Category: News

Skočić: " I am not worried about my future on Team Melli bench"

Dragan Skočić, in an interview with the Varzesh TV program this Friday morning, said " the conditions of the national team in Bahrain in the World Cup qualifiers were quite stressful.  I have to admit that it was a really difficult situation because we could not afford to lose even a single point. It was difficult to maintain our focus and we had to deal with various complex conditions." Commenting on the training camp, preparations, friendly matches, and the forthcoming game against Uruguay: " You should know that I gave a plan to the federation three months ago and asked them to consider the best teams for the preparatory game. Teams that are on a similar level and conditions to our opponents in the World Cup. I don't want to fuel rumors now either. I have been told that the match with Uruguay has been confirmed."  He continued: " What is important for us is to be able to prepare our players in the best condition possible and to be able to go to Qatar with full preparation. I have not suggested any team for friendly matches. As a head coach, I should not suggest a team. That's why I left this choice in the hands of the federation." In response to the question of whether he made breakfast mandatory for all the players, the head coach of Team Melli said: " If breakfast was the only problem, it shows that the rest of the things were carried out correctly. We were able to pull off the fastest qualification to the World Cup in the history of Iran, now why do they focus on breakfast!? " Skočić continued: "Definitely, players should not make decisions about things like breakfast, they should focus on their real work, about how to improve and correct their shortfalls. The expectation from the players is to show their best performance in training and games." On the group opponents in the World Cup: "Our first opponent is England, everything is clear about this team. We must step into the field with faith and high motivation. Wales has many similarities to England in terms of players. physical and style of play. These two teams are very good.  I think some might believe that the American team is a below-strength former team, but this team has changed a lot. We have to prepare for three important and difficult games." On the question that Skočić invited too many players to the camp, he responded: " There are talks about the previous camp, which was an exception. Due to some problems, I had to invite a large number, but in the next camp, the number will be standard. At the beginning of the camp, we will invite some domestic league players for the pre-camp. In this sense, maybe the number of players will be more than the standard model. " "Will you invite new players to the team?" was another question asked ", " It is my duty to see the players of different clubs. I will travel to Turkey to watch our Iranian players playing there. I have always tried to invite the best players who are in form to the camp. I have to invite players to the camp who understand my wishes," continued Skočić, who spoke to Channel Five TV's stadium program. " I have to analyze and check all the issues before allowing a player to don a Team Melli jersey. I don't think the presence of this number of players will harm the coordination of the team. I know a lot about the players. Every player who was invited had a reason. It is my duty to invite players I deem fit." Regarding why he is not happy compared to the past, Skočić said: " One of the reasons is the rumors I keep hearing. I have spent my whole life in football. I try to keep a positive attitude all the time. Let's look back at the qualification we accomplished. Look how much some outside elements wanted to knock us down. But now, I also have an internal dragon that has been active within the team. Ever since I took over the responsibility of the national team, you have seen the leadership instability that has been experienced in the football federation. Put the chaos of the squad next to the chaos of the federation administration, it will probably realize how much energy I had to put into controlling the team. It was a near impossible mission" Regarding the meeting with the technical committee and if he is worried about the future, he said: " I have not had a meeting with the technical committee. This is an unacceptable issue. If a technical committee believed there are shortcomings or problems in my work or the squad, they should have discussed it with me and listened to what is really happening to the team before they pass judgment. It is not right that they judge unilaterally. This is flawed judgment and inappropriate."  Skočić continued: " I take responsibility for the team and I have accepted all the pressures. I have spent my whole life under the pressure of football and I emphasize that I take full responsibility for the team's failures.  Just as you wrote the results of the previous matches in my name, write the results of the next games in my name. " On Team Melli's tactics and style in the World cup against strong opponents ranked above Iran in the FIFA Ranking, Skočić said: "Be rest assured that I am not doing something childish. We will play each game aiming for a good result. We are not going to play 100% offensive football while not having anything to do with defense. We want to create balance in the team. We want to perform at our best. We have to attack and create opportunities in front of each of these teams and not just defend." Dragan Skočić said about the support given to him by Iranian football stars: " After all, I am also human and you will feel good when you are supported and appreciated. I am trying to improve myself and I want to bear this pressure so that I can make the best thing happen for the Iranian national team. How many people talk about me without even knowing me and without any shred of evidence?  this is not acceptable at all. I can be much better if there is more support." Skočić answered a question about the selection of the captain: " You are now dragging us to talk about rumors. The tradition is that the most experienced player is the Captain. Each of the national team players who wear the national team shirt must be a captain because they represent a nation. Definitely, and especially less experienced players should have this mentality."

"Respect for values must be maintained by Team Melli players" says Yeke

In an interview with Mehr sports reporter, Morteza Yeke commenting on the current conditions of Team Melli these days, said: "Our football is going through difficult times. Every day we hear some sad news. I hope the management of the federation can fix this situation. " The former Team Melli player continued: "The head coach of the national team should not allow players to dominate, he should have strong character and man management abilities in order to be successful in the World Cup." Criticizing the performance of the technical committee of the FFIRI, he said: "the so-called technical committee's duties are clear and well defined. They should offer the best support for Team Melli, but unfortunately, we didn't see any worthwhile action from the technical committee except for the sacking of Dragan Skočić, without offering the public any particular reason." Morteza Yeke expressed his regrets on the differences between the players of the national team: "Unfortunately, this has been happening in our football for several years. The player must know his limits. Understand why he is on the team and in what capacity. The jersey of the national team is sacred and should be worn by those who strive to serve the nation and work hard for the success of the national team, not to serve their self-interests."  The Former Iranian football player also noted: "Now is not the time for differences. The opportunity is easily missed and with each passing day, we are getting closer to the World Cup. Therefore, the players should only focus on training hard to the start of the World Cup, any head coach should not allow the players to interfere in his work or comment on issues that do not concern them." "This trend is quite disturbing with Iranian players nowadays. Players who frequently protest at referees and get away with it, now dare to interfere with their coaches too"

A repeat of Dehdari era revolt.

The revolt of players or players' power, whichever one wants to call it, is nothing new in Iran's Team Melli. Nothing, however, was more famous, that the mass protest of players against Parviz Dehdari in the mid 80's.

Parviz Dehdari was as much a gentleman of ethics, morality, and good behavior as a football coach. He was known among those who knew him that the ethics and values of sports were driven by the mood of the people who would exercise his moral teachings.

As a player and a successful coach with clubs like Persepolis, Homa and Team Melli , there was no person as honest, principled, and respected as Dehdari. With strict discipline along with fairness and impartiality, he was quite revered and feared by the players at the same time. However, there are alway one or two players who won't like strong leadership and think they are above the law and more favorable than the coach.

There was a player called Mohammad Panjali who had these ideas of grandeur and at the time believed he was above the laws of discipline. Panjali was the Captain of Team Melli when Dehdsari was the head coach. Panjali was getting on while Dehdari was looking at young blood for the future of the team. The wise man of football, or Ustad as many called him, quietly dealt with the issue by benching Panjali during the opening match against Japan in the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. Korea. Panjali did not like that and demanded that he plays in the starting line-up.

On the return flight back home, 15 players submitted their resignation letters to the federation. Sirous Ghayeghran quickly withdrew his signature to leave 14 players on the list. Those players thought that the football federation would have no choice but to support them by removing Dehdari and his colleagues, including Reza Vatankhah, and appointing another person as the head coach, but that did not happen.

This mass resignation which was instigated by Panjali, became one of the darkest events in Iran's football. Credit t the Federation, they stuck with Dehdari against half of the squad.

One of those 14 players who resigned back in 1986 was Morteza Fonoonizadeh. The Persepolis veteran of Persepolis commented on the recent drama in Team Melli and the subsequent retention of Dragan Skocic:

"I approved Mr. Skocic from day one. He worked hard to win qualification for Team Melli to the World Cup in the easiest way. I even asked to have a birthday party for Mr. Skocic and pay for it.  The board of directors and the technical committee were at odds with each other and finally did not reach an agreement."

Fonoonizadeh was asked to comment on the similarity between the current Team Melli situation with the differences between the players regarding the coach and the situation back in 1985 when he was involved in the mass resignation in protest against the legendary Dehdari: "Yes, I was one of the fourteen players and it was by far the worst mistake of my career. I was 22 years old and I was one of the fix players on the team. I just got it wrong. Team Melli is not the legacy of anyone's father. No one has the right to such claims. No player is as important as the team. Now that someone says I don't want Skocic and someone says I do, should we fire everyone? You fired him once and brought him back again. As soon as you brought him back, you ruined it."

"He may be the best player in Europe, but the most important thing is to preserve the sanctity of the national team. The player's duty is not to pick the coach, it is not why he is in Team Melli. We tried to do this to Mr. Dehdari a few years ago, and they kicked us out one by one while the federation kept Mr. Dehdari. He (Dehdari) was a gentleman through and through and had no grudges against anyone. He only demanded an apology to the people of Iran, not himself,  and he would take those who apologized back to the team.  We did that in an open letter published in the newspaper and mentioned that we were wrong. I, Farshad Pious, and Karim Bavi were taken back in Team Melli.

After this incident, Dehdari built a new team and a new generation of footballers was born. The young Team Melli won third place in the AFC Asian Cup 1988. Instead of those who were banned from Team Melli, Dehdari introduced players such as Abedzadeh, Zarincheh, Marfavi, etc., who became the main pillars of Iranian football. Despite finishing third in the Asian Cup, he was targeted by fans who considered club allegiance bove the national team. He was subjected to obscenities from some fans as a reward for building a young team and getting rid of rebel players. He resigned before the start of the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers in 1990 . Dehdari finally passed away on November 23, 1992, due to kidney complications.

Shahrokhi: "Any player who bad-mouth the coach should be sacked".

The former head coach of Iran's national football team, who emphasizes creating unity and empathy within Team Melli, says that a player who speaks against the coach should be removed from the roster. In an interview with ISNA, Homayoun Shahrokhi commented on the retention of Dragan Skocic at the helm of Team Melli, and the necessary measures required for the success of the Team in the World Cup: "the reality is that we can succeed with some luck. If the team consists of bands, if they do not accept the coach, if the management is not strong and coherent, there will not be much hope for the national team. Even if we go to the World Cup under these conditions, we may finish fifth in our group!. Shahrokhi continued: "With this management and lack of trust in the coach and the recent differences between the players, the situation is not promising. A number of players turn to gangs when they get old. They gather some young players around themselves and incite them naive people o join a rebellion. If the manager is a strong character and a disciplinarian person, he will stifle the root elements and will not allow a bad apple to ruin the team." "If the president of the leadership of the federation is powerful, the players should not dare to speak against the coach. The player's role in hid team is that of a soldier for his homeland and his country's football." The former Team Melli head coach, who also worked with the team as a Manager stated that "it is possible to change the club team, but in the national team one must obey, respect, and accept the head coach. At the club level,  If the system and playing conditions are not up to a player's liking, he should go and change his team. I have direct experience with such events. A famous or even a modest player who interferes in the coach's work should not be on the team for even a second. I won't name names, but everyone knows who I kicked out." Emphasizing individual discipline, Shahrokhi said: "If a player is not disciplined, we will have problems in teamwork. Then you will be in trouble in society. There are people in our country whose sole joy is Team Melli. They sacrifice and suffer while some worship these players. These people deserve the respect for the players who should be exemplary Referring to Skocic's status, Sharoukhi said: " Skocic is an honorable and respectable coach. Now, if he is a good-natured person, it should not be mistaken for weakness to the extent that some players gang up against him and behind his back. Do they want someone like Queiroz who will have no hesitation to grab a nonsense player from his ears and kicks him out? Ganging up has no place in Team Melli. No matter how good a player is, if there is a loose tooth, that loose tooth should be thrown out." Shahrokhi emphasized: "People in Iran are passionate about football, wrestling, and volleyball. As someone who followed volleyball games in recent years. I enjoyed the performances of this team in the last few games. They (the volleyball Team) have grit, unity and the determination to succeed. It is a marvelous feeling for the fans and enjoyable to see them perform. Currently, considering the special and economic problems, sports make people happy." He continued: "If the players are diligent and we don't see two teams within one Team Melli, we can show good football. Otherwise, we will be in trouble. Maybe we can say that we are united, but this should happen in reality. I felt sorry when I saw them talking against the coach. it wa Goodness has a limit. If everything was solid on the first day, this would not have happened. Shahrokhi said: "A few months ago, the coach left a player, we all said, why did he do this?" If X goes, there must be I. Hasan Brod, must be Hossein. We should not be happy with the players. I don't know why they say that we have the best national team in recent years.

Mehdi Taremi, from hero to villain!

From the moment it was announced that Adel Ferdosipour had interviewed Mehdi Tarimi and that this discussion was going to be broadcast in cyberspace, it was clear that some of his statements would become controversial, divisive, and might very well create friction in the team and fans for a long time. As much as Taremi's value as a striker is undeniable, his controversial talking is harmful to himself! In this case, the predictions came true and some of the topics raised by Taremi became the center of attention, criticism, and various conflicting opinions. He has already managed to create divisiveness & sedition.

This player, who had taken a stand against Dragan Skočić, becoming the spokesman for some other players as well, questioned Skocic's competence in a conversation with Ferdosipour. Taremi criticized the exclusion of and then the U-turn of Esteghlal players from the Team Melli camp and then claimed that in the past year, far too many players have been selected for Team Melli !, which is not a good thing to say. These statements had wide repercussions amongst the stakeholders in Iranian football, which were mostly negative.

Who are you, What position are you in?

Some of Tarami's statements might be merited but some are not. But here, the criticism of the speaker is more important than the content of the speech. Basically, no player in the world's professional football should give himself the right to openly and candidly take a position against the Coaching staff and particularly the Leader, the head coach.

If this issue becomes a normal procedure, no stone will be left unturned. It is really rare and rare that even the greatest players in the world of football have taken such positions against their coaches. You don't see this behavior from Messi and Ronaldo either. Didn't Paris Saint-Germain have a few failures? Have you ever heard Kylian Mbappe criticize his coach as the best player on this team?

The crossroads of Skocic.

Even if Tarami's efforts to dismiss Skočić were successful, the story would not be over, because in this case, the next coach to take over, would have to be approved by him in order to survive. is that the correct thing for a football team? Skocic's difficult dilemma is now on how to deal with the issue of Mehdi Taremi, and to a lesser extent Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Ehsan Hajsafi.  Dragan Skočić has now faced a big predicament. That he does not invite these players and significantly reduces the Team's foundation in the World Cup, or that he pleads ignorance to the fact that there are players who don't respect him and might spread the bad word in the camp.  in which case his authority will be questioned even more. All this could not exist if Tarami maintained his sense of responsibility and did not utter those unnecessary words.

Mehdi Taremi has proved through the few years that he has a behavior problem. His action on the field doesn't reflect his age. His famous dismissal in the Champions League was when he kicked the ball away a few minutes after he was awarded a yellow card. This typified his immaturity and lack of emotional control. Despite his popularity amongst the Porto fans, Taremi is probably the most hated player in the Portuguese league. He is famous for his diving and deception of referees and is the subject of many reporters' criticism for lack of sportsmanship.

Is Taremi an Asset or Liability?

Right now, looking at the picture, it looks like Mehdi Taremi is a risk and a dangerous element in the Team Melli camp. Thinking that he will change his attitude and mentality in a few days or months is simply impossible. He has a lot of grudge against Skočić starting from day one.  His exclusion from the team is not going to be disastrous for Iran with the presence of Sardar Azmoun to spearhead the offensive line. The problem is the exclusion of Jahanbakhsh.

In any case, Skočić must choose between discipline, values, and respect or act as if nothing has happened and call Taremi back in the hope of better things.

How is more valuable for team Melli?

A comparison table on the performance of Azmoun and Daei for reference

Sardar Azmoun Mehdi Taremi
Age 27 30
Club Bayer Leverkusen FC Porto
No of seasons in Europe 15 6
Foreign leagues Russia & Germany Qatar & Portugal
Games played 217 243
Goals scored 86 125
Yellow card 38 32
Red Cards 2 4
League title 3 1
TEAM MELLI
Matches 63 58
Seasons 9 8
goals scored 40 29
Yellow card 10 8
Red Cards 0 0

Four countries compete in hosting AFC Asian Cup 2023

the-afc.com
Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has received Expressions of Interest (EoI) from four AFC Member Associations (MAs) to host the AFC Asian Cup 2023™ final competition.
Following the AFC's invitation to all MAs to express their interest in hosting the flagship men's national team tournament on May 31, 2022, the following AFC MAs have responded by the extended deadline of July 15, 2022, and expressed their interest to bid for the hosting rights of the AFC Asian Cup 2023™:
·       Football Australia
·       Football Association of Indonesia
·       Korea Football Association
·       Qatar Football Association
In accordance with the bidding process, the Bidding Regulations were distributed to the MAs on June 17, 2022, and the deadline for Bidding MAs to submit the Bid documents is set for August 31, 2022.
Following this, an overall evaluation of the bids will be undertaken by the AFC Administration prior to the selection and announcement of the host for the 24-team competition by the AFC Executive Committee on October 17, 2022.

What should happen now in Team Melli.

Mirshad Majedi and the rest of the board members of the federation, after a long and winding meeting , decided on the status quo and that the incumbent head coach of Team Melli shall remain in charge up to the FIFA World Cup 2022 and beyond.

That was the best decision possible under the circumstances and taken for the sake of Team Melli with crucial days left up to the world cup. Majedi did not succumb to pressure exerted mainly by the Minister of Sport and some other elements who were influenced by a group of Team Melli players.

To be clear, the categorical refusal of Ali Daei to take over from Skocic despite several attempts or pleas, was the catalyst in Skocic’s survival. There were no alternative viable options and the conditions of Team Melli would have been disastrous if Skocic was sacked.

Despite reaching the wisest decisions possible by the FFIRI leadership, the problem with Team Melli is far from over. There must be action by the FFIRI to eliminate the rebels in the squad else these disruptive elements will make the Croat job impossible in Qatar. There is no doubt among many experts that some players will not be happy with this decision while some begrudgingly will tag along.

Hamid Estili’s position

The man that should support Team Melli's coaching staff has taken a side and worked against Skocic. He was a member of the Technical Committee that decided that the Croat is not qualified as a coach of Team Melli.  Hamid Estili must accept his poor insight and should resign his post immediately to save face. Estili however, is a man of thousand faces and changes positions in a blink. He will try to weasel his way out of this situation, however, it is better for the federation to sack him from the job before he inflicts damage.

The rebel players.

Including the rebel players who are led by Mehdi Taremi in the squad for the World Cup is a serious risk. In addition to Taremi, there are players such as Karim Ansarifard, Ehsan Haj Safy, and Saeid Ezatollahi, with some mention of Alireza Jahanbaksh being in this rebellion group.

No doubt that Jahanbakhsh and Taremi are key players and getting rid of them could be a disadvantage to Team Melli. Their experience and abilities are undeniable, however, much depends on how Skocic will perceive these players and likewise the player's comfort level with the coach, especially after some bad feelings made publicly by some of them.

It is a difficult formula and there must be a middle-of-the-road solution. Keeping all the rebel players is certainly a risk. From the track record,  Skocic does not score high in the discipline department. He is not like Daei or Queiroz both of who are no-nonsense coaches and have no time for indiscipline. So, controlling the rebels and their effect on the whole squad could be a difficult task for him. The leadership of the football federation must come to his support and coordinate with the coaching staff and in consultation with Karim Bagheri, who was an assistant coach until lately when Persepolis pulled him back,  should come up with the right decision.

One school of thought believes that some of the rebel players are dispensable and could be thrown out as an example to the rest, while the two most valuable of them should be kept under strict behavioral restrictions and maintained discipline. The reputation and name of Iran especially at such a level of competition are far greater than the interest of some players never mind what European league they are playing in.

If a player is selected to represent his country, he has no right to decide who the coach is and must give 100% to the team under whichever coach is appointed, period.

FFIRI statement : The current coaching staff shall remain in charge until the FIFA World Cup 2022.

The Football Federation published a statement about the joint meeting of the members of the board of directors and the technical committee. According to the FFIRI website the statement of the Federation regarding the joint meeting of the members of the Board of Directors and the Technical Committee to determine the post of the Head Coach of Iran's Team Melli under the title "Unity and Empathy until the World Cup" states: "In view of the repeated previous assurances of the Football Federation in regards to the full support of the Coaching Staff of the national team and considering the acceptable results of the team, which were the result of the synergy and joint efforts of the players, the coaching staff, the federation and the support of the governing body of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the board of directors of the football federation once again declares the full support of the current coaching staff of the national team. Based on this fact, the cooperation between the two sides will continue. Obviously, from now on, the Football Federation will severely deal with any indiscipline, immorality, and attempts in creating divisions and differences in the national team at any level with force and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the federation. Based on this, on the eve of the important games of the World Cup in Qatar, we request all passionate fans of Iranian football, members of the media, veterans, and all those who have the heart to raise the proud flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran, for greater solidarity and unity in all elements of the national team. Have maximum companionship and empathy and refrain from spreading news that will aid in disunity." .

Hosseinzadeh, a complicated file for Charleroi

Source: https://seo-bestlink.com/

For several days or even weeks, the name of Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh has been coming up regularly as a potential recruit in Charleroi. For the management, it is not, at first sight, an absolute priority for this summer transfer window, but they believe a lot in him and would see him as a reinforcement for the future. The attacking midfielder (21) of Esteghlal FC, defending champion, is considered one of the greatest talents in the country and is already international. His market value has seriously increased in recent months and is approaching one million euros.

Charleroi, via the Iranian connections of Mehdi Bayat, is seduced by the player even if he knows that it will take time for him to adapt. According to our information, Hosseinzadeh considers himself ready to join Europe. Perhaps not as an immediate starter, of course, but above all with the aim of continuing his development.

But then, what is stuck in the transaction? First, several clubs are interested in his services. But above all, according to the Iranian press, Hosseinzadeh is mired in a politico-sports quarrel. Indeed, the player had, it is said in Iran, an agreement with Ahmed Madadi, the former president of the Iranian club, to be able to join Europe in the event of an offer set at 250,000 dollars. Except that Esteghlal, an institution very close to the power of Tehran, has changed president. And that the latter, Mostafa Ajorlou, does not intend to release his nugget for such a sum when he could get three or four times more.

Could the player free himself from his release clause? Will Charleroi succeed in settling this thorny issue? A few days ago, Hosseinzadeh gave the beginning of an answer: “I hope something good will happen. To the Esteghlal club and to me.” In short, the file could still last.

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Blatant interference by the Minister of Sports in deciding on Team Melli Head Coach!!!

The minister of Sports Hamid Sajjadi, stressing that the post of the head coach of the national team should be resolved sooner, announced an important meeting with the head of the football federation to determine the position of the national team bench.

Regarding the situation of Team Melli, he noted that "the uncertainty of the national team should end soon. Today, one of our meetings will be with Mirshad Majdi. They (FFIRI) have carried out studies and conducted inquiries. Today we are talking to each other and we are with the national team and we will help. We have received the necessary support from the government to provide any material and moral support to the technical decisions of the federation."

Sajjadi continued "It is not advisable for the Ministry of Sports to interfere in any of the sports fields. Even in athletics, I don't allow them to interfere in technical matters. We respect the technical point of view of the federations."

In response to the question of whether Iranian coaches should be selected for Team Melli, the Minister of Sports said "During the past few days, there have been two schools of thought about the use of Iranian or foreign coaches, all of these are being analyzed, and a final decision taken by two committees of the FFIRI technical committee and the board of directors. The chairman will review these views and finally come today to make the final decision in our meeting".

Sajjadi never explained why the appointment of Team Melli head coach must be decided with the presence of the government who always claims that they are not interfering in the FFIRI. The reality is that beyond any doubt much if not all major decisions in football in Iran are influenced by the government who are even not intelligent enough to disguise the fact.

This meeting announcement by Sajjadi is the biggest proof that the Ministry of Sporty is directly interfering with football, despite their repeated denials.