If I were put in charge of domestic soccer here in the UAE, a job I somehow doubt will be offered to me, one of the first matters I would attend to?

Making sure that big news stories are not allowed to happen on the same day.

In the past four months, the UAE twice has seen major soccer news stories fighting for attention on the same day … when they could fairly easily have been spread over several days, maximizing attention and coverage.

Today was particularly bad, with no less than three important stories.

To wit:

1. Al Jazira and Al Wahda, Abu Dhabi arch-rivals, played in the Super Cup, the traditional opening to the domestic season. This is one of the four most important competitions in the country, and worthy of leading the sports section here at The National.

2. Al Ain, the country’s most-decorated side, historically, obtained the Ghana and Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan in a huge coup for the club and the league. Gyan is 25, and in his prime, and he landed at Al Ain because Sunderland refused to allow him to escape to a big European side and the transfer window was closed. The Premier League team decided to park Gyan in the UAE via a one-year loan, and Al Ain could now be really good. A huge story about a guy who could be the best player in the league.

3. The Football Association announced its selection to take over as coach of the national team, an Emirati named Abdullah Misfir. He replaces Srecko Katanec, the Slovenian fired after the shocking 3-1 loss at Lebanon in World Cup qualifying earlier in the week.

Back in June, another egregious example of “too much news” hit the domestic league. On the same day, June 4, that Al Jazira celebrated its first league championship with a game and entertainment (and Ferrari giveaway) at their home stadium, Al Wasl announced they were hiring Diego Maradona as their coach — a story that easily would have held a day.

If I were in charge of the FA, I would have done my level best to spread out these stories.

So, what would I have done today?

The Super Cup game was already scheduled, and doesn’t get moved. That is today’s big story.

Al Ain knows the significance of the Super Cup, and its deal with Sunderland and Gyan should have been leaked the night before … or both clubs should have tried as best they could to hold it for one more day.

And the event that was most adjustable, the announcement of the national coach, could very, very easily have been backed up a day and even two. Instead, it was made at halftime of the Super Cup, tearing attention away from what was a very competitive and even controversial match (won by Wahda 7-6 in a shootout).

The UAE is producing more and more major news on the soccer front. The league has signed several big names, from Maradona to Trezeguet to Grafite. But some of the big moves are diminished by having to fight for attention by other big news here in the same small country.