Tag: Damash

Iran’s football Marco Polo

A former Team Melli player has recently joined the fourteenth football league clubs of his career. The 36-year-old Mohammad Ghazi Najafabadi is currently playing in Mes Rafsanjan and experiencing his fourteenth club. However, the record holder for transfer belongs to another Khuzestani player and former Team Melli midfielder Milad Zenidpour

The Khuzestani midfielder has donned the jerseys of eighteen teams, a record in Iran, and not too far from a world record. The former Team Melli player is now 34 years old and plays for Sarawak United in the Malaysian League. The label of “Marco Polo of Iranian football” is quite appropriate for this professional football. Even his ardent fans have trouble keeping track of which team he is playing for!

Zanidpour began his career in Khuzestan then joined  Saipa, Peykan, Rah Ahan, Steel Azin, Damash, Sepahan, Peykan, Malvan Anzali, Zobahan, Naft Masjed Soleyman, Erbil (Iraq), Armi United (Thailand), Gostarish Tabriz, Madura United (Indonesia), Yuki M and finally Sarawak United (Malaysia). He is currently a record holder.

Of course, a much-travelled player in g=his class will hardly ever have time to develop or become a better player. His changing of clubs has not always been smooth either as he was sacked by some like Peykan,

Amir Abedini “They are selling Iran’s football short.”

The reaction to the news that Kaffashian and Querioz have reached recent agreement for the latter to continue coaching Team Melli with a specific target has started to create alarms and concerns within the football community in Iran.

Several critics have lamented the low aspirations of Team Melli program, some calling it devoid of ambition and desire.

In one of the sharpest reaction and criticism so far , Amir Abedini a former President of FFIRI , a former owner of Persepolis and recently of Damash Gilan club, has accused Kaffashian of selling Iran’s football short.

Abedini defied Kaffashian and the FFIRI and said that “any half decent domestic Iranian coach could take Team Melli to the World Cup given the 4 years that Carlos Queiroz is going to enjoy.  I will undersign such guarantee and be accountable for it.” Abedini mocked the target set by the duo. “ Is that our target now ? Is that our aspirations?  reaching the World Cup finals is the ultimate success? This is a scam and it is intended to deceive the people and football fans. I cannot understand how Kaffashian is acting like this, it is beyond me!”

Abedini , who is famous for his harsh words and being anti-establishment, while describing the objectives of Kaffashian and Queiroz programs as deception, accused Kaffashian of incompetency.

“They are selling Iran football cheaply by their program. Adversaries of Iran’s Football are increasing by the day due to various issues. I am not saying that Kaffashian is one of them, however, he is surely helping them by giving them enough ammunition.”

Abedini then targeted Queiroz who publically declared that qualification to FIFA World Cup 2018 is the top of priority “The man said that his target is to qualify for the world cup. Is he willing to put 75% of his contract value as a collateral for that ?”

“Iran is full of talents, it is not appropriate to state that in 4 years’ time , we might not be able to qualify for the World Cup. That should be our absolute minimum not the optimum target.”

 “If Kaffashian and Queiroz declared a appropriate program in which, qualifying for the Olympic Games for U23 team , reaching the final of the AFC Asian Cup 2015  and not only qualifying for the 2018 World Cup but also going beyond the group stages at least, then that would be an admirable and respectable target for Iran’s football and I will kiss both their hands. Such program is befitting this nation’s pride”

Continuing his aim at the Portuguese coach . Abedini said “This man does not recognize Team Melli Manager Post, and he convinced Kaffashian to cancel it. He does not like the Football League Management Committee and the head of the committee. He tries to impose his authority and demands on the whole Football league system , while he is only a coach of a team. Since he is getting away with everything, maybe we should offer him a contract to run the whole of our football. After that Kaffashian and FFIR will relax and have no obligation and just blame the contractor.”

Finally , Abedini said that the agreement with Queiroz should have been “Coaches of national teams” meaning the rest of the age groups. Although in theory, that is the actual post , Queiroz has managed to dodge the responsibilities from almost all of the other teams focusing on Team Melli only.