Tehran.

The Minister of Youth and Sports has once again criticized the status of football and its administration in the country and took an exception for being labeled as anti-football person.

In an informal gathering with senior former footballers, which the Minister called as a special and memorial occasion, Mahmoud Goudarzi said “I am not an anti-football minister of sport, I am anti-corruption and anti-mismanagement. There are quite a few indiscretions occurring in our football that requires attention. We cannot leave it to the hands of some scrupulous people to do whatever they like with the public funds.”

As an example , Goudarzi added that his ministry has asked for the football federation’s balance sheet and budget allocation on several occasions. As yet, nothing has been received from the FFIRI management except promises. “This is the age of transparency; we need all the people to know where the money is being spent. If there was a transparent system in the federation, there would be no need for scrutiny by the ministry because everyone would be aware of all the facts and figures. As it is , there is no transparency.” Goudarzi said. 

Goudarzi singled out Carlos Queiroz for embellished criticism without naming him.” When we bring a foreign coach to work into the country, we are the bosses and he is the employee. We dictate what we want, we dictate our objectives and he should follow and deliver. What we currently see in football  is the exact opposite. The employee is acting like the boss and the boss is obliging and giving to the demand of his employee. It seems that the coach dictates whatever he wants ”

“We have a sense of pride in this country and do not enjoy being targeted for insults and bad mouthing from strangers. We have some degree of tolerance but do not accept insults to our system, way of life and   our traditions.” Goudarzi said in a veiled threat to Queiroz who has been outspoken critic of management and Iranian government lack of financial support to the football federation. “We do need to be told how to run our affairs by people who have no clue what is happening” Goudarzi said.

The informal meeting with the footballers most of whom are retired or working outside of football was a genuine attempt to gain knowledge and learn from the experience former masters, according to the minister who promised better treatment of the ex-footballers who have been marginalized by the present system.