Tag: Dragan Skočić

Central defence partnership of Team Melli is under threat!

One of the main reasons for the success of Team Melli in winning all the matches in World Cup qualifiers in Bahrain was the solid fortress-style partnership in the heart of the defense.

Dragan Skočić opted for Shojaá Khalilzadeh and Hossein Kananizadegan and created a strong partnership between them, and the result was spectacular.  Iran conceded one fluke goal from Hong Kong and was solid against the rest. This partnership continued in the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers as only South Korea (3 goals) and Lebanon (1 goal) managed to score against Team Melli. It is a record that any team can be proud of in such a high level of competition.

 However, the return of Carlos Queiroz to Team Melli is threatening this partnership.

The Portuguese coach is fond of the duo Morteza Pouraliganji and Ramin Rezaiyan, both of whom were invited by FFIRI to submit their documents for the issue of visas for Austria. Pouraliganji’s return comes after more than a year of absence from the field due to a severe injury followed by operations. His decision to return to Iran domestic league football in the year of the 2022 World Cup is to be close to the selectors. He joined Persepolis and so far performed well in the three matches he played registereing good statistics. The sudden return of Queiroz will again put him as a favorite amongst the rest of the central defenders.

 Like Queiroz himself, Pouraliganji will benefit from the hard work of Shoja Khalilzadeh and Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan, who were one of the main factors of early qualification of Team Melli to the Qatar World Cup,

There is no question about the technical abilities or performance of Khalilzadeh, but his place in Team Melli is threatened by the bad relationship with Queiroz. The issue came to the surface after the defender gave an interview that was critical. This defender’s opinion about how he can affect the future of the defensive composition of the Team did not set well with Queiroz and Khalilzadeh like many other players before was banished from Team Melli.

Queiroz, unlike his predecessor Dragan Skočić, has zero tolerance for any type of opposition. In that sense,  it is quite likely that will make Khalilzadeh will be watching the World Cup games on TV rather than defending the three colors jersey. The Portuguese man will most probably see the return of players such as Seyed Majid Hosseini, Morteza Pouraliganji, and even Roozbe Cheshmi.

Team Melli will leave for Austria next week to play two preparatory games against Uruguay and Senegal under Carlos Queiroz. While Uruguay has published the name of the squad for the match against Iran last week, FFIRI has not finalized its list.

Mehdi Taj on the defensive in the press conference

The beleaguered Head of FFIRI acknowledged that many in the country oppose his return to the FFIRI and many more oppose Querioz’s return as head coach of Team Melli.

In the press conference after his re-election, the head of FFIRI talked about various issues, including his legal cases with the chance of prosecution and the state of Team Melli.  According to press reports, after the departure of Skocic who was replaced by Carlos Queiroz,

Mehdi Taj, in the press conference on Thursday at the national teams camp, started by defending himself against accusations and pending cases in the courts, some of which are serious in nature, filed against him in the judiciary. “I have been in management work for about 40 years and I have worked in different capacities. Whenever the Wilmots case is mentioned, they immediately shout corruption! This case is similar to the case of Branco Ivankovic, Stramaccioni, and Calderon, but the case of Wilmots is called, corruption comes to people’s minds.”

He also defended himself about alleged fraud cases in the Foulad Mobarakeh company “I was retired from Foulad Mobarakeh. My wages were 20 million tomans per month for three years. If anyone has any claims with documents against me then let him go ahead and publish them. A question was asked to the judiciary about my legal status last week and suddenly all the media wrote that the judiciary published all the crimes of Mehdi Taj, all that remained was to accuse me of murders and kidnappings! The only letter that was in fact sent to the judiciary was from the Secretary General’s inquiry from the prosecutor, who asked how many open cases I have, and they announced these three cases.”

Regarding the statements of parliamentarians, especially Ghazizadeh Hashemi, who has taken a special interest in the wrongdoing and fraud cases in football, Taj said: “The representative’s concern should not be only football. He can speak 100 times, 200 times or any amount he wishes on any network. At the end, It is the judiciary that decides each case. We did not know that he and Mr. Rastineh are so interested in football, but if they care so much, they should focus on the football of their own province. The whole parliament is not just about these two people, but we will answer any question that any member wants to ask.”

Taj went on to say: “These people have not talked about broadcasting rights, not even once. I believe that IRIB cannot afford to pay for football broadcasting rights. Secondly, some of our teams receive money from the government. I have prepared a plan which is FIFA and AFC models. We hope that one day we will have a team in Khorramabad and Kermanshah, not only in cities that only have factories. We hope that deprived provinces including Sistan and Baluchistan will have teams.”

“Instead of being hostile, the IRIB can work with the football federation and have a codified plan and work with this plan for years. The football development model is not very difficult. We can borrow, learn and respect all the laws of the country.”

Referring to Team Melli, he said: “Mr. Skocic is a very respectable and honorable coach. It was very difficult for me. I swear to God that it was difficult for me to remove Skocic. The coach was very calm and gentle. In the most difficult conditions, he took charge of our national team and managed to qualify to the World Cup in the most difficult of circumstances. Please raise your hats in his honor. I saw that the conditions of the national team and players were not good. I don’t want these issues to be opened. We came to the conclusion that if we change the head coach now, it will be in the country’s interest. Now they say that no one can guarantee that if we bring in Queiroz, we will get better results, but the history of Mr. Queiroz in our national team, the results obtained in the past, and the games that he has led the national team as he has been with the team for eight years make us believe this is the right appointment. We are heading to the right direction and have started a good path. It was easy for me to let Skocic stay and not accept responsibility. I could say that I did not leave him, but I removed Skocic for the sake of the country.

The appointment of Queiroz is for the benefit of the country,

Taj claimed ” I know that some seniors and veterans are totally against the selection of Queiroz and also against my own appointment for whatever reasons. I really kiss everyone’s hand out of respect for the national team and the country and out of respect for our beloved flag, and I ask for the country to support the national team in the current situation.”

“I believe that this choice is in the interest of the country. We qualified for the World Cup with Queiroz two times in a row. Those who claim that I have abused my power, let them come forward with proof. During the presidency of Mr. Ahmadinejad, they use to give the president a car, which I did not get. In these 13 years in the federation, I did not receive a single rial in salary. Publish the facts if there is anything. It is not a fact when a parliamentarian claims there is corruption in football.

Taj added: “Who does not have a case in the courts? It was easy for me to do nothing and let the national team go to the World Cup. Mr. President announced several times that he supports the national team financially. We signed a provisional contract with Queiroz, he receives 50,000 euros per month. He has 5 assistants, each of whom receives 30,000 euros. This contract is until the end of the World Cup, and of course, there is a possibility of extending it until the AFC Asian Cup. I thank Queiroz. Mehdi Taj said, “When the government supports the national team, why should we ask for health?” He said: In any case, I think the choice of Skocic was right. If according to many loved ones, it is wrong, they should support the growth of the country’s national team.

“I thank Hamid Estili.” when he was asked about the Team Melli manager’s resignation from his post: “I have not seen Estili’s resignation. I would like to thank him for his efforts during the supervision of the national team. Regarding Foulad Club’s opposition to Nekonam’s activity in the national team, Taj said: I hope that the problem of Nekonam will be solved, and I myself will consult to have Nekonam as a good coach and an investment for the future in the national team. This is the German model, where they leave some people with the national team to become the head coach. God willing, this will happen

The manager of Team Melli resigns.

Hamid Estili has submitted his resignation as the Manager of Iran’s National Team.

Estili’s resignation comes in the aftermath of the sacking of Dragan Skocic which he considered immoral and unethical while the Croat was under contract and busy preparing Team Melli for training camp in Austria. In a post on his social Media Page, Estili announced that he resigned from his post.

lPrEarlier on, Karim Bagheri, another member of Skocic’s technical staff and advisor to the coach, announced his departure from Team Melli coaching team. . Yesterday (Wednesday), Dragan Skocic was officially removed from his post by Mehdi Taj.

Skocic is sacked and replaced by Queiroz

Iran once again led this team. According to ISNA,

after about three years and 8 months away from Iranian football, Carlos Queiroz was once again weaseled his way and appointed as the new head coach of  Team Melli.

Mohammad Jamaat, the media manager of the Iranian national football team, wrote on Twitter: “The federation is grateful to Dragan Skocic for his continuous efforts and qualification for the World Cup, but with the approval of the board of directors, Carlos Queiroz has been chosen as the new head coach. We hope the national team repeats the same success as the previous two World Cups, under Queiroz, results that have satisfied the people and an honorable show is repeated. In his first term on the bench of the Iranian national team, Queiroz led the Iranian team for 8 years and was able to achieve the best result in the history of the Iranian national football team in the World Cup. He was in charge of the Iranian national team from April 4th, 2011 to January 28, 2019.

Skočić, orders his staff to stop working.

In another regrettable development, the Croatian head coach of Team Melli suspended all the tasks relating to the national team’s preparations for the upcoming training camp following the publication of news about the federation’s desire to appoint Carlos Queiroz.

According to Isna, Dragan Skočić, ordered the suspension of the national team’s technical staff’s various tasks after the recent events regarding the possibility of a change of coach of the Iran national team! After Mehdi Taj’s statements today regarding the positive progress negotiations with Carlos Queiroz and various rumors about the board’s approval to negotiate with the former Portuguese head coach.

Skočić, ordered his colleagues to stop analyzing the matches of the national teams. Hamid Estili, the manager of the national team, sent an article to the media in which he summarizes by stating: “I was working with Mr. Skocic until noon. We have a coach under contract and then you make these sorts of statements regarding a replacement; this is neither a professional nor ethical act. Skočić, was next to me and I could not help watching his agony. This is not fair at all.”

Estili went on to complain about the actions of the Football Federation, announcing that Skocic was aware of the current incident and said: “Today he stopped all the tasks! His assistants were busy working on opposition analysis, player monitoring, and other affairs but the work is stopped now. Also, after these events,

Skočić took the initiative and deleted the title “Iranian national team head coach” from his social media page on Instagram to perhaps prepare for his displeasure as a result of the recent events.

“We will pay for Queiroz or Zidane if you want” Iran’s Sports Minister claims!

In a press conference held earlier on, the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Iranian government reiterated his support for any action by the Leaders of the FFIRI.

When asked about his opinion on the current ambiguity and turbulent status of the Head Coach of Team Melli on the brink of competing in the FIFA World Cup 2022, Hamid Sajjadi has this to say:

“I told Majdi that if you hire Queiroz, we will pay for it. Emphasizing that we hope that any decision made about the national team’s bench will be wise, technical, and proper,

Sajjadi continued: “I told Majdi that anyone, including domestic coaches that you think of recruiting as the head coach of Team Melli will be welcomed, I even said that if you want to bring Queiroz back, we will pay the bills and wages, and I said that if you want to bring Zidane, do the necessary formalities and you will not have to worry about the financial issues related to the head coach of the Iranian national football team.”

Sajjadi in response to the question of what is the position of the Ministry of Sports regarding the presence of Queiroz on the bench of the national team? He stated: “We will not interfere in the technical issues of any federation (…), including the football federation, and we also announced to the former head of the football federation that we will support whatever decision you make, The federation is responsible to make a decision in this regard and we simply stand by the decision it makes. I must say that no consultation has been made with the Ministry of Sports and Youth about the names of the future coach.”

In response to another question about the fact that the member of the parliament has recently announced that we will impeach the minister of sports, Sajjadi said: “A question was raised by one of the members of the parliament about the expulsion of both Esteghlal and Persepolis from the AFC Champions League, and I will answer in this regard. We announce to all that the suspension of Esteghlal and Persepolis will remain until December. Regarding the latest status of the two most popular teams in the country, continued absence from the AFC Champions League due to their status as non-NGO clubs, he said: “the decision-makers in the Asian Football Federation remain the same and that is the continued suspension, but it will be removed by December. We must prepare our documents. Fortunately, good issues are raised and we hope Esteghlal and Persepolis prove their professional status to the Asian Football Confederation.”

Once again the Minister confirmed the chaotic status of Iranian football where the government acts like the big brother. By electing Mehdi Taj a career government civil servant, the regime once again strengthens its grip on the policies of the FFIRI. The government that payrolls the football federation always claims that it does not interfere but the reality is completely different. Nothing of significance passes in the FFIRI without the nod from the Ministry of Youth and sports, which bankrolls this federation. The fact that Esteghlal and Perspolis are suspended is due to the structure of the club which does not meet the professional standards set by the AFC and FIFA. Esteghlal and Perspolis are the properties of the Iranian government since the revolution. There is no independent setup like other professional clubs in which the board members of both clubs and chairman are hand-picked by the Ministry rather than a general assembly.

As for the Team Melli bench situation, Sajjadi’s statement lacks authenticity and real truth. His maneuvering skills by playing innocence are all channeled towards the prevention of FIFA as the result of Government intervention. His public statements aim to disguise the iron grip control of the government on football at all levels from clubs to the federation. Control of football affairs is a regime Policy and a national security issue that considers this sport, in particular, a strong tool that can turn the masses against it.

Mehdi Taj desperately seeking Queiroz !

Mehdi Taj once again succeeded in winning the majority votes (exactly the same number as his last election!) in the general assembly of the FFIRI to become The President in the 8th election and to manage the affairs of the country’s highest football institution for a period of two and a half years.

His selection fueled the rumor of the termination of Dragan Skocic’s contract as the head coach of the Team Melli once again leaving the Croatian coach in a state of stress and instability while the national team is preparing for the training camp in Austria including two much-needed friendly internationals against Uruguay and Senegal.

Skočić, who seems to take every opportunity to ensure his continuation on the bench of the best team of the Asian ranking and play in the FIFA 2022 World Cup, accommodates every request from the federation officials so that maybe the meeting with the hierarchy at the request of Hamid Estili can bring him closer and closer to this personal goal.


On the other hand, the opposition by some players in the squad such as Ehsan HajSafi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Karim Ansarifard, Mehdi Tarimi, etc., with the continuation of the Croat man on the bench, is still strong leading HajSafi to travel all the way from Athens to Tehran for just a few hours just to cast his vote for Mehdi taj in the elections. Hajsafy’s flight schedule was so tight that he took special permission to cast his vote even before the ballots were open as his return flight departure was tight. He stayed a few hours in Tehran only and that highlighted the desperation of this group against Skočić.

Taj has blatantly shown that he has no interest in Skocic staying. After taking office, the president who returned to the football federation initiated the project of Carlos Queiroz’s return to Iran as a top priority. To ensure all matters and contract details are ironed out, Mehdi Taj had a facetime meeting with the Portuguese coach.

Queiroz was fired from his last post in two managerial/coaching posts. After he left Iran, he took over Colombia in 2019.

In the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifications, Colombia’s performance slipped disastrously, with a 0–3 home loss to Uruguay (its worst ever home loss for 82 years) before being shockingly thrashed 1–6 by Ecuador, and this finally put the end of Carlos Queiroz’s reign as Colombia’s boss.

On 8 September 2021, Queiroz was employed by Egypt FA.

Egypt qualified for the third round of the World Cup qualifications to face Senegal for a spot in the World Cup in Qatar. However, after a 1–0 win in Cairo, and a 1–0 loss in Dakar, Egypt lost in penalties; hence, they failed to reach the final competition. He later agreed with the Egyptian Football Association to terminate his contract by mutual consent.

The failure of Egypt in qualifying for FIFA  World Cup 2022 occurred despite the availability of World Class players  Mohammed Salah of Liverpool in the squad,

In audio and video calls with Mehdi Taj, Queiroz put his demands, terms, and conditions on the table to Mehdi Taj who seems to have accepted Queiroz’s personal and financial terms outright in the same manner that he did the Wilmots contract. but Taj, this time needs not only the approval of the Football Federation’s Board of Directors but also the consent of the high-profile opponents of Portuguese man, and that includes personnel in the corridors of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Queiroz left with only a handful of friends in 2019 after Iran’s drubbing by the Japanese team in the semi-finals of the AFC Asian Cup. That 3-0 loss was the biggest in over thirty years. Many members of the parliament,  the Islamic Council, are not too keen on the return of the vindictive and confrontational coach who does tend to intimidate anyone who opposes him or his ideas.

To demonstrate how evidently anti-Skoci Mehdi Taj is, In the past week since he won the election, Taj has yet to hold any meeting with Dragan Skocic or Hamid Estili and to demonstrate for all that he is still not convinced and unwilling to see the Croat at the helm of Team Melli.

The new management team of the Football Federation is actively pursuing the dismissal of Skocic, while there is still some strong support for the Croat from other borad directors such as Mirshad Majdi. However, Taj lobby seems to be gaining ground but the number of his supporters is on the rise.

Taj needs the signature of five other members of the board of directors to formalize the contract with Carlos Queiroz. Mehr reporter has been informed that seven of the board members are completely in favor of Queiroz’s return in order to appease Mehdi Taj who has put this issue at the top of his priorities.

The struggle and the politics to determine the head coach of Iran’s national team continues while the 2022 World Cup starts in nearly 75 days. The FIFA Day games schedule also shows that there are only 17 days to hold national team camps in September and November.

Assuming All matters are sorted out, any coach needs to have divine power to turn the fortunes of Team Melli which is suffering from a serious loss of confidence, form, and mental stress from the infighting between the two groups of players within the camp.

Carlos Queiroz, if selected certainly does not have such divine power as he failed to demonstrate any in the 8 years at the helm of Tema Melli. What he has, however, are two vital elements, one of which is to his personal benefit and that is his professionalism in contract negotiation. He had learned the shortfalls of the previous contracts and how easily the FFIRI repeatedly fails to honor the financial terms of contracts.  Taking that into consideration, he is dictating all the terms on a desperate Mehdi taj and that includes contract payments in US dollars deposited in a foreign bank, most possibly in Dubai plus no promises of any success in the FIFA World Cup 2022. Time is too short for proper preparation, and no one can dispute that, can they?

The second attribute is the strong no-nonsense character that he has demonstrated time and time again. He will have no second thought about kicking sulky or indisciplined players such as Taremi out of the squad. There is no such thing as players’ powers in the Queiroz dictionary. The reality is, that Iran’s football needs a decisive character like Queiroz else some immature players will wreck the ship.

Team Melli : Health check.

With less than 90 days to run for the start of the Team Melli World Cup adventure, the news of the Coaching Team, the Players, and the administration is far from encouraging.

THE COACH

Starting with Dragan Skočić. The off then On drama of his coaching Team Melli has left a bitter taste not in the mouth of the Croat but in many circles including the masses and the true fans of Team Melli. The hard-working Croat is actively planning and working as if nothing has happened, but down deep inside, he knows that these people cannot be trusted and he could be out of a job in no time especially now that Mehdi taj has robbed the presidency of the FFIRI.

This instability in Skočić added to the still lingering opposition to him by key players like Taremi will only serve to diminish Team Melli’s chances in Doha. No matter how sincere  Skočić is and how dedicated of a person he can be, there are enemies within that will destroy him and want to see him fail. These are the same lobbyists who are calling for the return of Carlos Queiroz as if he is the messiah and the savior of Team Melli who can create miracles in less than 90 days. Of course, the fact that in 8 years of Queiroz, he has not won anything for Iran, is irrelevant to this strong lobby.

Stability is important, and right now this whole squad lacks stability due to the coaching situation.

THE PLAYERS

With the World Cup fast approaching, there is much more bad news from the players than encouraging ones.  Perhaps Mehdi Taremi is the only paler that showed some promise this season in his matches with Porto. But Taremi is also the agent provocateur of the squad and his commitment to Dragan Skocic is suspect.. The player has proven several times that his attitude can be alarming on and off the field.

Saradr Azmoun , the golden boy of the squad has been having a tough time. He is a n=bench player with Leverkusen after being a star and a champion in the Russian League with Zenit. The horrendous drop in form can be attributed to several things including events outside the pitch and his involvement with a court case.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh is yet another disappointment with Feyenoord. He is also a bench warmer and has yet to score this season. His fall from grace after such a promising start with the dutch side is nothing but bad news for Team Melli selectors.

The third choice forward is Karim Ansarifdard. The former AEK Athens player finally chose to join a Cypriot Team. After being on the bench for AEK, he needs to prove himself at Omonia and has a good opportunity to do so, especially as the team is involved in the Europa Cup and could be playing against the might of Manchester United and Real Sociedad else his selection for the World Cup is suspect.

Vahid Amiri, the dynamo of the team is still injured and in the recovery phase. His availability is vital for Skocic. Amiri has only limited days to find his form once again.

Saeed Ezatollahi the Marco Polo of Iranian football is currently without a club. He failed to impress in the middle of the table Qatari club and soon was released. He is a player who lacks stability changing teams every season. If his performance in Qatar Star League is to go upon, Ezatollahi is nowhere near World Cup appearance standard He needs to improve fast with whatever club.

Another player who is warming the bench is Saman Ghoddos.  His promising start with Brentford is all history now. Despite some positive games whenever he was given the chance to play, Ghoddos has failed to impress Brentford coach with his value as a starter.

There was an injury scare for Shojaa KHALILZADEH recently but he recovered well and is expected to be a key player in the World Cup

Hossein Kananizadegan has been a piece of rare good news for Team Melli. He is performing strongly in the Qatar league and even scoring for his club. So far his selection for the World Cup is more than assured.

Off some quite disappointing seasons in European Leagues, Alireza Beiranvand returned to Iran and Persepolis to regain the number one spot in Team Melli that Abedzadeh has won from him. With the domestic league already in the fifth week, Beiranvand is solid. It remains to be seen if Skocic still believes in him as number one.

Majid Hosseini had a good season with Kayserispor in TUrky and has started well this season too. He remains a strong contender for the central defense post that mostly was filled by Kanani-zadegan and Khalilzadeh.

Ahmad NOUROLLAHI , Ali GHOLIZADEH, Omid NOORAFKAN, and Sadegh MOHARRAMI have performed well this season and should have no problem being in the squad.

Yasin Salmani the young prodigy from Sepahn will have a strong case for inclusion so is Mehdi Ghaedi who has returned back from UAE to join Esteghlal. Allahyar Sayyadmanesh will probably miss the World Cup or not recover in time from his injury.

Omid EBRAHIMI, Mehdi MEHDIPOUR, and Milad SARLAK,  are also contenders and have been playing well for their respective clubs.

The rank outsider is Ramin Rezaeian. The current Sepahan Players have been playing well this season. His performance might very well mean a recall to Team Melli. He can perform in the midfield and at the back.

ffiri

The election of Mehdi Taj as head of FFIRI has created much instability in Iran football. The man has many cases open against him for mismanagement and even funds misappropriation s in relation to Marc Wilmots’ file, yet by the grace of the almighty, he returns back with the majority of votes, 51 to be exact, the same number of votes that he won his first election!

The man who has been a career industrialist working for government organizations and industries has great support from the government, after all, he is their man. He is a Queiroz advocate and he might just try to bring him back. Whether he succeeds or not, such moves are all negative points for Team Melli.

Taj is not a great leader either. He was involved in the embarrassing ceremony of revealing the World Cup Trophy in Milad tower that abruptly ended in embarrassment and shame for Iran’s football. Not much was expected from him in boosting Team Melli’s chances.

CONCLUSION

On Paper, Iran stands a moderate to a good chance of qualifying for the next round behind England the undisputed favorite. However, there have been lots of negatives that have affected team Melli recently

The picture is not too rosy for Team Melli’s chances. The reality is that many key players are suffering a dip in form particularly the European Legionnaires that Skocic so depended on. If the conflicts between the coach and some minority yet strong-voiced players are not completely sorted out, then it could end up as one of the worst performances of Team Melli in a World Cup.

What does the election of Mehdi Taj means for Team Melli.

While the Iranian football circles are still stunned by the election of Mehdi Taj and many in the media believed he does not stand a chance of being approved due to legislation against him in courts and various other issues that deemed his candidacy as unlawful, Taj not only registered his name but also won. The ripples have already started.

As soon as he was announced as the new leader of FFIRI, Vahid Shamsaei resigned just a month before Iran’s Futsal Team Melli starts its defense of the title. Soon after Shamsaei, Mostafa Nazari, the goalkeepers’ coach also followed in resignation.

In Football’s Team Melli, Vahid Hashemian has been rumored to contemplate the same action, while Dragan Skocic is once again on his toes on Team Melli’s hot seat.

While Misrshad Majedi confirmed Skocic’s position as head coach and he is still one of the biggest supporters, Mehdi Taj was rumored to be instrumental in the agitation moves and calls for the return of Carlos Queiroz. During the polarization of Team Melli in the last few weeks, Taj remained inconspicuous and tight-lipped about any issues related to the FFIRI, but it was no secret that he was active behind the scenes in driving the demands of Carlos Queiroz’s to return to Team Melli.

Mehdi Taj has been active in Iran’s football for decades and has a strong lobby too.  He is a man who went through many governmental posts in Esfahan province. His career progression is all through the regime’s organizations. In football, he was the chairman of Sepahan for many years and was a strong leader who propelled the club from Esfahan to new heights including winning the league titles and reaching the AFC Champions League.

The election in FFIRI is nothing different than other elections in the rest of the country mainly the election of the President of the Republic. It is all well orchestrated and the results can be predictable. The formalities, the process, and the motions are all pre-determined and nicely engineered.

Taj’s rap sheet and still pending issue with Marc Wilmots is perhaps his biggest shortfall. He has never been transparent about the contract, selection process, and the payments to the big failure Wilmots. As he did not play any role in the selection of Skocic, because he was out of action, he has no affinity for the Croat and much prefers to work with the devil he knows, namely Queiroz. However, time is the biggest factor that is against this union. Queiroz himself left Iran in distress and bitterness. He later accused and bad-mouth several people in Iran including the Ministry of Sports. He left very few friends in the country. One of those who was a victim of Queiroz onslaught was no one but Mehdi Taj himself.

The outspoken Portuguese is well aware of how politics works in Iran’s football and he knows who has the keys. If Mehdi Taj comes calling and is seriously desperate, Queiroz contracts and other demands could be prohibitive or beyond the abilities of Taj.

There are players in Team Melli who supported Taj and will be happy to see him back at the helm of the federation, however, the man remains a polarizing and divisive figure. Undoubtedly, he has the strong backing of the regime and access to many government agencies and ministries. It remains to be seen whether he will use that support wisely to the benefit of football in general, or try to strengthen his grip on a shambolic federation that for decades has failed in achieving what football deserves.

Team Melli Squad: Who is going to make it to Qatar?

No doubt that the Croat Head Coach of Team Melli is experiencing the busiest and the most important days of his coaching career as he prepares the list of passengers to Doha comes November of this year.

Skocic has only one window and that is FIFA Day in September to decide his final list probably after the Uruguay and Senegal matches.  While some of the players automatically have reserved their names on board the flight to Qatar others who played in the qualification might not be so assured of a place.

In this article, we will discuss individual players’ chances and any reasons that the coaching team might find crucial to include the player while discussing the reasons why some are dispensable. Like always, not every justification for selection or not is pure football related. Other factors always weigh in and in a country like Iran with political and social sensitivity, the reasons for exclusion are aplenty.

GOALKEEPERS

  1. Alireza Beiranvand: His inclusion will all depend on his club form with Persepolis and whether Golmohammadi picks him to be his number one in Persepolis. His shaky foreign adventure does not augur well for inclusion in the World Cup squad. His work in Iran will determine his incusion  50%
  2. Amir ABEDZADEH: Despite one or two errors, Abdezadeh remains as the number one keeper. His good start in Spain should enhance his chances too. 80%
  3. Hossein Hosseini: Lacks consistency with a standard that can vary between the brilliance to the ridiculous clumsy. However, he remains a contender for the squad. 55%
  4. Payam Niazmand: A young goalkeeper who did not have a syuccesful trial in Europe and his short stint ended as he is back with Sepahan. Like Beiranvand, he really needs to excel to convince Skocic of his worth. 45%

DEFENDER

  1. Aref AGHASI: Steady defender who defends with confidence. Lacks international exposure which is quite important for the World Cup. He has however many challengers for his post in Team Melli 45%
  2. Aref GHOLAMI: Similar to  Aghasi’s case with little international experience. He is a solid defender that can be a competent replacement when needed. 45%
  3. Danial ESMAEILIFAR: Although made his debut for Team Melli at a late age, his strong showing in last season’s league convinced the selectors of his value. The World Cup might be too difficult of a target for him. 35%
  4. Ehsan HAJSAFI: The long-serving versatile player has been ever present for Team Melli. However, as time passes and circumstances change Hajisafi’s chances of making his 3rd World Cup in a row is quite dim. Not only he is in the rebel group, but he has also been utilized less and less in recent matches.  It is difficult to see him included in the last 26 players list. 45%
  5. Hossein KANANI-ZADEGAN: Despite his off-the-field antics, which put him in trouble with the authorities, he remains a strong defender and reliable player for the team. His chances are enhanced with his good performance in the new season in Qatar. 85%
  6. Majid HOSSEINI: Improving with age and experience gained in the Turkish League. He might not be a fixed player in the lineup but quite an important bench that Skocic can call upon in case of injury to any of his defenders. 75% 
  7. Mehdi MEHDIPOUR: A good utility player that has impressed with his club. As a newcomer, he has little exposure at the international level so it is quite possible that he will not be on the list. 48%
  8. Milad MOHAMMADI: Perhaps the left-back did not have the best of time in the Greek League but he is still a solid defender with a pace that is important when facing the like of England. 75%
  9. Morteza Pouralganji: Has been absent for a long time due to injury. His return back to Iran from the Chinese league will only serve to enhance his chances for inclusion on the list. 67#
  10. Omid NOORAFKAN: One of the players who has solidified his place in the squad. Has performed strongly and remains one of the best players for his club Sepahan. 85%
  11. Sadegh MOHARRAMI: Limited time with Dynamo Zagreb but Moharrami has qualities that are needed for the team. His weaknesses could be troublesome but in the end, he remains a determined and highly motivated player. 78%
  12. Saleh HARDANI: The right-back is one of the players that have a great future. In the style of Kaebi, he has pace and agility that can surprise the opposition. His selection depends on the number of defenders Skocic needs in the squad. 55%
  13. Shojaa KHALILZADEH: One of the key players but injury prone. Not enjoying the start of the news season as his team is right at the bottom of the league in Qatar. His value for Team Melli though is undeniable. 80%

MIDFIELD

  1. Ahmad NOUROLLAHI: One player that keeps improving and should be in the squad without much doubt. He has enough experience to face the big teams in the World Cup 80%
  2. Ali GHOLIZADEH: Tacticsl, nifty and skillful dribbler. The qualities that are needed to break defenses. Has a tendency to disappear from the action at times in some games, but still a classy player 80%
  3. Alireza JAHANBAKHSH: has been nothing but disappointment in Europe, although his Team Melli games have not suffered. As one of the rebels, he might end up missing the World Cup, but Skocic will miss his experiences in case he is overlooked. 55%
  4. Mehdi Torabi: A player with so much promise but has not achieved his potential yet. He remains a fringe player in team Melli but also a player that enriches the bench. 60%
  5. Milad SARLAK: Good and solid midfielder who has not disappointed when he was asked to play for the Team. The only problem for selection remains the numbers that the selectors will decide for each of the lines. 45%
  6. Omid EBRAHIMI: A player that has been recently recalled to Team Melli after being overlooked. His undoubted skills, work rate, and dynamics are a delight to see and something that coaches always welcome from a player. 75%
  7. Ramin REZAEIAN: Another player that has been ignored mostly due to disciplinary issues. He has started very well with Sepahan and has shown much of his skills and abilities during the start of the season. A  strong contender for a place in Doha. 60%
  8. Saeid EZZATOLLAHI :  Another of the disappointing players who never achieved stability. Keeps changing clubs every season. His standard has been affected and shows a lack of consistency during the games, He does however has a physical presence that is quite useful at the International level. 40%
  9. Saman GHODDOS: A bench player for his club. Never achieved the grade with two seasons in the English Premiere league. Little Match time to check his standards 45&
  10. Soroush RAFIEI: The player is making a strong case for his inclusion. He is on the brink and stands a fair chance. 50%
  11. Vahid AMIRI: One of the key players for Team Melli. Suffered a long injury and has not played yet for Persepolis in the League. The progress of his injury is sketchy. He might not recover in time for inclusion but if he is fit and goes through the tough training then Amiri is a must for Team Melli. 70%
  12. Yasin SALMANI: This young player and leader is the talk of the town in Iran football. He has yet to make his debut for Team Melli but has played and captained the Omid team. Lack of international experience is his only weakness. Despite that, his chances are better than fair to be on the list. 57%

FORWARD

  1. Ali ALIPOUR: A player that is making a good case to be included in the squad. He started the season with a winning goal and if he continues his good form, it will force the selectors to include him. 50%
  2. Allahyar SAYYADMANESH: Another of the young guns that lay a claim for inclusion in the list. He has not been playing well at the start of the season for his club and that might put his chances in jeopardy. 55%
  3. Amir Hossein HOSSEINZADEH: Yet another young talent. The same rules and limitations apply here too. Simply lack of international exposure rather than anything else. 53% 
  4. Karim ANSARIFARD: A player that has failed to impress for many seasons now. Apqrt fpor cameo apperances for Team Melli, he is also unwanted by his club who are desperate to get rid of him. He did not endear himself to the head coach either being in the rebel group of players. 40%
  5. Kaveh Rezaei: Recently moved back to the Iranian league. Due to administrative issues, he is not yet registered to play and hence did not play yet. Difficult to see him on the plane unless he makes it good in the league this season. 40%
  6. Mehdi GHAEDI: Back with Esteghlal and strongly too. Ghaedi cannot be a starter for Team Melli for many reasons but specifically his weak physique. But as a substitute, he can be useful if he can stand the tackles of the English and Welsh players in particular. 68%
  7. Mehdi TAREMI: If there is any doubt about this player, it is his demeanor and attitude. He led the rebellion against Skocic and was outspoken about it. To be fair, that should exclude him from Team Melli automatically as he will be a disruptive element in the team that requires unity and harmony. It all depends on how SKocic will approach this big problem and whether Taremi maintains respect for the coach, especially behind his back. His chances for inclusion are neutral because of his attitude, else he is a key player on the field. 51%
  8. Mehrdad MOHAMMADI: Despite a good start for his team in Qatar, he has struggled lately in a league that demands a lot from foreigners. 45%
  9. Sardar AZMOUN: A key player and indespensible. He has been having off-the-field problems lately that have surely affected his concentration. Azmoun remains one of the best Team Melli players and a player that has scored crucial goals. 90%

We have picked 26 players that have the best chance of making it to the World Cup. We have excluded players such as Ansarifard, Hajsafim Ezatollahi, and Saman Ghoddos. The last word and decision are of course with Dragan Skocic and his coaching staff. There will no doubt be some developments,  circumstances, changes in priorities, and the usual interferences that will affect the issue. We believe that the biggest hurdle that Skocic needs to tackle is to regain the player’s confidence and minimize or completely bypass the disruptive elements. That is easier said than done. How he manages the rebels if and only if he decides to select them is crucial for Team Melli. chances

World Cup i is an arena where Men rather than boys perform and show their worth. The emphasis must be on the unity of the Team and everyone playing for Iran and the fans not to promote themselves and their interests.,