Tag: Belarus

Jalal Hosseini to quit Team Melli.

Persepolis football team Captain intends to announce his retirement from Team Melli.

 Seyyed Jalal Hosseini, who was one of the key players in the Iranian national football team before the 2018 World Cup, was left out of the squad announced by Carlos Queiroz  and hence did not make the roster for the finals of FIFA World Cup 2018 Russia.

After some deliberation Persepolis , captain decided to officially say goodbye to the national football team. Seyyed Jalal Hosseini is scheduled to announce  his retirement from international football in a press conference on Sunday (tomorrow). Hosseini was born on February 3rd, 1982 in Bandar Anzali. He started his senior football with the local team, Malavan Bandar Anzali, in 2005 he moved on to Saipa 4 years later he joined Sepahan where he played for 3 season before moving back to Tehran to Join Persepolis, his current club.

Hosseini also played for Al Ahli of Qatar in 2014/15 season the back to Tehran to play from Naft Tehran until 2016. He re-joined Persepolis in 2016 until now.

the 36 years old central defender made his debut for Team Melli in February 2007 in a friendly against Belarus. Seyed Jalal is one of the handful players who made a century or more appearances for Iran. He has played a total of 114 matches between 2007 and 20168 and scored eight goals in the process.  Those eight goals puts him on the top of Iranian defenders goal scorers.

Seyyed Jalal Hosseini is the most decorated player in the Persian Gulf League history with six championships  titles  He is the only player in the history of the League who has won three championships with 3 different clubs. He was also a finalist in the AFC Champions League 2018 where Persepolis lost to Kashima Antlers.

Teymourian “The problems at Team Melli can be resolved”

In a brief statement to FFIRI website, Andranik “Ando” Teymourian commenting on the Sunday match against Belarus, said “We had a few problems in the defense and forward lines in that match, but none of it is of any serious nature. They can be resolved. ”

The Esteghlal midfielder who is in camp in Austria with his teammates said “”From nearly 90 days, we have been doing intense physical training focused on improving the body, stamina and endurance. This is a demanding process that puts the body under pressure.”

“This is the second serious test since our qualification. I believe that the players have done their best in these two matches.” Added Teymourian , who is a key player for the team.

Iran played a goal-less draw against Belarus on Sunday May 18th .

Teymourian then commented on the attendance at the match “I feel so proud seeing all these Iranian fans at such venues. I like to sincerely thank the Iranian community in Austria that have given us so much support and encouragement. “

“Belarus is a good team and plays at the highest level of football in Europe (…) . Their physical condition was high. We are trying quite hard to reach an optimum physical level. In the match yesterday , we had a couple of good chances to score , but we wasted them.”

Meanwhile Mohammad Reza Khalatbary reflected on the match and basically repeated the same on the conditions of the players.

“We have tried our best , but we were tired after such long and demanding training”

Asked if he is satisfied with his own performance , Persepolis winger responded  “It is the coach that should be asked if I was good enough or not. I tried my best.”

With less than a month to the first match, the two players’ statements are slightly worrying. It seems that all this time spent in training, the focus was on physical conditions of the player and less emphasis on tactics. Despite what Teymourian claimed about Belarus, they are far from top European side with a FIFA ranking of 83 and that was evident in their match against Team Melli. Although , Team Melli was not playing at full strength, it could only create 2 or 3 serious scoring chances against Belarus.

Teymourian did not elaborate on the solutions at hand, and did not comment on the forthcoming match against Montenegro, which is currently the highest ranking Team that Iran will met in the preparation before the World Cup standing at # 54.  Iran next opponents for test matches will be Angola (FIFA Rank #94)  and finally Trinidad and Tobago. (FIFA Rank #74)

Iran - Belarus May 2014 [1]

Team Melli to meet Belarus in Austria.

Team Melli’s will be meeting Belarus in its first friendly match of the Austrian camp conducted in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2014. The match  will be held on Sunday Afternoon at 14:00 local time (16:30 Tehran times) in Franz Fekete Stadium .

This is the second international practice match of Team Melli since the first game against Guinea which Iran lost (1-2). That match was played 73 days ago in Azadi stadium.

Despite the low ranking of Belarus ( # 83 in the World), Iran players can expect a better and more appropriate experience as the result of the type of football that Belarus plays which is close enough to the Bosnian style of play. In general this type of football is played right across Eastern Europe.

The majority of Belarus national team players are home based playing in the domestic league with only a few making their living in Russia.
in Austria Team Melli will play two more games against Montenegro and Angola. The only international game in the South Africa camp was cancelled , however , Team Melli played against 4 club sides , which was far from ideal as the declared objective of Queiroz was to get familiarized with the way that Nigeria plays. Those South African Clubs offered nothing like the style of Nigeria national team.

Iran and Belarus have met twice before. In 2003, in Minsk Belarus won 2-1  while in 2007 the teams drew 2-2 in Tehran

Undercooked Iran face challenge to score goals and points

By Patrick Johnston

(Reuters) – Iran head to Brazil as Asia’s top-ranked nation but their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time have been hampered by a lack of top class friendly opposition and a wave of negativity surrounding the team.

Since booking their spot in the finals by winning their Asian qualifying group last June, Iran, ranked No.1 in Asia and 37th in the world by FIFA, have only played one international friendly match against Guinea in Tehran, which they lost 2-1.

By contrast, Asian champions Japan have faced World Cup finalists Uruguay, Netherlands, Belgium and Ghana in friendlies, aiming to give their squad an experience of the task they will face In Brazil.

Iran’s Portuguese boss Carlos Queiroz bemoaned the situation, believed to be down to politics and finances, after the loss to Guinea, which drew withering criticism from a local media fed up with the sluggish performances of an aging team.

“We try our best, we have limited resources, we have some issues in our preparations but the federation make a lot of efforts to give the best to the players and the team,” Queiroz said at the Asian Cup draw in March.

“In the last three years despite all the difficulties, Iran has showed the number one most important thing in the soccer world – passion.

“If you have passion for the game, that is always a good starting point. with the passion of the players and the fans, we were able to qualify for the World Cup.”

The former Real Madrid and Portugal boss, who is expected to step down after the World Cup, tapped his contacts to help fix a training camp and warm-up matches in South Africa, whom he used to coach, and his homeland of Mozambique last month and the team will continue preparations in Austria in May.

There they will face Belarus, Montenegro and Angola before taking on Trinidad and Tobago in Sao Paulo eight days before their Group F opener against Nigeria in Curitiba on June 16.

Queiroz will hope the games can provide him with a chance to find a solution to their struggle for goals, which has led to him scouring the Iranian diaspora to help boost his defence-oriented side.

Team Melli managed only three goals in the first five games of their final Asian qualifying group before striker Reza “Gucci” Ghoochannejhad, who was born in Tehran but emigrated to Netherlands as a child, was found and fired the team to a fourth World Cup.

Although grouped with one of the tournament favorites Argentina, hopes were raised that they could advance to the last 16 for the first time after they were also drawn against Bosnia and Nigeria in an expected three-way battle for second place.

However, the task of adding to their sole World Cup finals victory over political foes the United States in 1998 looks beyond them.

“(We must) take this World Cup as a learning process, and that doesn’t mean that we go there for tourism. We go to Brazil to create a legacy and the legacy is to put the team in a good position to be stronger after the World Cup but better prepared and more experienced,” Queiroz said.

“No doubt since I arrived, there is great progress in the players, great progress in the team. There is a great potential in Iran, it is just a matter of putting things in the right place.

“Three years ago Iran was fourth or fifth in Asia and today is the number one country.”

Expect a cagey, counter-attacking approach in a brief Brazil appearance.

 

Beitashour,Haghighi R.,Hoisseini,Davari,Nekounam-Sadeghi AH,Mahini,Ghoochannejad, Dejagah, Jahanbakhsh,Shojaei

Team Melli to face Angola in Austria.

Angola national football team will play the Iranian counterpart in friendly match, scheduled for May 30 in Austria, according to the chairperson of the Angolan Federation of Soccer (FAF), Pedro Neto.

This match was suppose to be played in Tehran , but Mohammad Nabi has announced two weeks ago that the match is canceled, however he said that a friendly match will be played against an African team in the European camp of Team Melli. It is now clear from the Angolan side that the match has been shifted to Europe rather than canceled. According to the Angolan source, the game will be played in Europe to facilitate the integration of the athletes playing on that continent.

The match will allow the Sable Antelopes (nick name of Angola national team) to meet  the Iranians again after 1-1 draw in 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Angola will face Mozambique on March 5, under FIFA date, prior the match against Team Melli.  Angola will be under a new coach Romeu Filemon, who took over from the Uruguayan Gustavo Ferrin.

Team Melli is also scheduled to Meet Belarus and Montenegro in the European camp, but the dates are not confirmed yet.

Kaffashian threatens clubs in AFC Champions League !

Ali Kaffashian , the head of FFIRI stated today that he will talk to the Iranian clubs about releasing their players to Team Melli.

The four clubs Sepahan Esfahan , Esteghlal , Tractorsazi Tabriz and Foolad Khuzestan have qualified for this year’s edition of the AFC Champions League  and should be starting their campaigns next week. The AFC Champions league will clash with Carlos Queiroz plan for Team Melli training camp. The 4 clubs have strongly objected to those plans and indicated their unwillingness to release their players while they are involved in this lucrative and important competition.

Kaffashian and his administration have always enforced the idea that the priority is with Team Melli and hence the clubs should cooperate with the coaching staff of Team Melli by releasing their players “I will talk to the clubs and try to accommodate their requests , but they need to release the players for Team Melli. If we do not reach an accord , I shall escalate the matter to the higher authorities to force them to release the players”  Kaffashian did not indicate whom does he mean by higher authorities. There is no law that can enforce the clubs to release the players for a training camp and FIFA rules are quite clear in such matters. The clubs cannot be forced into releasing their players and the international rules strongly rejects government interference in football. It is interesting to observe the development of this affair. The release of the 4 teams best players , will most likely mean their failure o qualify from the group stages of the AFC Champions league. The financial loss at a time that most Iranian clubs have difficulties is quite significant.

Kaffashian also confirmed that the South African training camp is on again despite Queiroz objection. The head of FFIRI said “The players in Europe and the Arab leagues are not able to join the camp , but 30 to 40 % of the team is still available . If we do not go to South Africa, then the clubs will use the players in the AFC Champions League and that is not desirable (..)” . He also confirmed the European training camp which will include two friendly matches with Belarus and Macedonia.

[quote]” The whole Team Melli coaching staff contract is US$ 2.5 million of which Queiroz receives US$ 1.5 million”  Kaffashian [/quote]

For the first time , Kaffashian has disclosed the contract value of Carlos Queiroz and his team of assistants.” the whole Team Melli coaching staff contract is US$ 2.5 million of which Queiroz receives US$ 1.5 million. Queiroz has stated that he is willing to consider extending his stay in Iran if the federation offers a better contract with substantial increase in the value.” Kaffashian said in reference to the various rumors surrounding the Portuguese coach contract value.

Despite the under-secretary of Ministry of Youth and Sport statement that his Ministry has deposited a large sum in favor of Team Melli , Kaffashian denied receiving any funds “We still have not got anything from the Ministry yet.We were suppose to receive more than one billion toman* from the ministry towards Team Melli preparation program, but this has not materialized yet because the Ministry did not receive the fund from the Government budget.”

The head of FFIRI indicated that FIFA will soon release the blocked money in favor of his federation “Our money have been blocked for 3 years now at AFC and FIFA. We managed to get a release from AFC and we are very hopeful that FIFA will release the funds that they withheld by next month. It is much needed funds at this critical time and the bulk of it will go towards Team Melli preparation program.” Kaffashian said

 Kaffashian admitted that the sponsor of Team Melli selected a few months back was not up to expectation.” The sponsor failed to deliver on the promises and contractual obligations and hence we were forced to nullify that contract. We are actively looking at new sponsors and we have a hope that an organization with a big reputation will come forward in the next few days.” Kaffashian did not name that organization , but it is believed to be one of the major Iranian banks.

* 1 Billion Toman is equivalent to USD 402,123

Friendly matches announced for Team Melli

Team Melli will be playing against Belarus and Montenegro during the European camp on may 2014.

As part of the preparation for the FIFA World Cup , Carlos Queiroz will be taking Team Melli squad to Europe , most probably a camp in Austria, which would last for two weeks. During this training camp , two friendly matches have been arranged with East European teams, Belarus and Montenegro.

After the completion of the European camp , Team Melli will continue the preparation program in Tehran where a another friendly match is scheduled on the 31st of May. The opponents will be an African country , either Angola or South Africa. Thus Team Melli would have played with teams that are tactically and physically close to two opponents in the Group F, Nigeria and Bosnia. Iran will still be looking for a Latin American team to play a friendly match against to gauge its capabilities with Argentina in mind. Such opponent team might be available when Team Melli sets camp in Brazil , early in June. At the moment, 8th of June 2014 is booked for a match against Montenegro in Brazil, however the opponent might change to a South American team pending negotiations.

 

Team Melli Training Camp matches.

18th May 2014 vs Belarus in Europe (Austria)

26th May 2014 vs Montenegro in Europe (Austria)

31st May 2014 vs Angola or South Africa @ Azadi

8th June 2014 vs Montenegro in Brazil