Furlong fells Iran but tourists get warm welcome

Amy Lawrence at Loftus Road
Sunday July 24, 2005
The Observer

Like many visitors, they were feeling twitchy about visiting London so soon after the 7 July bombings. The Iran football team set off regardless in high spirits. This squad is drawn from the domestic league - exported stars excused - and the summer training camp is a chance for reserves and a few long shots to impress the manager.

Iran were among the first countries to qualify for next summer's World Cup in Germany and the race for places in their finals squad starts here. The team arrived in England on Thursday morning. They were inside Heathrow, waiting for luggage at a carousel, when news filtered through. More explosions. Tubes being evacuated. Something had happened at Shepherd's Bush. Wasn't that where the first game of the tour was?

Representatives of Queens Park Rangers and the police were soon liaising with the Iranians. If they wanted to call off the tour and go home, everyone would understand. It could be arranged in an instant. But these footballers vehemently didn't want to go home. Iran 1 Inter Milan 0.

And so to Loftus Road. Outside, a slice of Iranian life had transported itself to West London as cars cruised by tooting, men embraced each other with a kiss on either cheek, and families enjoyed a treat. Sorush, six years old and born in London, was dressed in full England kit with an Iran scarf. His sister Shabnam, eight, had the Iran flag painted on her cheek and was grinning her best toothy grin. Mum Paravin took the photos, while Dad Hossain, who moved here 12 years ago from Tehran, looked on proudly. He has a shop in Bethnal Green, not far from where the bus was targeted. 'I just don't understand what they are trying to do,' he said.

Iran's noisy fans outnumbered their bemused hosts. The atmosphere gave some idea of what it must be like when 150,000 fill their Azadi stadium. The expat few could celebrate their team's highest placing in the Fifa world rankings - 15th spot puts them equal with Ireland and one behind Italy. Unfortunately, without five of their top players - including the scorer of more than 100 international goals, Ali Daei, and the Bayern Munich star dubbed the Maradona of Asia, Ali Karimi - they barely resembled a team gearing up for the World Cup.

'We have had just 10 days' training and we weren't fit for such a game,' said Iran's Croatian coach, Branko Ivankovic. 'I am sorry the stars didn't come, but they will be back and we will be stronger.' Some 25 scouts were in the crowd to cast their eye on the rest. Although the young ones were raw, there was technique enough to convince Ian Holloway, the QPR manager, that he would be keen to take some on. Although they had the best of the opening period, five minutes before half-time the internationals were behind. Paul Furlong bundled in the opening goal for QPR after goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour went on a mad dash into no man's land. It was the first of three goals from set pieces.

'Typical English goals,' said Ivankovic, wryly. 'Good experience for my players, who don't come across this kind of game in Iran.' After the break QPR, who looked sharp and competitive, took more advantage as Iran gave in to heavy legs. Gareth Ainsworth's looping header and Georges Santos's drive made for a scoreline to please Holloway, the manager who outlined his mission for the season ahead as only he can: 'I would love to have a season like last year, minus our inconsistency.' He found the whole event uplifting. 'Sport wins,' he said earnestly afterwards. 'Everyone in the stadium showed what the world is about. It is not about people who hide behind banners of religion or politics. I made some friends here and I'd invite Iran back any time.' Ivankovic seems happy enough with the experience thus far, although he is aware that losing 3-0 to anybody does not go down well with the 16 daily sports newspapers back in Iran. Getting a break from such a pressured environment was one of the reasons behind this working break. Iran are staying at Burnham Beeches, the tranquil, wooded retreat in Buckinghamshire used regularly by Sven-Goran Eriksson's England squad. Today they go sightseeing, before being treated to dinner at the Iranian Embassy. Then it is back to work. The tour is pressing on, with matches at Millwall, Portsmouth and possibly Crystal Palace, who have been in touch to see if they might fill in for those scaredy-cats from Italy.