Tag: Algeria

The Football mafia is at it again!

Team Melli lost to Algeria 2-1 in a friendly match in Doha, and that triggered the Iranian football mafia into action. It was like the ideal result for them to call for the head of the current head coach and calls for the former one to return at the helm of Team Melli.

Commenting on such scenario, Bijan ZolfagharNasab the former player and coach of the Iranian national football team who is currently an Advisor to the Minister of Youth and Sports, in reference to Dragan Skocic status, said: “He is the best option now and the atmosphere should not be made more polluted than what is now.”

Team Melli training camp was attended by the Iranian Minister of youth Sports Hamid Sajjadi who held private meetings with senior players such as Omid Ebrahimi, Ehsan HajSafi, Mehdi Taremi, Sardar Azmoun, Alireza Biranvand, and Alireza Jahanbakhsh the night before the match. A meeting in which the players complained about the process of preparing the team for a respectable representation of the country in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

After the 2-1 loss, a result that would not be so critical to any national team in a friendly match, rumors were circulating about the possibility of a change in the coaching staff and the departure of Dragan Skocic less than five months before the start of the first game against England, with the typical name of Carlos Queiroz mentioned in addition to Javad Nekounam as possible replacements.

These rumors intended with malice were accompanied by an official reaction from the Ministry of Sports and Youth regarding interference in technical issues and the selection of the head coach of the Iranian national football team. Mohsen Motamedkia, head of public relations at the Ministry of Sports, said: “The absolute position of the Ministry of Sports and Youth has been to support the decisions made by the Football Federation (FFIRI) from the very beginning, and this position still stands.”

“The Ministry of Sports and Youth has no input in technical matters and only acts as a supporter and a patron behind all sports federations, including the football federation.”

Referring to some rumors, citing yesterday’s meeting of six national team players with Hamid Sajjadi, he noted:” The Minister knows and is aware of sports etiquette well and is fully acquainted with the position of the technical staff, and this meeting was requested by the supervisor and The technical staff of the national team was held and they listened to the concerns of these players for nearly two hours on behalf of the other players and in the presence of the team leader and member of the board of directors of the federation. “

In an interview with Mehr, Bijan ZolfagharNasab commented on criticism of Dragan Skocic: “I think we have witnessed one of the sloppiest games of the Iranian national team in the last decade. We ran after the ball without a purpose and had no strategy to win.” The Adviser to the Minister of Sports then commented on whether it is necessary to change the coaching staff of Team Melli before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: “I do not consider it appropriate to change the current situation. I think we have little chance until the World Cup games. Any change can be to our detriment. Dragan Skocic has done very well and should not be judged by a technical error in a friendly preparation match. “

Zulfiqar Nasab clarified the rumors of the return of Carlos Queiroz: “Mr. Queiroz worked hard for national football, but if he was going to do something worthwhile, he would have done it in the eight years. he was at the helm.  I do not know what changes are going to happen to Team Melli with his presence, which is not possible now. Taking command of the national team at this stage does not cure any pain. We came to a conclusion with him anyway,”

About Skocic, ZolfagharNasab “He kept his faith in these same players. Skocic is the best option at the moment”

As for lack of forward planning and poor management in the Football Federation particularly in arranging friendly international matches for Team Melli: “Unfortunately, there is no sign of planning.  The national team needs preparation for games with teams like England and Wales that have a high physical form. “The former coach of the Iranian national team noted: “We have a very difficult job with the current conditions to qualify out of the group. We can not stand to be counted against the best in the world by relying on the individual ability of the players. This team’s success is a long and complicated process. It needs a chain from the management of the federation all the way to the team players.

Team Melli defeated in its only preparation game.

Algeria’s National football team defeated Iran 2-1 in a friendly match held at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar Sunday night.

Riad Benayad opened the scoring for Algeria two minutes before the halftime.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh equalized the match in the 64th minute but Algerian winger Mohamed El Amine Amoura scored the winner in the 82nd minute. Both the Algerian goals were gifts from Iranian defenders.

The match started more than 20 minutes late due to the late arrival of the Algerian bus to the Qatar FC stadium. There was also a minute of silence before the match for the tragic accidents in Iran and the death of the Algerian National team player, Billel Benhammouda who was killed in a car accident after returning home from a match in which he scored a goal.

The first half saw action from both teams but a horrible back pass lead to the first goal for Algeria just before the half times.

In the second half, Jahabakh found the back of the net and the Iran equalizer from an assist by Omid Nourafkan.

Another wayward defending due to the pressure that Algerians were exerting on the Iranian ball carrier resulted in the Algerian winner.

Despite the defeat, Team Melli plays some neat football, but the players are obviously in need of much more than this match in order to perform well to their true ability at the world cup. Algeria was virtually playing with the U23 team while Team Melli was at full strength minus the two central defenders, Khalilzadeh and Kananizadegan.

Rendulic joins Team Melli coaching staff.

TEHRAN – Croatian coach Krunoslav Rendulic has been added to the Team Melli coaching staff.

The 49-year-old coach, who has most recently worked as head coach of Croatian club Gorica, has joined Iran’s training camp in Doha, Qatar.

He has previously worked as assistant coach of his countryman Luka Bonacic in Iran’s Foolad in 2014.

Iran prepares for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where the Persians are drawn with England, the U.S., and Wales in Group B. Team Melli is meeting Algeria in Doha in its only friendly match during the international break which lasted t weeks.

Team Melli will be meeting the former African Champions Algeria Sunday evening in its only preparatory international friendly, in Doha Qatar.

Although Team Melli and all other national team age groups for this matter have historically been one of the weakest teams in terms of preparation and readiness, in FIFA World Cup and other tournaments such as AFC Asian Cup, this time, it must be the worst in its history and puts Iran football reputation to shame.

After what looked like a cesarean operation, the Algeria match was finally confirmed, following a series of cancellations against Canada, Uruguay, New Zealand, South Africa, and Oman.

The match against Algeria this evening is quite a good test despite the African team missing their star player and Manchester City winger Riyadh Mehrez. The coach Djamel Belmadhi, a familiar character against Iranian teams, is under great scrutiny for failing to lead his team to qualify for the World Cup 2022.

Djamel Belmadi is determined to revive the mighty Algerian team and has announced before that he will not leave his post with the national team and instead will remain in charge of their qualifying campaign for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be held in Ivory Coast.

Belmadi had come under mounting criticism following a disastrous defense of their 2019 AFCON title.

At the 2021 edition of the tournament in Cameroon earlier this year, Algeria finished bottom of Group E having taken just one point from three matches.

‘The Desert Warriors’ also failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after they lost to Cameroon on away goals in their play-off tie.

Belmadhi urged players who wanted to join the team to come up with a fighting spirit as former Algerians did years ago.

Djamel Belmadi showed himself determined to end this second Greens training camp in Doha in the best possible way, “we were keen to play a third match during this international window.

The game against Iran is a good opportunity to gauge our team. he said at the microphone of the FAF. Coach Belmadi revealed the direct line that the Algerian team will follow for the friendly against Iran, “we will approach this match in the most rigorous way. We will not ignore the culture of winning, if only for a friendly match. he adds.

Aware of the work that awaits his men for his second term at the head of the Algerian selection, the 2019 African champion kept the pressure on his players away, “it is a team in reconstruction. We are going to face a selection that has its automatisms in place, while we are working to find them. It’s a great test for the Algerian team. he explains.

As far as Skocic is concerned, this match remains the only confirmed opportunity for him to watch his player play against a strong opponent. Of course, it is far from adequate preparation and this could be an excuse too for failing in the finals. Skocic remains culpable for this failure to prepare the team for the greatest tournament in the world.

It is hardly unlikely that Skocic will touch the lineup as he will use this match to check on his main players. The many new faces will only play second string while Algeria is re-building.

“Training preparations not ideal” says Jahanbakhsh

Alireza Jahanbakhsh, currently in training camp with the rest of his Team Melli teammates in Doha, Qatar, “was critical of the chaotic preparations for the Training camp and the uncertainties which have upset the players and staff of the team.  “After some confusion about the camp, the location of the camp, and the friendly games, the decision to hold the camp in Doha was quite good,” Jahanbakhsh said

“Of course, due to the weather conditions and humid climate, practice and training are held in the evenings when the temperature is much lower and the weather is bearable.”

Team Melli Captain added:” The physical conditions of the players are not bad. After canceling a few friendly matches, at least the game with Algeria is on. We are training well to face this good team and hope we can make a match out of it. I, the other players, and the coaching staff wanted to play more preparation games, but unfortunately, that did not happen.”

He stressed that “these are the difficult conditions in preparing the national team. The groundwork, programming, and arrangement of Training Camps must be ideal and should leave no one in doubt about what is happening, where, and when. Instead, we were living in suspense as the plans for the camp kept changing every day from one place to another and one match to another. Such uncertainty does not help the players or the coaching staff.”

“We should not let the events of this training camp happen ever again, We should plan from now on so that we can go through a good preparation for the World Cup. Wales became another team that has made the tough group even tougher now. I do not see the situation as positive.”

Jahanbakhsh was upset with the situation in the national team and also said: “Let’s go to the World Cup without preparation and preparation games! Honestly, we do not see any positive conditions, but we must also look at the positive part of the story. The players are determined to make fans happy with good games.”

In what sounded like a tongue-in-cheek remark, the Feyenoord winger said “Fans and people of the country, should pray for us to have proper training schedule and camps ahead so that we play well against the tough opponents and make them happy and proud in the World Cup.”

Team Melli to meet Algeria in Doha

Team Melli, currently in a training camp in Qatar, Qatar is scheduled to meet with Algeria as announced by the Football Federation of Algeria.

Iran has previously held talks with several African football federations, including Congo, Cameroon, and Algeria, to play a preparatory game on FIFA Day in June. South Africa was also the latest possible opponent of Iran, which, with the announcement of its head coach, planned to play against our national team on June 14 in Doha.

However, it seems that the meeting with Algeria in Qatar has been decided for the Team Melli and Iran can have at least one friendly international game. This is the news announced by “Salah Bi-Abboud”, the director of communications and public relations of the Algerian Football Federation. “What is certain is that Algeria will play against Iran in Doha on June 12,” he told Algerian National Radio. There is an agreement between the two teams. We are waiting for the formalization of affairs at the level of organization and logistics.” The director of communications of the Algerian federation announced that after the official announcement, this news will be published on the website of the Algerian federation.

Tow previous games vs Canada in Vancouver and Ecuador were scheduled in Canada, but political interference lead to the unilateral cancellation of the match by pressure from the Canadian government. Next, Iran planned to travel to Uruguay and play with the national team of this country; This did not materialize due to the difficult logistics and objection of Iran’s head coach Dragan Skočić.

FFIRI has not confirmed the news of Algeria match.

Uruguay match called off!

After the cancelation of the Canada and Ecuador matches. Uruguay was named as a strong candidate for a friendly but today, it has been announced that Dragan Skočić is against traveling thousands of miles to Latin America to play a friendly match between Iran and Uruguay.

The friendly match between Iran and Uruguay was not singed off due to the opposition of the Head Coach of Team Melli. originally, the Football Federation had planned to travel from Qatar to South America because the Team Melli calendar was void of any matches on FIFA Day, but due to the availability of several well-known African teams, these options are more favorable, which is why Skocic has opposed his team’s departure to Uruguay. The Iranian Football Federation is negotiating with several African teams such as Cameroon, Algeria, and Congo to arrange three friendly matches in Qatar. None of these countries have suggested that it will be playing against Iran, though.

Earlier, the FFIRI was also in negotiation for a match against Senegal but nothing came out of that either.

Iran is the only qualified team for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 that has no friendly match on its calender until the World Cup Group C match against England.

Biranvand flying high.

He might not be every fan’s cup of tea, but Biarnvand is certainly flying high these days and was the man of the match in Persepolis AFC Champions League semifinal victory against Al Sadd of Qatar.

Persepolis has secured a 0-1 away win against Al Sadd in Doha. A draw in the jammed packed Azadi would have taken the most popular club in Iran to the finals of the AFC Champions League for the first time in its illustrious history.

Al Sadd star-studded team included two famous Spanish midfielders. The legendary ex-Barcelona star Xavier Hernández Creus or better known to the world as “Xavi“, and ex Ateltico Madrid Gabriel Fernández Arenas or “Gabi”in addition to the competition top scorer the Algerian Baghdad Bounedjah and South Korean national team midfielder Jung Woo-Young

The crowd, estimated to be over 120,000 fans in Azadi , despite the official viewpoint of 78,000 , were stunned when the Algerian Bounedjah scored passed Biranvand in the 17th minute.

Persepolis scored the equalizer early in the second half when Siamak Nemati scored in the similar fashion to Al Sadd goal.

Minutes from the final whistle with the match finally in balance and the 1-1 draw result taking Persepolis to the final of the AFC Champions League. Xavi, with his immense wealth of experience in World football and Barcelona, escaped all the Persepolis defense to be on the receiving end of a fine cross which he headed powerfully towards the far end of Persepolis goal. The trajectory of the header seemed to be certain to end up in the goal and a definite winner for Al Sadd.

Alireza Biranvand , stunned by the freedom given to Xavi to freely head the ball was off guard. However, Team Melli guardian flew like an eagle and brilliantly deflected the ball over the bar to save his team from certain elimination.

This type of saves are written in the records book for its brilliance but more for its significance on the result and the fate of the teams. It was a huge and spectacular save that needs to be written in the records book which Alireza Biranvand has a claim on another one, which was his World Cup Penalty save against no other than Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.

Biranvand has saved a Xavi header and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty. Not many keepers can claim such feat.

Saying that, Birnavand remains an enigma. He can be world-class one day, and a villain the next. He concedes goals that even the weakest keepers can save. He is also a bit of nuisance cum showman in the matches with his running and shouting at his defenders act. Add this to his time-wasting tactics that are far from clever and has brought him several yellow cards.

The Team Melli fans across the world would be much gladder to see the positive side of Biranvand in the UAE. He is undoubtedly flying high now and we all hope to see that continues for the next 3 months.

Esteghlal and Pas Tehran are the only Iranian clubs who have won the Asian Clubs top prize before.

Sepahan, Zob Ahan and Esteghlal have also been finalists.

Persepolis will play Kashima Antlers of Japan in the final of AFC Champions League 2017/18 season.

Iran and Qatar to meet in a friendly

Team Melli will probably be playing its last preparation match against Qatar on the last day of the year to complete its schedule before flying to the UAE to compete in the AFC Asian Cup 2019.

The Qatar Football Association has announced the program for its national team which includes four matches against Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Algeria and Iran.

Team Melli will be playing against Trinidad and Venezuela before meeting Qatar.

There was no confirmation from FFIRI on this match., but that is pretty much expected.

Carlos Queiroz contract offers

The head of the Algerian football federation, Khidir al-Din Zatshi, has categorically denied that his federation had any contacts with the Portuguese coach, Carlos Queiroz , for the purpose of taking over the job of head coach of National football team of Algeria instead of the local hero , Rabih Madjir who was sacked last month.

“I have not contacted the Portuguese coach of Iran Carlos Queiroz to offer him the job of the national team coach and I am also not aware of anyone from my federation carrying out such contacts” Zatshi, confirmed in a short interview with (Al-Nah’ar) newspaper.

There has been various reports of such contacts recently which the Iranian media has also carried over.

On the other hand, Al Arab newspaper has reported that Carlos Queiroz has turned down an offer from the Egyptian FA to train its national football team to replace the Argentine, Hector Cuper.

No further details were given.