The former Team Melli and Persepolis head coach Branko Ivankovic is rumoured to be approaching a return back to Iran.

The Croat, who left Persepolis after three successful years of winning trophies and titles, was recently interviewed where he denied the possibility of a return back to Persepolis, the club that withheld his wages for over a year. Nevertheless, Ivankovic also said that he is not interested in coaching a national team as he prefers the day to day commitment associated with coaching a club.

History has proven time and again that what coaches say in public about their future jobs, hardly holds true and in reality, anything might happen. Denial is standard practice for coaches on speculation of a new appointment.

What is interesting is that Ivankovic, who is perhaps the most popular and successful foreign coach in Iran’s football history, is out of work and the approval rating of the newish Team Melli coach Marc Wilmots is quite low. Not only Wilmots has failed to get any points out of the last two World Cup qualifiers, but Team Melli is also in serious risk of losing out on qualification which was achieved so easily under Carlos Queiroz in 2014 and 2018. Wilmots, who is a fly-by-night coach who is hardly seen in Iran, is currently back home in Belgium and seems to turn up a day or two before matches! In reality, he will not be in Iran for at least 4 months before the next World Cup qualifiers in March 2020.

Speculations are rife about Ivankovic taking over Wilmots’ job. His knowledge and experience of Iranian football at all levels is second to none. His records and achievements with Team Melli is quite highly regarded and appreciated by the fans. What could be a serious stumbling block with Ivankovic is how to work with a feeble ineffectual and seriously inefficient federation.

Those responsible in the FFIRI, but specifically the Duo Mehdi Taj and Mohammadreza Saket, have time and time again failed Team Melli in many ways. They have always extended their arms begging the government for aids and donations including money to pay their employees and coaches. The FFIRI Lacks solid strategy, philosophy and direction and works on Hail Mary and wishful thinking basis. Just like a few days back when two emotional communique was issued by the International Relations department and published in the official FFIRI website to justify the two costly losses in the World Cup qualifiers. Instead of injecting confidence and providing solutions for Team Melli to recover from this tragedy created by them, the FFIRI went into comprehensive good wishes and good luck philosophy without committing any particular measures. Basically, counting on hope, luck and greetings!

This federation hardly has long term plans for Team Melli, particularly Friendly matches. They claim they have tried, but were not successful to arrange such important matches, which prove the inefficiency of the personnel running the FFIRI.  Under such a cloud of inefficiency, it is difficult to imagine a coach succeeding in Team Melli.

 However, Ivankovic who led Team Melli to FIFA World Cup 2006, has tasted all that and plenty of bureaucracy in the many years he worked in Iran. The Gentleman, as many supporters call him, might fancy himself another challenge and a few bouts with Mehdi Taj. He just might be the answers that the fans are looking for because anything is better than what it is now.