Tag: Gabriel Calderón

Is Carlos Queiroz on Team Melli’s coaching radar?

The rumors of Carlos Queiroz returning back to lead Team Melli in the upcoming qualifying matches of the FIFA World Cup 2022 to replace Dragan Skucic are quite strong.

Iranian Football Federation, however, has no plans to recruit the Portuguese coach. At the same time, the issue of the contract with Dragan Skocic is still pending. The Croat coach, who achieved a 100% record with Team Melli is out of contract with the end of the second rounds of the World Cup Qualifiers.

Apart from stating the obvious on the expiry of the Skocic contract, the Football Federation has been tight-lipped about renewing or terminating the contract. No communique or statement from the Media officers has been issued leaving media and the fans to speculated through cyberspace.

Skocic had an excellent record with the Iranian national team. Not only he won all the friendly matches, but he also completed the remarkable feat of winning all the return matches of the World Cup qualifiers away from home. A feat that the supposedly more celebrated and famous coach in the form of the Belgian Wilmots miserably failed to achieve.

 

In the second round of the World Cup qualifiers, held in Bahrain, Iran under Skocic won against Hong Kong, Bahrain, Cambodia, and Iraq scoring 17 goals and conceding one to advance to the third round as the top of Group C.

 

However, the words of Shahab al-Din Azizi Khadem, the president of the Football Federation, on his return from Bahrain, made headlines. Azizi Khadem announced that Skocic’s contract with the national team has expired and the board of directors will decide whether he will stay or leave. This ambiguous statement led to speculation that he would cut ties with Skocic despite his success with the national team. Right from that time, the names of other coaches for the team were mentioned; From coaches like Andre Stramaccioni to Gabriel Calderon to Carlos Queiroz.

The name of Queiroz has been mentioned more than any other option due to his eight years stint with Team Melli and two consecutive qualifications to the World Cups in Brazil and Russia. Queiroz’s work in Iran was marred by controversy, with conflicts and verbal duels with other individuals such as club coaches, administrators, and journalists. He was never out of the headlines, even when Team Melli had no games planned. He is by far the most divisive person that has ever coached Team Melli. He has a cult following, mainly from Iranians living abroad, and many groups that despise his presence in Iran.

The opponents of the Portuguese coach cite his clashes with then-Persepolis coach Branko Ivankovic and his harsh treatment of his critics in addition to the extremely high salary that has broken FFIRI as reasons for not wanting him to be at the helm of Team Melli. Despite all the speculations about Queiroz’s return, even to the extent that some media outlets talking about a meeting between the former Real Madrid and Manchester United coach to be conducted soon,  more informed sources mention that Queiroz has no place in the programs of Azizi Khadem, the president of the federation, and his return to the national team is just a media discussion.

Queiroz, whose name has also been mentioned in the Iraqi media as a possible candidate for their National Team head coach, relishes the chance to continue working for the Iranian national team with an excellent chance for another qualification to the World Cup; Especially since Iran has already qualified to the third qualifying round, but, if the president of FFIRI makes a final decision to terminate Skocic’s contract, he will certainly be looking for other options beyond Queiroz, particularly because there is no love lost between the two.

FFIRI contemplating an Iranian coach for Team Melli.

The FFIRI has been negotiating secretly with several Iranian coaches in search of a new coach to take over the incredibly challenging task of coaching Team Melli.

Although the football federation as customary keeps denying such reports, it is not a secret that Ali Daei, Yayha Golmohammadi, and Amir Ghalenoei have been approached and talks have been carried out. Ali Daei is always a candidate for the job, but Daei’s standing and achievements have not been at its best lately. He was last fired from Saipa Alborz after failing to meet the expectations of the club board. Daei has turned down many job offers lately since then.

Ghalenoei coaching in Asian Cup 2007

Yahaya Golmohammadi, unlike the other two, has never coached Team Melli and is the least experienced the lot, however, he seemed to have an excellent chance to take the post. And then Persepolis comes calling and grabs  Yahya right under the nose of the FFIRI. Golmohammadi has been offered a return to his old club replacing the Argentine Calderon. Perspolis seems to have a contractual dispute with their coach with Calderon refusing to return back to the club.

Sepahan’s Head Coach Amir Ghalenoei seems to be in the lead to sit on the bench of Team Melli. His records with clubs are second to none. He is by far the most successful Iranian coach In the history of the league with 5 championship titles. He also coached Team Melli during the AFC Asian Cup 2007.

But Ghalenoei is driving a hard bargain. He has a bitter experience working for the federation. He is aware of how his paymasters can turn on him and deny him support.  This time, the former coach of Esteghlal, Tractorsazi, Zob Ahan, and Sepahan wants to ensure that such experience is not repeated.  Ghalenoei is giving the FFIRI all the strict conditions upon which he will only accept the offer including a handsome numeration package similar to the foreign coaches and complete say on the selection of the technical assistance and training crew.

FFIRI administrators and managers have hinted many times that the next Team Melli coach will be a foreigner, although local coaches are not being ruled out either. However, with the recent developments, the reputation of this federation and their habitual tendency to breach contracts with their employees, it will be very difficult to imagine a foreign coach agreeing to work for this federation unless he is very desperate. After the experiences and well-publicized hardships of Marc Wilmots, Branko Ivankovic, Gabriel Calderon and Andrea Stramaccioni amongst others, it is unlikely that we will see a foreign coach leading Team Melli any time soon.

FFIRI and the Iranian clubs’ justification for not paying their foreign coaches and/or players is the American sanctions on financial dealings and money transfer. The questions remain, however, if this is indeed the reason, then why offer jobs to foreigners knowing that they cannot be paid properly and regularly?

With Ghalenoei negotiations with FFIRI still in progress; Sepahan will have a tough time replacing Ghalenoei if he leaves. The Esfahani club has a good chance of grabbing the title this season and the departure of their coach will definitely impact the team chances of winning the Persian Gulf Pro League.

Branko Ivankovic : ” No intention to coach Team Melli”

Former  Team Melli and Persepolis coach Branko Ivankovic says he has no intention of coaching Iran national football team.

Ivankovic led Persepolis to the Iranian domestic treble last season but left after they failed to pay him his salary, a common practice in Iran in the last few years.

The 65-year-old coach, considered as one of the best foreign coaches of Team Melli, won the gold medal in 2002 Asian Games and led Team Melli to third place in 2004 AFC Asian Cup.

The Croat coached Iran at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where the Team Melli failed to qualify for the next stage after losing to Mexico and Portugal. while drawing with Angola.

“At the moment, I have a lot of offers from Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Japan and China but have not accepted them so far. In Al Ahli, I was fired after three matches, something I never experienced such a thing before. I believe I worked well for the team as it needed some changes in dressing room but this is football and I accept it,” Ivankovic said.

Asked why he left Persepolis at the end of the last season, Ivankovic said, “I had four fascinating years in Iran and I so much miss the country. However, I was forced to leave Persepolis because they didn’t pay our salaries for about one year. At that time, Al Ahli gave me a good offer and I accepted it,” he added.

Persepolis have lost three times in the last 10 matches but Ivankovic says they are favourites to win the title for the fourth time in a row.

“I think Gabriel Calderon needs time in Persepolis because he is a great coach. Persepolis fans love their team and support their players and coaches. In my opinion, Persepolis and Sepahan are vying for the title in the current season,” Ivankovic stated.

Ivankovic believes that Team Melli had a chance to qualify for the next round at the FIFA 2018 World Cup.

“I think (Carlos) Queiroz preferred to defend in Russia. Iran could have played attacking football against Portugal and Span. After beating Morocco, Team Melli should have taken risks,” said Ivankovic .

“Is there any chance to return to Team Melli if he receives an offer?”

“I would prefer to work at club level. I am not going work as a national team head coach,” Ivankovic concluded.

Mohammad Tayebi, Foolad Khuzestan & Team Melli Central defender has transferred to Qatar FC for an undisclosed sum.

The big defender who made his debut for Team Melli against Kyrgyzstan on 7th .Jun 2016 is the first foreign player on the list of the Qatar Star League side coached by the Argentine Gabriel Calderón

Tayebi (30 years) will be playing in a pivotal role for Qatar SC which plays in their  Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium, in Doha