The Portuguese Head coach of Team Melli , returned back to Tehran yesterday amid speculations about his future.

Carlos Queiroz who submitted his resignation to Ali Kaffashian and announced that his last working day would be 7th May 2016 to coincide with the election of the FFIRI , left the country without waiting for approval for his resignation. The lack orf resources, lack of full and unequivocal support , opposition to his methods within the FFIRI and poor quality kit for Team Melli has been mentioned repeatedly by Queiroz as detrimental to the conduct of his duty.

Insiders believe that there is more to Queiroz resignation this time than meets the eyes. The Portuguese resignations or threats of,  has become institutional and monotonous. Almost all the reasons he has mentioned this time are far from novel and has been in existence from the day he started working in Iran. This time, however, the situition is different with his main backer Ali Kaffashian deciding to not to run for the Presidency of FFIRI, a fact that  put the Portuguese coach in a dilemma. Queiroz felt that his situation will be that much weaker in the absence of his main and some say , only backer. Queiroz rhetorics, threats and some of his livid behaviors including insults to his colleagues and superiors might not go down well with the new boss.

The hospitable Iranians have tolerated Queiroz to a unprecdentat level. Queiroz would have been on the first flight out of the country if he acted in such ill manner in UAE or any of the neighboring Persian Gulf countries.

In reality, Queiroz should not fear any signficant changes in policy as the successor to Kaffashian is his former right man Mehdi Taj. The new president had been heading the Fottball League and had very little to do with the affairs of Team Melli , however , he has already announced that Team Melli qualification to the World Cup 2018 is at the top of his priorities. Taj has remained silent on Queiroz’s resignation but the chances are very high that he will keep the Portuguese and continue the policies of his predecessor and currently his deputy Ali Kaffashian in a role reversal.

Taj , like many before him, has not come up with any tangible or significant plans to improve the conditions of Team Melli in terms of resources and backing. A country in the size and riches of Iran apparently has one training ground for Team Melli and while it was on maintenance like recently, Team Melli had no decent alternative to practise during the last rounds of the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers!

The kit was one of the other major complaints of Carlos Queiroz. He was quite vocal against the quality of the German Kit supplier , although some cynics, say there are more to the quality and quantity that has led to Queiroz opposition. To  improve the quality of the kit and mitigate  the complaints by coach and players, FFIRI has signed with a kit supplier that hardly anyone has ever heard of !

As such , FFIRI might have changed its President , but the chances that it will change its mentalities and the way it runs football affairs in the country is quite remote. The fundamental lack of professionalism, poor management , archaic mentalities still prevails and rampant in the corridors of the Seoul Street headquarters. This has marred the natrual progress of football to the degree that the country deserves and has the potential for.

Queioroz, although not a saint and certainly a person who lacks the etiquette of dealing with others, has rightly raised the alarm and announced his concerns. It is remains to be seen , how this will all resolve.