Mojtaba Jabbari , one of the most talented and creative midfield players in Iran at the present time is again involved in another dispute ,  that has deprived him from playing regular football  this time with his current club , Sepahan Esfahan.

The long list of Jabbari’s disputes and battles in Iran can only be matches by another talented and skillful player of Iran, namely Ali Karimi. Somehow it seems that being a worthy skillful and entertaining player must be synonymous with trouble maker.

Rumors were circulating from various sources in Esfahan and the Iranian media about Mojtaba Jabbari’s impending departure from Sepahan.  Whatever problems Team Melli midfielder had with his club, surfaced in the open after an interview given to the press in which Jabbari criticized the coach’s tactics. In professional football, it is always expected that some disciplinary action is taken against such acts of indiscretion by players.  It is not the first time that the quick trigger mouth of the Jabbari has put him into trouble.

In today’s post Sepahan – Saba Qom match press conference, the Croat coach of Sepahan Esfahan , Zlatko”Cico” Kranjcar confirmed that Jabbari has been suspended by the club and not allowed to attend the teams  practices and  subsequently not available for selection for official matches. Kranjcar said that “ the club has given their recently joined player all the support  he needed to integrate himself with the rest of the team, however , it seems that he is not settled and he is unsure of him being here while publicly criticizing us.  Because of that, we have given him time to sort himself out. We still willing to have him in the team, but only if he fully applies himself as a Sepahan player working within the framework of the team for team. We need committed players”

 It seemed to the outside observer, that Jabbari abrupt signing for Sepahan was done on haste. The circumstances behind his signing were far from professional and highly emotional. Jabbari was a persona non grata at Esteghlal as the result of series of disputes that Jabbari had with the club , including but not limited to financial disputes. The matter reached a flash point of no return when he was involved in a physical scuffle with Esteghlal’s Chief Executive Ali Fathollazadeh.  Jabbari claimed that the vulgar Fathollazadeh used obscene words during their arguments which prompted him to physical attack the CEO of Esteghlal.  The player was immediately sacked from the club and Sepahan pounced on the opportunity to sign him without really addressing the circumstances of his departure or indeed analyzing the player’s psychological profile and his willing to give it all for another club different from his beloved Esteghlal.

Now, Jabbri has realized that his heart is not in Sepahan but there in Tehran. He has already told a reporter that as soon as Fathollazadeh leaves Esteghlal or is sacked, he will promptly return to Esteghlal! Such statement did not endear him with Sepahan supporters and much less with the club management and it showed definite lack of commitment by the player for Sepahan Club.

So, here is another example of a very talented player who has personality issues which hinders his progress and potential. Regardless to who is right and who is at fault , Jabbari , like many other Iranian players, lack the professional conduct and proper conflict resolution tactics preferring to open their mouth in public resulting in antagonism and disorder. The result will always reflect on the player himself as even the most die-hard fan of such player will eventually lose patience and sympathy with him by saying “What a waste of talent!”