Tehran
Carlos Queiroz, the highly paid coach of Team Melli responded to reporter’s question whether he is in a position to promises to take Iran to the semi-final of the AFC Asian Cup by saying “I promise you nothing expect that we will do our best and work hard at it.”
According to ISNA , Queiroz was speaking to reports during a break in the first Team Melli practise session in preparation for the next week friendly game against South Korea in Azadi , which remains the only international commitment since the end of the World Cup until next year when Asian Cup starts on Mid-January 2015.
To complicate the issue further, Carlos Queiroz said “I am glad that the expectations of the fans has risen since the World Cup which makes our task in the AFC Asian Cup 2015 even much tougher than the World Cup!”
“No one expected much from us in the world cup (…), but after the fine performance in Brazil the expectations have risen. We must not forget that we are in a very difficult and tough group in Asian Cup” The Portuguese coach said.
These were not much of confidence boosting statements uttered by Queiroz . A highly paid professional whose pay cheque is probably higher that several Cabinet ministers, doctors and university lecturers combined in Iran, is not even committing to deliver the simplest of achievement which is at least qualification to the next round of the group, let alone winning the title that Iran has never won since 1976. Despite admitting and understanding that the expectations of the fans are high, Queiroz is non-committal to success while no official objectives have been announced bt-y FFIRI hierarchy!
The fans are perhaps glad to know that Queiroz did actually promise that “The team will do its best “ a promise which the Portuguese coach probably thinks will relieve him from any target excite the passionate and demanding Iran’s. But then again, “promise to do my best” is a term commonly spoken at social level and by school kids reprimanded by their parents for poor class results. It is not a statement delivery by a professional who should have a objectives, strategy and plan , application and delivery of targets. Promise to do our best, comes up as rudimentary and even insulting to say the least.
Queiroz also bemoaned the fact that he had the absolute minimum of preparation games against international opposition, something that is pretty much a rule rather than exceptions now. As such, this might rebound back to FFIRI in case of failure of the team in AFC Asian Cup and something that Queiroz will hold against Kaffashian when questioned about his failure.
On Nelo Vingada’s dismissal, Queiroz refused to comment on the case of his friend, colleague and long-time associate expect to say that “they (FFIRI) have only consulted me about the Olympic Team when they wanted to crucify Vingada”
Australia 
Kuwait
Korea Republic 
Oman
Uzbekistan 
Korea DPR
Saudi Arabia 
China PR
Iran 
Bahrain
UAE 
Qatar
Japan V 
Jordan 
