Tag: Olympic Games Rio

Iran’s U23 team (Omid Team) will start its long journey for the Rio De Janeiro Olympic Games 2016 Qualification at Azadi Stadium against Nepal on Monday 23rd March 2015.

The match on Monday is not expected to attract large number of fans due t the Nowrooz holidays and also due to the low expectation from a sting of failure by Iran that has hit this particular age group.

 

Mohammad Khakpour, a former Team Melli defender has been given this mammoth task and will be making his first attempt at this level of football to take Iran to the Olympics.  Last time Iran made the Olympics games was back in 1980 Moscow games which eventually it boycotted.

Group C of the AFC U-23 Championship consists of Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Afghanistan and Iran will be played in Tehran. The final rounds will be played in Qatar nine months from now.

On Paper the group looks easy enough for Iran to make the final championship rounds along with Saudi Arabia. However, with recent Iranian teams performances against inferior oppositions, nothing is taken for granted. Omid Team personal have already been talking about the strength of the Nepalese team, the first of Iran’s opponents. Saudi Arabian teams at any level, of course are always very competitive and difficult to beat.

Palestine has emerged as a strong team at senior level and their U-23 remains as unknown quality. Neighboring Afghanistan has been solidly progressing at football and their players have a good knowledge of Iranian teams.

The squad was boosted with the news that Azmoun and Jahanbakhash will be joining them despite the objection of Team Melli coach Queiroz.  A ruling by Ali Kaffashian favored Omid Team and frustrated Queiroz who has considered robbing of these two players from him as the final nail in the coffin.

 

 

 

Schedule & Results:

23-03-2015 15:00
AFGHANISTAN PALESTINE
Venue: PAS Stadium, Tehran
23-03-2015 17:00
NEPAL I.R. IRAN
Venue: Azadi Stadium, Tehran

****************************************************
25-03-2015 15:00
PALESTINE SAUDI ARABIA
Venue: PAS Stadium, Tehran

25-03-2015 17:00
AFGHANISTAN NEPAL
Venue: Azadi Stadium, Tehran

****************************************************

27-03-2015 15:00
SAUDI ARABIA AFGHANISTAN
Venue: PAS Stadium, Tehran
27-03-2015 17:00
I.R. IRAN PALESTINE
Venue: Azadi Stadium, Tehran

****************************************************
29-03-2015 15:00
NEPAL SAUDI ARABIA
Venue: PAS Stadium, Tehran

29-03-2015 17:00
I.R. IRAN AFGHANISTAN
Venue: Azadi Stadium, Tehran

****************************************************

31-03-2015 15:00
PALESTINE NEPAL
Venue: PAS Stadium, Tehran
31-03-2015 17:00
SAUDI ARABIA I.R. IRAN
Venue: Azadi Stadium, Tehran

 

 

 

NEPAL U-23 TEAM SQUAD

GK: Alan Neupane , Amrit Chaudhary , Bikesh Kuthu

 

DF: Man Bahadur Tamang , Kalu Thapa, Aditya Choudhary , Aakash Thapa , Ananta Tamang , Dinesh Rajbanshi

 

MF: Gaurab Budhathoki, Heman Gurung , Hemant Thapa Magar , Jagjeet Shrestha , Jangbu Sherpa , Kamal Shrestha , Prakash Budhathoki , Sulav Maskey , Bishal Rai B

 

FW: Ranjan Bista , Amar Dangol , Biswas Shrestha , Anjan Bista , Bimal Gharti Magar

Queiroz “I will allow no one to interfere in my job”

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A visibly stressed Carlos Queiroz has emphatically and repeatedly announced to the media that he will allow no one to interfere in his job. The real target of this statement is Ali Kaffashian, while also sending a strong message to Kashani and Khakpour in Iran’s Omid team camp.

“A clause in my contract specifically stipulates that the selection of players is purely my responsibility and no one else. It is my job and responsibility to pick whoever player I want for Team Melli and anyone who thinks otherwise is disillusioned.” Queiroz said after his meeting with Kaffashian.

The tension has been rising between Queiroz on one hand and the duo Kashani and coach Khakpour of Omid Teamon the other. Both sides seem to lay claim on the two star players Sardar Azmoun and Alireza Jahanbakht. The two Europe-based players have played for Iran youth level teams and also Team Melli recently. Omid team managers believe that Azmoun and Jahanbakht are key players in the team and can make a difference in Iran’s quest for qualifying to the Olympics Games Football competition after a 40 years absence. Queiroz has repeatedly said that he is not willing to release the players for Omid team while he has two important matches against Chile and Sweden in the next week FIFA days calendar. Those days coincide with Omid team playing the first stage of Olympic Games 2016 qualifiers in Tehran.

 “I had a meeting with Kaffashian today but I did not allow any discussion about the two players. My positions is quite clear and I am not willing to repeat myself” Queiroz said to the gathering press who have been anxious to know the fate of the two players. The press were alerted of the meeting which was expected to formally announce the inclusion of Sardar Azmoun and Alireza Jahanbakht to Iran’s Omid Team ( Olympics U23)  which is scheduled to play its first competitive match on 23rd March against Nepal as part of the Rio Olympics 2016 Football competition qualifiers.

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  [column size=”1/2″]  Kashani and Khakpour have been accusing the FFIRI top brass of lack of support for Omid Team. Ali Kaffashian , in attempt to ease the worries of Iran possible failure to qualify once again for the Olympics football tournament , promised the Omid Team Managers that their demand for the release the two young stars will be met in time for the qualifiers. Kaffashian further complicated the issue by publicly announcing the release of Azmoun and Jahanbaksh to Omid team.

The objective of today’s meeting at FFIRI offices was for Kaffashian to inform Queiroz of such decision and the release the two players to Omid team, however , the president of FFIRI did not account for the strong stance by Queiroz who reminded the President that it was him rather than Kaffashian who has the upper hand and the final decesion. Queiroz suggested that his boss reads the contract that his his signature on it. “If anyone is in doubt , then he should refer to my employment contract.” According to Queiroz, and as such putting Kaffashian in a precarious and rather embarrassing situation failing to deliver his promise to Omid team!

A defiant Queiroz in response to a question by a reporter on what are his thoughts about Kaffashian’s statement about the 4 months duration left on his contract with FFIRI , said that he will be honored if Ali Kaffashian fires him!

Carlos Queiroz rhetoric is a sign of one stressed man under pressure, real or imaginary. His defiance, maverick style and eccentric statements have been aplenty recently so are his threats to leave the job if the conditions are not up to his liking.

There is no statement more preposterous than Queiroz’s claim that “ NO one in Iran cares about Team Melli and Omid team , as much as I do!!”

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Jahanbakhsh & Azmoun not available for Omid Team.

Jaffar Kashani , the manager of Omid Team ( Iran U23) announced that despite their request , Alireza Jahanbaksh and Sardar Azmoun will not be available to join Omid Team during the qualification rounds of the Olympic Games 2016 , instead they will be part of the Team Melli squad playing two international friendly matches in the holiday periods.

Omid Team will be playing the first stages of the qualifying matches in a round ribbon group along with Nepal , Palestine , Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia in the period from 23rd to 31st March in Azadi stadium. During the same period Team Melli will be taking full advantage of the FIFA day and have already arranged two important and momentous matches against Chile and Sweden.

Sardar Azmoun was one of the stars of the recent Asian Games 2015 where he scored two goals and desevedly has established himself in Team Melli. Alireza Jahanbaksh was less fortunate and was not able to produce the quality that was hoped from, yet this player remains an important part of Carlos Queiroz grand plan in rejuvenating the team.

Kashani criticized his employer FFIRI and claimed that the team is not getting the full support of the federation!. The reality is that Kaffashian has already declared for support for Omid Team in their quest to qualify for the nest year Olympics after 40 years of absence by Iran.

“Because we are not Carlos Queiroz , our request to change the league program has been refused. We have demanded that league to be stopped for one week in order to allow us to take part in the Kuwait camp where we could have played two friendly matches, but we don’t get the same attention as Team Melli gets.” Kashani moaned.

Kashani also bitterly complained about the lack of commitment by the league clubs by not releasing their players whenever they are required by Omid Team program.  Kashani then repeated his usual drama by threatening to resign if  his requests are not met by the federation or the clubs create difficulties for the team.

Jafar Kashani already resigned this same position and vowed never to return to work with this federation after his effort to recruit Zlatko Kranjcar was turned down.  However , to the surprise of many observers, the man did a 180 degrees turn and announced that he is a soldier who will answer the call of duty for the country any time he is required !.

The manner that he resigned and then came back within a few days ,  leaves a lot to be desired in what many people consider the Achilles heel of Iranian football and that is poor quality , untrustworthy and erratic management.