Blatter supports Iran Asian Cup bid while urges the country to admit women to stadiums

Tehran (AFP) – FIFA chief Sepp Blatter appealed to the Iranian authorities on Thursday to end the ban on women attending men’s football matches in force since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Blatter, who was wrapping up a two-day visit to Tehran, said that Iran’s top female official, Vice President , was among those he had raised the issue with but stressed he was not seeking to interfere in Iranian politics.

“I had the opportunity this morning to speak with the lady vice president to ask that in the government they should try to change one of the cultural laws here that woman cannot attend football matches,” Blatter said.

“I repeated this to the (conservative) speaker of parliament (Ali Larijani) and he said he will take it up,” he added.

“I did not intervene to change the law but, as the president of FIFA and defender of football in Islamic countries, I had to present this plea to the political authorities.”

Iran argues that its ban on women attending football matches in the same stadiums as men is necessary to protect them from lewd language that might emanate from the terraces..”

Karim Ansarifard dribbles for Iran in an Asian Cup …

The ban was even extended to live public screenings of games in last year’s European football championships.

“Men, while watching football, get excited and sometimes utter vulgar curses or tell dirty jokes,” deputy police chief Bahman Kargar said in justification at the time.

The ban was the subject of the award-winning 2006 film “Offside” by Jafar Panahi in which a group of young Iranian girls dress up a boys to sneak into Tehran’s Azadi stadium to watch that year’s World Cup qualifying playoff against Bahrain.

The film, which took the Silver Bear Jury Grand Prix at the Berlin Film Festival, was partially shot during the actual game it depicts.

On the separate issue of women players being allowed to wear the Islamic headscarf, Blatter said that the final decision on a trial under way since July last year would be taken at a FIFA board meeting in Zurich on February 28.

“We are in a period of try how it works out,” he said, noting that “a lot of Islamic countries, like North Africa,” did not require women players to wear the headscarf.

The trial was launched last year at the request of the Asian Football Confederation. Iran was among its supporters.

Sepp Blatter lends support to Iran Asian Cup bid

Fifa president backs country to host the 2019 tournament

Tehran: Fifa president Sepp Blatter has given his support to Iran’s bid to host the 2019 Asian Cup during a visit to the country on Wednesday.

The official Iranian news agency Irna reported that Blatter and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, with Rouhani thanking both men “for their support of Iran’s candidature for the 2019 Asian Cup”.

“Football can reinforce relations between nations,” Rouhani added.

Iran won consecutive Asian Cups in 1968, 1972 and 1976, hosting the 1968 and 1976 tournaments.

A total of eight countries submitted bids to host the 2019 finals, with Bahrain, China, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and the UAE joining Iran.

The next tournament in 2015 will be held in Australia, with Iran currently on course to qualify.

Coached by Portuguese former Real Madrid boss Carlos Queiroz, Iran have also qualified for next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

Blatter is on a 36-hour “courtesy visit” to Iran and was also scheduled to attend a football and science seminar on Thursday organised by the Iranian Football Federation.

“It is a courtesy visit to the Iranian football federation after I postponed my visit last year,” Blatter told Fifa official media.

“It is a good time to go. There was a change, I’m honoured to meet President Rouhani to speak with him about the future of the country and the future of football.”

Namazi hints that match against USA might not materialize!

Omid Namazi , one of assistance coaches of Carlos Queiroz , hinted that  the proposed participation of Team Melli in the American invitational 4 side tournament , which Iran is invited to , might not be approved by Queiroz due to logistics!

Namazi was speaking during the International Congress on Science and Football currently being held in Tehran and attended by world football dignitaries including Sepp Baltter , the head of FIFA. When quizzed further on the issue of Team Melli friendly preparation games, Namazi said “We have to wait for the World Cup draw which is held on Dec. 6th , before deciding any participation and arranging of friendly matches” thus reflecting Queiroz belief of identifying Iran’s group teams, and based on the style of those teams, appropriate friendly matches would be arranged.

On the opportunity of playing USA and another yet to be named team in a 4 side tournament , Namazi already dropped a hint that Iran might not take up that invitation due to the distance and logistics.

With Queiroz refusing to take part in the WAFF competition which will be held at the end of the year in Qatar thus depriving the team from much needed practice for many fringe players, and mocking playing against Thailand and Kuwait matches in the AFC Asian Cup 2015 qualifiers as a joke as far as World Cup preparations is concerned , and now the possibility of refusing a lucrative friendlies in the USA against quality teams is looming , it is not clear what is in Queiroz mind when it comes to his vision of friendly matches and preparation for the World Cup. Unless the Portuguese coach  comes up with a master strike and arranges friendlies with quality European teams between now and the actual World Cup tournament , Team Melli will be running out of options and might seriously end up playing in the World Greatest football tournament without proper and meaningful friendly matches.

The irony of the matter is that Queiroz has always complained about the lack of friendly games and quality opponents. In his two years reign as the head coach of Team Melli , Iran has played games with mediocre teams such as Madagascar and Palestine. In those two years , Iran played only once against a team that is higher ranked than itself in the FIFA ranking and that is Tunisia in 2012. The only friendly in 2013 was against Oman which it lost.

Judging by track record, it is hardly unlikely that Queiroz , Kaffashian and co  are able to line up meaningful oppositions anytime soon.  Queiroz has already spoken abut Iran’s isolation (…) and the sanction as pretext for not finding quality teams. As it happened , Iran played two top world class teams in Brazil and Russia , right before he took over. The sanctions was very much enforce then as well.

 

List of Iran opponents and their average FIFA ranking in friendly matches under Queiroz.

2011

2012

2013

Sepp Blatter arrives in Tehran

 

FIFA president Sepp Blatter arrived in Tehran this Wednesday morning to attend the second International Congress on Science and Football. He was received by  Ali Kaffashian, head of Iran Football Federation, and some dignitaries, including Ali Daei, Mehdi Mahdavikia and Current Team Melli Captain Javad Nekounam.

Blatter is scheduled to meet the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the country’s sports and youth ministry.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa will also arrive in Tehran  later today to attend the conference.

Earlier , Sepp blatter commented about his visit to Iran by saying “The people of Iran are very happy to reach the World Cup,” said Blatter. “It will give a lot of emotions to this country. I will be honoured to meet President Rouhani and speak with him about the future of football in Iran.”

Blatter whose executive jet landed at Imam Khomeini airport early in the morning at 4:45 , will have a busy schedule while in Tehran. In a brief statement in the airport, President of the football governing body said “I am glad that I have finally made this trip which is well over due. We have initially talked about it 2 years and finally I am here. ” Blatter engaged in conversation with Daei asking him about the status of readiness of Team Melli for the World Cup.

Mahdavikia greets Blatter
Mahdavikia greets Blatter

Nigeria U17 coach hits back at Iran age-cheating claim

By Oluwashina Okeleji BBC Sport, Lagos

Nigeria Under-17 coach Manu Garba has dismissed Iran’s accusation of age-cheating in the 4-1 defeat by the Golden Eaglets at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Three-time champions Nigeria were too hot for Iran at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain racking up three goals in the first half en route to a 4-1 win against the Asian side in the Round of 16. Afterwards Iranian coach Ali Doustimehr questioned the ages of some of the players representing the west African country.

But Garba told BBC Sport: “I personally feel it is just something that is borne out of frustration at losing to a tactically and technically better side. “All the players we have here passed the MRI test and we even conducted another round one month before we came to the UAE. “We would probably take it up with the Iranian coach at Fifa level for casting aspersion on the eligibility of our players.”

Back in August, Nigeria dropped key players for the tournament after wrist scans showed them to be over the age limit. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to scan the wrist plate of players to accurately ascertain their true age, with only players between grade 1 and 5 of the scan eligible to participate. Meanwhile, Nigeria and Ivory Coast are the only African teams to have progressed to the quarter-finals in the UAE.

While the Young Elephants narrowly edged past continental rivals Morocco 2-1, Nigeria highlighted their title credentials with that crushing victory over Iran, bringing their goals-for tally to 18 after four games.

Ivory Coast will face Argentina in the last eight on Saturday, while Nigeria are sweating on the fitness of leading scorer Kelechi Iheanacho for their tie against Uruguay on the same day. Iheanacho has scored five goals in the competition and coach Manu Garba has assured the striker will be available for the Uruguay test. “It is a minor injury and Iheanacho should be back for the next game,” the coach said.

Nigeria have now reached at least the quarter-finals at nine of the ten U-17 World Cups they have participated in. The only time the Golden Eaglets failed to do so was at Finland 2003, when they were packing for home after the group stage.

Team Melli withdraws from WAFF tournament.

Fadi Zeraiqat , the secretary general of West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) announced that Iran has withdrawn from this years tournament because of objection by Carlos Queiroz.

Iran is a founding member of WAFF and has been ever present in this regional championship from the onset , winning 4 titles out of 7 played so far (2000, 2004, 2007 & 2008)  in addition to one runner up and one third place. This year’s edition is scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar from 25th December 2013 to 7th January 2014.

In the previous edition of the tournament  in 2012 hosted by Kuwait, Iran,  and for the first time, failed to qualify from the group stages. The team was coached by Queiroz.

While many teams , including Iran , use fringe players for this tournament to gain experience or for coaches to have a look at players that do not get opportunity in competitive A team matches, Iran’s absence from this edition is puzzling. Only a few days ago , the same Queiroz who has decided that Iran should not take part in this tournament , has bitterly complained about lack of friendly matches for Team Melli as part of their preparation for the World Cup. Queiroz has claimed that due to the absence of some of his players who are  in European teams , this tournament is meaningless without them !

European scouts show interest in Iranian young talents.

The corridors of Dubai and Abu Dhabi hotels where the U-17 teams stayed for the FIFA U-17 World Cup was littered with European scouts and talent hunters in a bid to discover the next Messi or Christiano Ronaldo. The scouts, whose covert operation resembles the work of Major spy agencies and their reconnaissance always shrouded with secrecy, have been seen monitoring Iran’s U-17 camp.

Despite the secrecy, it was apparent that one or several Iranian youngsters are under the microscope. Dutch, German and French scouts have been asking questions and attending matches while preparing reports and dossiers about potential player that can be recruited at this age and trained professionally in Europe.

 Despite our best efforts, there was no firm indication on which of the Iranian players has been focused on or raised the interest of the Europeans.    Speculation was rife about one or two players that have attracted the interest of the scouts as potential recruits. The two players are Majid Hosseini  and Saeid Ezzatolahei. In fact , a British TV commentator was confident that the latter player has been approached by scouts , although he did not  disclose the source of his information.

The fact that young Iranians players are on the radar of the European clubs, is quite a motivating factor for the others to excel. Despite the sad loss to a much better team and technically accomplished Nigerian team, and the elimination from the championship, there were some sterling displays by the Iranian players in the 4 matches played. Individual skills, physical strength and some delicate footwork by the Iranian young players, impressed many observers.

Presence of Mehdi Mahdavikia amongst the Technical cadre of Iran’s U-17 team was also an attraction to the German scouts particularly. Mahdavikia a veteran of German football who played in the Bundesliga for the majority of his professional career was a popular star in Hamburg SV while playing for VfL Bochum and Eintracht Frankfurt  as well. Mahdavikia was a grat ambassador for Iranian football in Germany.

Saeid Ezzatolahei who was born in Anzali , is a member of Malavan Anzali club. His father Nader , was one of the senior Malavan players.

Mahdavikia: “the Nigerians were tremendous, Our team was shocked.”

Iran nigeria FIFA U-17

 

Mehdi Mahdavikia said the Nigerian team was tremendous  while our team was shocked in matter of few minutes .

After the crushing 4-1 defeat of Iran’s U-17 team in the FIFA U17 World Cup by Nigeria . Mahdavikia who was accompanying the team as an advisor admitted that the African team was way stronger than Iran. “in matter of minutes, the way the Nigerians played made our team fell apart. Nigeria had a very strong team. Their No. 11 player managed to run havoc on our defenses, and we had no answer for that. They were very professional and it was a deserving victory for the better team.” Mahdavikia said.

“Our players were not successful in playing a neat passing game and many of their passes fell short or intercepted by the opponents who created swift counterattacks and scored goals. Our players fell victim to their inexperience. We should accept that our opponents played much better than us. Their Height and figures looked like players above 17 years category .”

The former Captain of Team Melli : “I played soccer for many years but I do not know how can some of these Nigerian players can be less than 17 years !. There are a number of crucial factors at this level of football; stress and lack of experience are at the top. In this level, the young age and lack of experience sometimes makes it difficult for players to make the right decisions in time-critical situations.”

Mahdavikia in an interview with ISNA said that “the fact that the players reached the World Cup and qualified from group stage is in itself an achievement that we need to commend them and the coaching staff.  I believe congratulation is due. We need to face reality, our young players do not have a lot to offer and that is probably the most they could achieve at world level. Football in Iran does not pay much attention to the grassroots. Considering this, Doustimeher , his coaching team and his colleagues  did a marvelous and commending job creating this team in such adverse situations , to build a team to the World Cup after hard work lasting for three years “.

“After long consideration, I don’t think that Team Melli U-17 performed badly. We qualified from the group stage but faced a team like Nigeria which has the potential to reach the final. I believe that our team created an achievement under these circumstances. We tried our best to qualify but faced a strong team that we could not beat. Hopefully in the future our grassroots football is taken more seriously so that we can build better national teams. Again though, I believe that the work of the coaching staff to reach that far in the World Cup was a masterwork.”
Iran was eleimnated from the FIFA U17 World Cup in the 1/16 round by losing to Nigeria 4-1 in Al Ain.

Iran bid farewell to the FIFA U-17 World Cup

Iran U-17 bid farewell to the FIFA U-17 World Cup after losing 4-1 to Nigeria in Al Ain today.

The African champions scored 3 times in the first half and added a fourth in the second while Iran scored a consolation late in the second from a beautiful; volley bi Gholozadeh.

The Nigerians began the match very strongly and stamped their authority on the game from the first quarter of the match. It took Iran some time to settle. The consistent attacks by the skillful Nigerians resulted in two quick goals on the 23 and 25th minutes scored by   Samuel OKON (23′) and   Kelechi IHEANACHO (25′)  before   Musa MUHAMMED (42′) put the game beyond Iran’s reach with the third goal.

Iran was hopelessly outclassed in this half with the Nigerians showing some beautiful touches, lethal finishing and surprising stronger physical strength.

The second half started with Iran looking for a quick responses, but the erroneous passes and some route one football failed to make any inroads towards the Nigerian goal. The Africans however , looked like they were satisfied by the result and conserving energy for the next round , preferring to see the Iranians doing the attack.

However , Iran could not score and only one serious chance was created which was saved by the extended arms of the Nigerian keeper. TO make the matters worst for Iran , Musa YAHAYA  score Nigeria’s 4th in the 76 minute.

Iran scored the consolation by Ali GHOLIZADEH (84′) however, it was not enough to threaten the superiority of the Nigerians who were one class above Iran in every department.

 

Iran latest to feel Nigerian heat
© Getty Images

Three-time champions Nigeria had no trouble with Iran at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain racking up three goals in the first half en route to a 4-1 scoreline. The result sets up a quarter-final date for the Nigerians with Uruguay, a game in which they will likely be missing two of their best attackers – Kalechi Iheanacho and Success Isaac – through injury.

Nigeria came out all guns blazing in the opening seconds. Iheanacho, who scored four goals in the opener on this very pitch, fired a vicious shot from the corner of the penalty area inside the first minute that only just flew over the bar. It wasn’t long after that Chidiebere Nwakali raced through midfield on the end of an elegant heel flick from Zaharaddeen Bello. His shot from way out, however, also went over the goal.

The pressure was mounting on Iran, who’d been so sturdy up to this point in the competition. Nigeria were attacking up both flanks and crossing dangerously, but the storm subsided and Iran began to get some touches on the ball. And when Nwakali tried to dribble the ball out of defence, he was stripped by Mohammad Bazaj, whose effort from a tight angle after 21 minutes was the Iranian’s first chance of the half.

All that did was make the Nigerians angry. The Eaglets were into the lead just seconds later when Musa Yahaya pulled off an outrageous move to leave his man for dead at the edge of the penalty area. He sent in a low diagonal ball to Samuel Okon, who sliced in from a tight angle. Two minutes later it was 2-0 for the Africans. Taiwo Awoniyi, on for the injured Success Isaac, pulled the ball across the 18-yard line for Iheanacho, who dispatched his fifth goal of the tournament. It would be the impressive No10’s last action, as he pulled his hamstring shortly after and signaled for a substitute.

Captain Musa Muhammed grabbed a third goal for Nigeria five minutes from the interval, taking advantage of some slack marking to burst into the area and score to make it 3-0 at the break.

The second half lacked the total attacking sparkle of the first, but the Nigerians remained in full control. In the 78th minute, Yahaya dropped his shoulder brilliantly again – pulling out his signature move – before firing low into the corner from 25 yards. Iran managed a consolation goal six minutes from time. Substitute Ali Gholizadeh scored from the edge of the box with the Nigerian defenders suffering from a bit of understandable complacency. It was clearly too little too late for Iran though, as Nigeria’s dominant performance will likely send a chill up the spine of Uruguay, who they will meet in the last eight.

Doustimehr “The match against Nigeria is an early final”

Al Ain (UAE)

After leading his team to the last 16 of the FIFA U-17 World Cup , Ali Doustimehr said that the match against Nigeria is an early final for them “We have not come here to this championship to leave empty handed. Our goal is to win and and make it all the way to the finals.”

In the pre-match press conference , Iran U-17 coach said “Nigeria is a strong team from every aspect , be it physical , mental and tactical. They have won several titles at this level and will be aiming to continue their championship trail. We will be facing a tough task , but that does not mean much to us as we have to give it our best regardless to whom we face.”

Asked whether there was any request by Iran to double check the age of the Nigerian players as many reports have indicated the possibility of Nigeria fielding over-aged players, Doustimehr said “That is FIFA’s duty. These championship is held every two years and FIFA has the necessary tools to control the validity of players’ ages. As far as I am concerned , the result of the match is the pitch not in the corridors of power. We will leave FIFA to decide on any outcome in these matters”

Mano Gabra, the Nigerian coach warned his team against complacency against Iran. “If we we make such mistake , we might end up stunned like Argentina found out playing against Iran.”

“Nigeria has won 3 titles and were runners up 3 times. The people of Nigerian are expecting a lot from us and we have to deliver.

Iran and Nigeria will be p[laying in Al Ain today for a place in the quarter finals of the FIFA U-17 Championship. Iran will be wearing their white Jersey while Nigeria is wearing their traditional green outfit.

FIFA has announced that the knock out stages will not have extra time in case of a tie in the regulation time of 90 minutes, a draw will lead to penalty kicks without the extra 30 minutes being played. FIFA attributed this change of rule to the possibility pf physical exhaustion of players at this age level.

Iran’s Hosseini on the defensive

(FIFA.com) Monday 28 October 2013
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Iran’s Hosseini on the defensive
© Getty Images

Iran’s road to the Round of 16 here at the U-17 finals in UAE was paved with defence. Scoring only three times in their three section games, the Persians have a clear tactical scheme. “We do everything we can to make sure we don’t let the opponents in,” captain and centre-back Majid Hosseini told FIFA.com about his side’s stingy stance.

But Hosseini knows better than anyone what awaits him in the first knockout round in Al Ain City: free-scoring Nigeria, a team as obsessed with attacking as the Iranians are with defending. “My attack is blistering,” was what the Golden Eaglets’ coach Manu Garba had to say before even kicking off here in the Emirates. And their 4.6 goals per game average shows he wasn’t just boasting. “We can destroy any team on our day.”

We know that they only need one second to hurt you, to score a goal from nothing.

Iran centre-back and captain Hosseini knows all about Nigeria

Iran undoubtedly have one of the best defenders of the tournament in Hosseini. Tall and quick of mind, the Saipa FC man is the general of a team that keeps it tight at the back and only rarely, at specific and carefully chosen moments, raids forward. He is vocal on the pitch, pivoting nimbly to adjust to situations as they arise, and he inspires his mates with his actions and his bravery in the danger-zone. He plays like a leader and he talks like one too.

But his forehead wrinkles when Nigeria’s 14 goals so far are mentioned. Hosseini’s face turns from that of spotty teenager to a worried and wizened old man when he considers the west Africans, three-time U-17 world champions. “It will be the hardest game so far for us; we can have no illusion about it,” he said of the Nigerians, who are rivalled only by Brazil for their attacking ability and, in Kalechi Iheanacho and Success Isaac, have two of the best strikers in the world for their age.

“Nigeria are a very strong team,” the Iran captain added, looking intently at his translator who turned his Persian into English. “We know about their attack. We know that they only need one second to hurt you, to score a goal from nothing. We know all of this,” he said, before pausing and putting a hand on the translator’s shoulder, looking into his eyes and making a point clearly and slowly: “But we have our strengths too.”

Switching the conversation from Nigeria’s varied attack, their dizzying brand of Total Football that’s been a delight for fans and a nightmare for opposition defenders, the Iran captain speaks of his team as a unit. And while Mostafa Hashemi and Yousef Seyyedi have scored two of the best goals at these these finals, individuals are spurned for the collective in the Iranian cause.

“Everybody in the team acts as a defender and when we do go forward we go forward as one,” said the 17-year-old, who led Iran when they were crowned champions of Asia earlier this year. “This is one of the secrets of our success. Our defenders, all of us, are close friends and we support each,” he added about the esprit de corps in the side. “When we get into trouble, there’s always someone to help out.”

Freedom meets form in desert duel
And while Nigeria’s coach gives his players what he calls “a special freedom,” Iran’s stern-looking boss Al Doustimehr gives his team orders. “We listen to our coach because by listening to him we have arrived here at the World Cup, and now into the knockout rounds,” said Hosseini, his mates waiting for him in a pack near the team bus. “Our coach will look at the Nigeria tapes and he will tell us what to do. And if we’re smart, we’ll listen.”

Few who have seen Group F toppers Nigeria in action will hold out much hope for Iran, who’ve never gone past the last 16 at a U-17 World Cup. But captain Hosseini isn’t bothered by being underdog and his confidence in his own ability – and his team-mates – is strong. His thoughts even go beyond the Nigerians. “Our goal is the last four,” he said. “We outlined this before the tournament started and we can still do it.”

First they will have to find a way to neutralise one of the best attacking teams the U-17 World Cup has ever seen. The captain’s mind turns to his home country for the kind of backing-up he preaches in his team, but on a larger scale. “We’ve felt positive energy coming from home,” he said, his eyes turning glassy with emotion. “We want to make the Iranian people happy and we’ll give everything we have against Nigeria to do it.”

Whether that will be enough for the brave Iranians will be only be known at the Khalifia bin Zayed Stadium on Tuesday night, when two contrasting styles and temperaments collide in the desert.