Military, airfare, production of goods, and intellectual reasoning
would all rapidly metamorphose. We could achieve the seemingly impossible: flying cars,
traversing deeper into space. AI would be appropriated into eliminating human error and
sorting out technicalities. However, on further reflection, I thought otherwise. Does AI
really seem like such a blessing, once achieved?
First, let us establish what artificial intelligence is. Artificial intelligence is the capability
or capacity of machines or computers to think for themselves. They extract information
from their surroundings, and make calculations void of error. Basically, machines imitate
the intellectual properties of humans. However, the ethical question is: Can we trust
something that can think for itself, even if we are its creators? All traditional sci-fi
literature has portrayed anything that can think for itself as something unable to be
trusted.
The way Ex Machina portrayed AI was quite ingenious. It seemed like a pioneering
breakthrough at first, setting the foundation for the future. In spite of that, it mutated
into something much darker, complex and vicious, as evident with Ava in the movie.
Even considering the philosophical aspects of AI, we are edging ever closer to achieving a
machine that can think similarly to a human, even if not with the same potency as the
human mind. In the middle of 2014, a super-computer successfully convinced a panel of
judges that it was a thirteen year-old boy, and consequently passing the Turing Test (a
test in which a computer has to convince a human that it is also another human, through a
simple conversation). However, many reports in June 2014 had concluded that although
the computer (named Eugene), had seemingly passed the Turing Test, it had not quite
emulated the intellectual qualities of man.
In conclusion, it is inevitable that if we do achieve AI, we certainly will be able to utilise it
to our benefit, thus dramatically altering the face of the technological industry. However,
being the creators of such a ground-breaking invention, we will ultimately be responsible
for introducing something that can potentially become the largest hazard to us.
By Adam Usman
TV SHOW REVIEWS
THE FLASH
At the age of 11, Barry Allen’s life
changed forever: his mother was
murdered by the supernatural and his
father was wrongfully convicted of
the crime. Due to this tragic incident,
Barry is taken in by Detective Joe
West and his daughter Iris West.
Barry goes on to become a brilliant
crime scene investigator for the
Central City Police Department. His
urge to figure out the truth about his Dr. Harrison Wells, designer of the
mother’s death, and to get his particle accelerator, describes Barry
innocent father out of prison, leads as “metahuman.” With the help of Dr.
him to taking an interest in any Harrison Wells, and fellow scientists,
paranormal occurrences or scientific Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon, Barry
breakthroughs. soon discovers that he is not the only
“metahuman” in Central City. When
Fourteen years after his mother’s Barry learns that others are using
death, Barry’s latest research project, their powers for evil, he promises to
an advanced particle accelerator protect the weak and innocent.
(labeled as a world-changing
invention), explodes. This releases a Cast: Barry Allen played by Grant
previously unknown form of radiation Gustin
and causes as a severe thunderstorm Caitlyn Snow played by Danielle
throughout Central City. Barry is Panabaker
struck by lightning from the storm, Iris West played by Candice Patton
and wakes up nine months later from Harrison Wells played by Tom
a coma, with the ability to run at Cavanaugh
superhuman speed. Cisco Ramon played by Carlos Valdes
MAHA BUKHARI
TV SHOW REVIEWS
ARROW
The series follows the life of Oliver Queen, When Oliver Queen returns home, he hides
billionaire playboy, who is presumed dead the fact that island completely changed him.
after his yacht is lost at sea. He returns five At night, Oliver dresses up as a vigilante,
years later and is reunited with the people armed with a bow and arrows. With the help
closest to him: his mother, Moira Queen; his of his friends John Diggle and Felicity
sister, Thea Queen; and his best friend, Smoak, the trio aim to right the wrongs that
Tommy Merlyn. Oliver is revealed to have their society has done and change the city
been shipwrecked and spent five years on back to its previous honor.
the island of Lian Yu, in the North China Sea. Cast: Oliver Queen played by Stephen
Amell
Felicity Smoak played by Emily Bett
Rickards
John Diggle played by David Ramsey
Thea Queen played by Willa Holland
Black Canary played by Katie Cassidy
ONCE UPON A TIME
Once Upon a Time is about a world where The town’s only hope is Emma Swan,
fairytales and the modern world collide daughter of Snow White and Prince
together. The story is set in the fictional Charming, who was transported to the
town of Storybrooke, Maine, whose modern world as an infant from the
residents are characters from numerous enchanted forest years ago. Emma is aided
fairytales. These characters have been by her son Henry, whom she gave up for
transported to the modern world and have adoption years ago, as his ‘Once Upon A
been robbed of their memories by a Time’ book of fairytales holds the key for
powerful curse, cast upon them by The Evil breaking the curse.
Queen. Cast: Emma Swan played by Jennifer
Morrison
The Evil Queen played Lana Parrilla
Prince Charming played by Josh Dallas
Snow White played by Ginnifer Goodwin
Henry Mills played by Jared S. Gilmore
MAHA BUKHARI
Harry Potter and the
Cursed Child
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a
play written by J.K. Rowling, Jack
Throne and John Tiffany based on the
famous series, Harry Potter. It was
originally published on 31st July 2016.
It is not a novel, but a script. It is also
the first Harry Potter story to be
performed in front of an audience.
The story is set 19 years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Harry Potter is no longer the young boy who faced Voldemort, but an
‘Auror’ working at the Ministry of Magic. He is also married to Ginny
Weasley and has three kids: James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter and
Lily Luna Potter. When the second son of Harry Potter, Albus, goes to
Hogwarts, he struggles with the Potter family legacy. He also experiences
a strain in his relationship with his father. As the story continues, we learn
that Albus is sorted into ‘Slytherin’ and makes an unlikely friend - Scorpius
Malfoy. As the story unfolds, both father and son learn the bitter truth: at
times, darkness can be found in the most unanticipated places.
Many Harry Potter fans were left disappointed of the fact that the new
installment to the series was a play and not a book. Aside from being a
play, it’s also a more mature, character-driven and less magical story.
Furthermore, in terms of the plot, it seems disconnected from the
previous seven books. However, it can be argued that if this addition to
the series had been too similar to the previous seven novels, it would
have risked opening a series that had been closed in a great place.
Instead we have something very unique, and for me, very entertaining.
Maha Bukhari
IPHONE 7 REVIEW
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are the latest phones released by
Apple. They were released on 16th September 2016. The phones
have some major changes, such as the removal of the traditional
headphone jack. However, there are many improvements, such as
a better camera, more storage and the fact that the phones are
water resistant.
The iPhone 7 has a more enhanced camera
allowing users to take better pictures. The
iPhone 7 Plus has a dual-lens camera that
allows users to take pictures with even more
detail and resolution. Also, the iPhone 7 and
iPhone 7 Plus have larger storage capacity;
they are available in 32GB, 128GB and
256GB. The new iPhones also come in a new
colour: jet black.
A major disadvantage in the new iPhone is the lack of a headphone
jack. In its absence, owners will have to use Lightning or Bluetooth
headphones, both of which will be more expensive than a pair that
ends in the traditional 3.5mm connector. In order to solve this
problem, a pair of Lightning earbuds, as well as a dongle for the
traditional headphone jack, is included in the box with the iPhone 7,
enabling users to still be able to use their old headphones. The only
remaining problem is that users are unable to charge their phone
and use wired headphones simultaneously.
Ikram yusuf
GRAPPLING
I am a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu fighter and a grappler. On October 22nd,
I competed in the Al-Ain Kid’s International Jiu-jitsu Competition
in the UAE. To put it simply, this was one of the hardest things
I’ve done as a fighter. From the four-hour daily training sessions
to the fights themselves, nothing about this was easy.
After waiting for about four hours, anxious and nervous to compete, I finally get called
by a referee to start my first fight. As I’m approaching the fighting area, I feel a light tug
on my arm. I turned to see my coach with an extremely nervous look on his face. He
looked me in the eye and said “Rida, the entire team has been eliminated from the
tournament. Everyone lost. You’re all that’s left. Don’t mess this up.” Next thing I know,
the referee is dragging me back to the fighting area. About a minute later, I’m on the
mats and facing my opponent. As a result of the nervousness, I put on a conservative
fight and end up winning by advantages.
About ten minutes later I get called to my next fight. At this point I’m feeling a lot more
confident due to my previous win. This fight did not go completely as planned as about a
minute in I found myself stuck in a leg lock. My opponent tried to break my leg.
Eventually I escaped, recovered a winning position and won the fight.
Finally, and unexpectedly, I made it to the finals. I knew this fight
was going to be the hardest one yet because I got a chance to see
my opponent destroying his competition. I was nervous. The fight
began and was pretty even for the first two minutes. After that,
my opponent caught me in an arm bar and was a split second away
from dislocating my shoulder. Luckily I managed to escape. My
opponent was later awarded two points, and then three more. This
puts the score at five to zero. There was a minute left and I was
desperate to score some points, I managed to score two but then a
maneuver gone wrong ended up with me accidentally smashing
my now injured leg into the scoreboard (which was a TV). This
happened when there was three seconds left on the timer. The
referee stood us up and started the fight again with three seconds
on the clock. In those three seconds I scored two more points by
taking my opponent down. This put the score at five to four, for
him. I ended up losing by one point, which was not bad at all. I
placed second overall in my division.
RIDA KHALIFA
RIO RECAP
Top Moments
USA Gymnastics Team Makes History
This year’s Team USA gymnastics
team consisted of: Simone Biles,
Alexandra Raisman, Gabrielle
Douglas, Laurie Hernandez and
Madison Kocian. The girls called
themselves the ‘Final Five’ in honuor
of their coach, Mart a Karolyi’s
retirement and the team size being
reduced to four in 2020.
In the all-around team final, ‘The Final Five’ finished with a team total of
8.209 points securing them with the gold medal. It was the largest margin
of victory since the "Perfect 10" scoring system was replaced by the current
open-ended scoring method, which was implemented in 2006. They started
off with a nearly stuck Amanar vault by Raisman followed by the two of the
highest uneven bars scores of the day by Kocian and Douglas. Next,
Hernandez, Raisman and Biles all scored over 15 points on the balance
beam. Finally, Hernandez, Raisman and Biles all shone in their floor routines
bringing home the gold medal for Team USA in the WAG All-Around Team
Finals.
The girls excelled in the individual rounds of competition as well. Most
impressive was Simone Biles, who left Rio as one of the best Olympic
gymnasts of all time. She managed to win 4 gold medals (individual all
around, floor, vault and all- around team) and 1 bronze medal (balance
beam) at the Rio 2016 games. She also became the first American gymnast
to win gold in the individual vault final. Aly Raisman, managed to win 1 gold
medal (all- around team) and 2 silver medals (individual all-around and
floor). Madison Kocian and Laurie Hernandez both left with 1 gold medal
(all- around team) and 1 silver medal (uneven bars and balance beam,
respectively).
Haya faisal
Farewell to a legend: Michael Phelps
On the 13th of August 2016, history
was made when Michael Phelps swam
his last race for Team USA. Michael
Phelps closed out the swimming
events at the Rio 2016 games and bid
his own personal farewell, in the only
way imaginable: another gold medal.
Afterwards, he admitted it had been an
emotional night: "Ge tting off the bus
and walking into the pool tonight, I
almost felt myself starting to cry," he
said.
"Last warm-up, last time putting on a suit, last time walking out in front of
thousands of people representing my country. It's insane. This is how I
wanted to finish my career. I held back a little bit on the podium but there
were some (tears) that were popping down. It just feels good to know that
the hard work did pay off and I was able to fight through some of the times
that I went through the last two years and get back to where I actually
wanted to be." Having come out of retirement to compete at the Rio, the
31-year-old won 5 gold medals and 1 silver medal in his fifth, and final,
Olympic Games. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time,
took his final tally to 28 Olympic medals (23 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze)
after making his debut at the 2000 Athens games at the age of 15.
Usain Bolt Completes the Triple-Triple
On 19th August, 2016, the greatest sprinter of
all time said farewell to the Olympic games in the
prefect fashion, winning he 4x200m relay and
claiming his ninth gold medal. Usain Bolt became
the first ever athlete to complete the triple triple,
by winning the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at
three consecutive Olympic games (Beijing 2008,
London 2012 and Rio 2016). After the race,
Usain Bolt echoed the words of another sporting
legend , Muhammad Ali, “I am the greatest.”
Thus, Usain Bolt finished his Olympic career with
100% win record in the finals.
Haya faisal
Katie Ledecky – “Female Phelps”
An unforgettable highlight was the
performance of Katie Ledecky, 19, in
the swimming events of the Rio
2016. Ledecky's first event was the
4×1 00-meter freestyle relay,
alongside teammates Simone
Manuel, Abbey Weitzeil, and Dana
Vollmer; they earned the silver
medal behind Australia. Ledecky’s
first individual event was the 400-
meter freestyle. She qualified in the
heats with a time of 3:58:71 – an
Olympic Record.
She won the gold medal by breaking her own record from 2014 by nearly
two seconds. Ledecky won her second gold medal in the 200-meter
freestyle with a personal best time of 1:53:73. Ledecky claimed her third
gold in the 4x200-meter freestyle alongside teammates Allison Schmitt,
Leah Smith, and Maya DiRado. Finally she won her fourth gold in the
individual 800-meter freestyle. She qualified in the heats with an Olympic
record of 8:12:86, and broke her own world record in the final with a time of
8:04:79, over 11 seconds faster than the silver medalist, Jazmin Carlin. "I’m
just so happy," Ledecky said after the race. "I’ve just had a lot of fun this
week not only in the pool but just with my teammates. The memories mean
more than the medals to me here. I’m just so proud of my teammates and
what we all have accomplished this last week.”
With three individual titles, Ledecky became the first swimmer to win the
200, 400 and 800m freestyle at the same Olympics since Debbie Meyer
(1968 in Mexico City). Ledecky’s medal totals (4 golds and 1 silver) is the
most decorated single-Olympics performance by a US female athlete.
Ledecky was also the second most decorated Olympian of the 2016 games
behind Michael Phelps (5 golds and 1 silver).
Haya faisal
Brazil Win Their First Men’s Football Olympic Gold Medal
Two years ago, Germany thrashed Brazil 7-1
in the 2014 Fifa World Cup semi-finals in Belo
Horizonte. In front of 78,000 people at the
Maracana, Brazil got their revenge as they
finally won the Olympic title after losing in the
finals in 1984, 1988 and 2012. The capacity
crowd created a fantastic atmosphere in the
Maracana and got the result they desperately
craved. The game finished 1-1 after extra
time, with Neymar's first-half free-kick
cancelled out by Max Meyer's strike. In the
shootout, Germany's Nils Petersen had his
penalty saved by Weverton before Neymar
won it. Neymar scored the winning penalty as
hosts, Brazil, beat Germany 5-4 on penalties in
Rio to win their first men's Olympic football
gold medal. Neymar added: "This is one of the
best things that has happened in my life.
That's it."
Mo Farah Completes Double-Double
Mo Farah wins his 4th Olympic gold
medal and cements his place as Great
Britain’s best track and field athlete by
claiming gold in 5000m final on 20th
August, a week after he claimed gold in
10,000m. "It's every athlete's dream but I
can't believe it," Farah said afterwards.
"Being away from my family for so long, I
knew I had to do something for them. I
just want to go home now and see my
beautiful kids and hang my medals
around their necks." Farah’s consecutive
wins resulted in him becoming only the
second man to complete the historic
double double, after Lasse Viren of
Finland in the 1 970s.
Haya faisal
Serena Williams Biography
We all know that Serena Jameka Williams is an American
professional tennis player and ranked No.1 in the world, but what
we all don’t know is what her life was before she became a
professional tennis player.
It all began when Serena Jameka
Williams was born on 26th
September 1981, in Saginaw,
Michigan. The youngest of Richard
and Oracene Williams's five
daughters, Serena Williams, along
with her sister Venus, grew up to
become one of the world’s greatest
tennis champions.
Serena's father—a former tenant
from Louisiana wanting to see his
two youngest girls succeed—used
what he'd gleaned from tennis books
and videos to guide Serena and
Venus on how to play tennis. At the
age of 3, practicing on a court not far
from the family's new Compton,
California home, Serena suffered the
harshness of daily two-hour
practices from her father.
Ikram Yusuf
By 1991, Serena was ranked first in the 10 and under division. Richard was
concerned that his daughters needed better discipline to become successful
professionals; he moved his family again but this time to Florida. There,
Richard let go of some of his coaching responsibilities, but not the
management of Serena's and Venus's career. Concerned of his daughters
getting tired quickly, he scaled back their junior tournament schedule.
During 2000 Serena had lost her fourth round against Elena Likhovtseva. She
lost her titles in Paris and Serena missed the French opening because of her
injury. She returned to Wimbledon where she lost to Venus in the semi-finals.
Serena successfully kept her title in Los Angeles, defeating Lindsay Davenport
in the finals. Serena and Venus both teamed up so that they could win a gold
medal, but Serena ended up winning the Toyota Princess Cup.
During 2002, Serena won her first title of the year in Scottsdale, Arizona,
defeating world champion Jennifer Capriati.
During 2005, at the Australian Open, Williams denied the idea that she and
her sister Venus were a disapproving force in tennis, following Venus's early
exit at the tournament.
During 2008, Serena started by joining the U.S team that won the Hopman
Cup with Mardy Fish.
Serena started the 2012 season at Brisbane International. However, during
her match against Bojana Jovanovski; she injured her left ankle when serving
for the match. As a result, Williams was forced to drop out from the
tournament.
In 2016, Serena was forced to exit the Hopman Cup after retiring from her
match due to an injured knee.
Ikram Yusuf
SHAHID AFRIDI - A
CRICKETING LEGEND
I would like to take you back to 1996, Kenya. That’s when a star was born. His name is Shahid
Afridi. It was October 4th when Afridi who was merely 16 years old, stepped into a cricket
ground in Kenya against Sri Lanka. He was not even prepared to play this match. This young
boy managed to set a new world record that stood strong for 18 years. He belted 11 sixes and
6 fours in 37-balls. This was the fastest ever One Day International century. A record that
stood for 18 years until it was broken on January 1st in 2014 by CJ Anderson from New
Zealand. However, it is interesting to note that he was selected in the team as a bowler who
can bat. This innings proved that he was an all-rounder, but time has shown that to say he is
an all-rounder is to say that Albert Einstein was a scientist.
This innings alone is not the only reason I consider him a legend. He has entertained cricket
followers for more than 20 years. It is not the number of runs he has scored, but the manner in
which he has scored them, is unique He has hit over 500 sixes in international cricket matches
– this is a world record. He has also taken over 500 wickets in international cricket and for
years, has been one of the finest fielders in the Pakistan team. He even went on to captain
Pakistan in all three formats of international cricket: tests, ODIs and T20s. He is in the top 5
to win the most man of the match awards. But his biggest achievement was in the second ever
T20 world cup semi-final and final where he carried the whole Pakistan team on his shoulders
and won the world cup for them. He was man of the match in the semi-final as well as in the
final.
He was a genius of a player but he was not consistent in making runs and taking wickets. He
used to frustrate all his followers, including me, but I still like him because he used to bring life
into a losing game. He is an entertaining player. Shahid Afridi has already announced
retirement from test and one day cricket and he is on the edge of retiring from T20 as well. I
think we will all agree that we will never ever see such a unique cricket player again. About
Shahid Afridi, it can be safely said, that cricket never has and never will see another like him.
By Bilal Faisal
JULIAN WEIGL
When you think deep-lying playmaker, you think of players
like Luka Modric, Andrea Pirlo, Javier Pastore and Cesc
Fabregas. What do they all have in common? The answer is
simple: their composure on the ball, the ability to distribute
instinctively, and the ability to control the midfield casually. I
see all of these qualities in up and coming Dortmund
playmaker, Julian Weigl.
Born in Bad Aibling, Germany, Weigl always piqued the interest of scouts, who all
likened him to a youthful Andrea Pirlo. We can see why, considering his potent
vision, and his uncanny ability to convert defence into attack, similar to some of
the best half-backs in the game. If we look at the ideal holding midfielder, we see
height, vision, defensive prowess, tactical awareness, and most of all,
imperturbability in battle. We find all of this in potentially the breakout star of
the Bundesliga.
Originally an exponent of 1860 Munich, Weigl signed with Borussia Dortmund
after an impressive Bundesliga II debut season. Apart from a few behavioural
blips, he was still named captain of the decorated Munich club, at 18 years old.
His instant conversion of play and occasional forward runs on the ball definitely
were the most attractive features of his game for Dortmund, alongside his
passing and ball-winning tackles.
Even considering the plethora of talented young
Germans, I have no doubt that Weigl will becoming
a future German star, and an invaluable all-round
asset for Dortmund. Given the right guidance, the
nurturing and the extensive training that is provided
at Borussia Park, I believe Weigl will catch the eye
of several top European clubs, and will most
certainly be invaluable to Dortmund and their
imminent successes.
ADAM USMAN
LEICESTER CITY
As a lover of the beautiful game, I expect surprises. But never did I
expect minnows Leicester City, with their supposedly ‘unfit’ manager
Claudio Ranieri, to pull a fast one over the Premier League and send
shockwaves stunning the entire world of football. The oddsmakers gave
them a 5000 to 1 chance of winning the PL, meaning that if the league
was simulated as it is with its financial standings, squad depths,
managerial attributes and European competition 5000 times, Leicester
City would only win it once. It brings a smile to my face when I say, ‘one
was all they needed.’ The bookies said that they had their money on the
Italian Claudio Ranieri for being the first gaffer sacked in the Prem. I
don’t think they’ve ever been that wrong. But what was it that gave the
Foxes the winning edge, the differentiating factor? Was it their
underdog status? Was it their lack of competition? Or was it simply that
the other clubs weren’t good enough? I’ve done a bit of research, and
found 4 main factors that contributed to the unprecedented success of
the Foxes, and as to why they deserved it.
Squad Strength
An indubitable factor in Leicester’s historic success is their remarkable strength in every
department on the pitch in terms of players. They had reliable and consistent hands in net,
with PL winner’s son Kasper Schmeichel; two invariably sturdy stalwarts at the heart of
defence in captain Wesley Morgan and Robert Huth; two catalysts in both attack and
defence in Daniel Simpson and Christian Fuchs, both of whom have among the highest
challenge success rates in the league for fullbacks. In the middle of the pitch, Leicester had
the tenacious and aggressive duo of Daniel Drinkwater and N’Golo Kanté, with Drinkwater
assuming the role of deep-lying playmaker and Kanté as a workhorse and a box-to-box
midfielder. On the left flank, the Foxes had a secondary playmaker in Marc Albrighton,
whose pinpoint crosses and surging runs produced moments of magic for them. On the right
side, they had none other than the wizard on the wings, Algerian breakout star and player of
the season Riyad Mahrez, whose quick feet and unpredictability left defenders on the floor.
Up front, they had the versatile centre forward duo of Shinji Okazaki and the unparalleled
Jamie Vardy, who consistently and without fail put the ball in the back of the net for
Leicester.
Devotion
Wrongly given the underdog status in the Prem, Leicester must be grateful for all the harsh
critiques given to them by pundits all around the globe. This made teams underestimate the
Foxes. Leicester’s lack of European competition made them focus entirely on the league, and
made the difference playing against the big name clubs, the European heavyweights such as
Chelsea and Manchester City. Training sessions were set up in which the players learnt the
playing styles of their main rivals, and undeniably made a difference come game day. Shows
that if you’re committed and make no compromises, success is inevitable.
ADAM USMAN
Playing Style
You probably won’t believe me when I tell you
Leicester had one of the lowest possession
percentages in the league, at 45%. However, they
had 52% of the territory at all times. This was the
Italian impression in the English game. Leicester had
tight defence, and committed to pressing even in
defence, and thus forcing their opponents to make
errors due to their lack of tactical awareness.
Leicester recollects the ball and launches a quick
counter attack by spreading to the wings in either
Mahrez or Albrighton, who slip in Vardy or Okazaki
(or even Leonardo Ulloa) and finish cleanly. This was
the Leicester method under Ranieri, and was only
reinforced by the way the players enjoyed that style
of football. The reason this was so effective is
because the opposing team completely committed
to attack, with even the centre-halves charging into
midfield. This left them wide open and susceptible
to counter attacks. No matter the league or
situation, this method is extremely effective.
Ranieri’s Genius
All throughout his managerial career, Claudio Ranieri has had the same disposition.
Even whilst being Italy’s national team’s manager, his enforcement of the tight
defence through a highly physical backline virtually ensured a clean sheet. This was
only strengthened by the physicality and tenacity of his midfield, leaving no room for
wasteful passing or unnecessary possession. The momentum was always generated
quickly and through moments of magic, and Ranieri’s Foxes were the first to realise
this and actualise it on matchday. Also, Ranieri follows the trend of most successful
managers in the history of the English game, in having a very personal relationship
with most of his first team players. This gives them drive and motivation to succeed
alongside their incredible desire.
So, to summarise this rather long and wordy article, Leicester won the Premier
League because of their unwavering desire, excellent leadership, the fact that every
person was on the same wavelength and of course, their tactically brilliant manager.
No one would have guessed it; given it was a 5000 to 1. All they needed was the one.
ADAM USMAN
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