Tag: Ehsan Haj Safi

Team Melli is heating up within. The problems are far from over.

The publication of a statement by a group of Team Melli players headed by Mehdi Tarimi including Karim Ansarifard, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Ezatollahi, and Ehsan Haj Safi, in connection with the state of the football federation and the national team coach, prompted a sharp reaction by FFIRI through its spokesperson Hassan Kamranifar, the Secretary General of this federation.

“First of all, it is necessary to mention that the football federation is governed completely independently in accordance with international rules and its own charter. At no time this federation has received orders from anyone. There is no interference in the affairs of the federation.  An example of this issue was the rumors about attempts to change the coaching staff of Team Melli, at the end,  you all saw that only the federation management makes such decisions independent of outside elements. Although I don’t want to talk about the elections, I just would like to point out that there is no interference in these issues.”

The Secretary General of the FFIRI said: “We should appreciate the supporting role of the Parliament in approving and allocating government aid, especially for the purpose of supporting the national team and pursuing the rewards of the national team players. When the parliament support allocating government funds to the federations, we also consider it our duty to answer to the parliament in the field of how we spend government grants, this is not intervention, but a supervisory duty of the people’s representatives.”

Kamranifar was asked about an alleged demand by several Team Melli players asking that two Members of Parliament Ghazizadeh Hashemi and Pejmanfar, cease their interference in football. However, Kamranifar did not respond to this statement.

The issue revealed the extent of differences and divisions between Iranian national team players once again which prompted Kamranifar to respond strongly. The General Secretary of the Football Federation said: “The explicit demand of the Federation from the members of the national team is to observe professional ethics and not to interfere in other departments and take a stand on issues that are not within the player’s responsibility. Division and partisan in Team Melli is our red line and we will not tolerate it at all.”

Kamranifar added: “National team players may have concerns, some of them could be legitimate, but these issues should be discussed in their own place and between family members not going public. There is a process for that.  Some actions and behaviors are not acceptable.”

In the end, the Secretary-General said: “The explicit request of the Federation’s Board of Directors is to establish complete discipline and stability in the national team and to stand against any division, split, and marginalization. The federation will fully support the national team with all its might, and of course, we will take action to identify external divisive agents of whom we are fully aware and who are trying to get close to the national team with these measures.”

 

COMMENTS ON FFIRI KAMARANIFAR STATEMENT

The disturbing part of this issue lies in the fact that a struggle is brewing among the members of Team Melli some of whom think that they are better equipped and qualified to run the federation and decide whom to appoint as Head Coach.  Led by Mehdi Taremi, a player who is notorious for lack of discipline and professional ethics, this group is making trouble by recruiting other players like Jahanbakhsh who is a key element in the squad and not the rebel type. FFIRI reaction says much about how much they are concerned hence the strong tone of Kamaranifar. However, besides the pseudo threats, there was nothing to deter the troublemaker.

Many feel that this Federation is standing  on weak ground at this period of time with a lack of legitimate leadership and the coming elections. Those who aim to sit at the top are non-commital to this serious issue. No one wants to take a stand just in case it is the wrong one therefore putting their election in jeopardy. No one is ready to make a decision against the rebels who are supported by outside elements including an influential football agent who would gain much by the change of the Head Coach with expected hefty commision. In the end, the more this conflict and division drag on, the worst it will become.

About the Federation’s independence, Kamaranifar lies up to his teeth. It is not even a secret that FFIRI is run by the government. Kamaranifar’s own admission that funds and grants are being received by the government proves it. The demand by the rebel players and FFIRI that the Parliament stops interfering in football sound quite unreasonable too. After all, the FFIRI and the Players are awarded funds from the public coffers from the money that can be spent on many other projects. What right have they to say to the Parliament “Shut up and Pay Up?”

An organization can only operate independently if it generates its own revenue and has a proper balance sheet. It is not the case with FFIRI which has always pleaded for handouts from the government and thereupon the government would have its own terms and condition. FFIRI and rightly so has to answer to people’s representatives for all the money that is being given to them freely. That is the rationale.

List for UAE And Korea Rep matches announced.

Dragan Skocic announced the list of Team Melli players to play against the UAE and South Korea in the final qualifying rounds of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Majid Hosseini, Ehsan Haj Safi, and Kaveh Rezaei are the three changes from the last squad in an otherwise unchanged squad.

With a perfect winning record and players who have delivered, Skocic rightly stuck to the same skeleton of Team Melli players. With two tough matches ahead, Team Melli can set very comfortably at the top of the table with a high chance of qualifying to Qatar with all the six points of the October matches.

Despite the lack of preparation and minimal training before the first match against UAE, the team seems to have a good understanding and performed quite well in the last two matches.

Team Melli is currently at the top of Group A of the 2022 World Cup final qualifiers in Asia with 6 points, two ahead of nearest rivals South Korea whom they meet in Azadi.

Goalkeepers

Alireza Biranvand, Amir Abedzadeh, Payam Niazmand.

Defenders

Shoja Khalilzadeh, Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan, Majid Hosseini, Milad Mohammadi , Omid Nourafkan, Sadegh Moharremi,  Saleh Hardani, Siavash Yazdani,  Ehsan Hajsafy

Midfield

Ahmad Noorollahi, Milad Sarlak, Yasin Salmani, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Saeed Ezatollahi, Vahid Amiri, Saman Ghoddos, Mehdi Torabi , Ali Gholizadeh.

Forwards

Karim Ansarifard, Mehdi Ghaedi, Kaveh Rezaei, Sardar Azmoun and Mehdi Taremi.

 

 

President Rouhani receives Teami Melli delegation

The President of Islamic Republic of Iran congratulated the players and the technical staff in a meeting with the national football team (Team Melli).

 President Hassan Rouhani, Minister of Sports and Youth Masoud Soltanifar , Team head Coach Carlos Queiroz, and Cruz on behalf of the technical staff, Masoud Shojaei, Ehsan Haj Safi, Ashkan Dejagah, Karim Ansari Fard, Pejman Montazeri, Reza Ghoochannejad and Alireza Beyranvand were honored on behalf of the players and the secretary of the Football Federation and the head of the national team.

Rouhani also praised Iran’s refereeing team at the World Cup. Alireza Faghan, Reza Sokhtaneh and Mohammad Reza Mansouri are Iranian referees in the World Cup.

In this ceremony, Jersey No.2 of Team Melli was awarded to Hassan Rouhani.

Team Melli  which is  heading for the second consecutive World Cup and its fifth time in the World Cup, met with President Hassan Rouhani today (Sunday) and will be scheduled for a few minutes at a ceremony held at the Vahdat Hall of Tehran.  Hassan Rouhani met with members of the national team four years ago on the occasion of the national team’s ascent to the 2014 World Cup.

Team Melli prospects.

What have we learned from the 2 victories?

Team Melli has completed its initial task with full mark. Qualification to the quarter finals of the AFC Asian Cup, the 6th in a row since 1996, was achieved with the 1-0 win against Qatar in a match that will always be remembered for the wonder goal scored by young Sardar Azmoun.

 

With the place in quarter finals assured, Queiroz must be re-thinking some of his plans to prepare for the next round. His solid defenses are intact and the least of his worries despite the new look line up with Pouraliganji and Ghafoori replacing the old hands and doing a very admirable job so far. Haghighi at goal, despite one or two scares was not really tested in the two matches, however in the few occasions that he had to act; he was well positioned to protect his goal. Haghighi’s agility and prowess on aerial balls gives the defense so much confidence that it lacked in the last few years. So, with the back line as is, Queiroz needs to shift his focus elsewhere. The predicaments start after passing the back line.

Ando Teymourian

The midfield is still the most worrying of the 3 lines and found wanting time and again. It has no quality playmaker and more often than not, it lacked leadership. For Teymourian and Nekounam despite their gallant attempts to put up a decent performance, both are clearly lacking match fitness and suffering from a dip in forms.  On the flanks, much was expected from Dejagah on the right and Hajsafy on the left , but the Qatar match , showed their limitations when the opposition’s coach decides to deploy a tight man to man marking at them. Both performed well below expectations. Dejagah who was one of the stars of the match against Bahrain tormenting their left back, was a different man altogether with young Qatari Defender AbdulKarim leaving him helpless while breathing down his neck all the time. Hajsafy , seems to be still under the influence of his wonder goal against Bahrain and has not shown much industry on the left hand side. Shojae, remains the biggest liability for the team. His contribution is marginal. He is a player who is Short of breath, easily beaten on the ball, unable to dribble or run when it is really required and lacks stamina. Such act cannot be of the big matches standard and quality.

Ashkan Dejagah

With such a midfield, Sardar Azmoun was isolated up front and really lacked quality service to show his worth. On the one occasion that he was served well, ironically from Dejagah, the whole world saw what this young man is capable of. Smart, swift and clever striker who finished in style. Unfortunately, that was the only occasion he was provided well, then got himself injured.

What options is left for Queiroz? To start with, give Shojaei a much needed rest and introduce some fresh legs and quality player in the shape of Alireza Jahanbakhsh. We dared Queiroz to do it in the forward line and use Azamoun, and he did it successfully. Now, Jahanbakhsh is ready for his turn and rearing to go. In fact, he has more advantage over Azmoun in the form of more playing time in the Dutch league.  Khosrow Heydari is another option to replace Shojaei.

Apart from that, there is not too much riches available to Queiroz.

One thing that clearly disturbed the Portuguese coach of Team Melli in Qatar match and the TV cameras caught his frustration quite well, was the failure of the team to keep the possession of ball in the last part of the match. The Team Melli players kept losing the ball.  The haste at which the players were clearing the ball, the aimless passes with Ghoochannejad and Dejgah being the main culprits, and failure to play short passes resulted in Qatar taking advantage and the full control of the match in the dying minutes. This is a very risky situation with a one goal margin.

Queiroz was so frustrated and nervous that he had to introduce a fifth defender to kill the game in the final minutes and protect his slim lead. This is one shortcoming of Iranians that have marred their play for several generations now. Keep the ball and protect a tight result.

The final match against UAE would be yet another interesting test for Queiroz. In reality, it does not make any difference if they end up playing Japan, the defending champions or Iraq. Both are difficult opponents and at some stage, Iran has to beat these teams if they have any aspiration to lift the trophy after 40 years.

So far, none of the contenders has shown to be a class above the rest. Australia, South Korea, China, Japan and Iran are quite close and matches between them can go anywhere.

One advantage that Team Melli has, is the outstanding and the superb crowds that have been adding so much color, and life to this tournament. Team Melli fans might even outnumber the host if Iran makes it to the final match with Australia. Simply a great act by the Australian Iranians and a symphony in motion.

Queiroz “”The team does not require a revolution.”

One the eve of Team Melli friendly match against South Korea, Queiroz gave a brief statement to the press and answered some questions.

One of the important statements of the Portuguese coach , which is also a surprise is that he will have nothing to do with the Omid Team which will soon be under the responsibility of the Croat coach Zlatko Kranjcar. This is quite contradictory to what Kaffashian said after the embarrassing defeats in the Asian Games which resulted in Iran’s elimination at the group stages. Kaffashian said , from now on, the Team Melli coach will take much active role in Omid team.

 According to Mehr News Agency, Carlos Queiroz said that everything is fine with the team and they are ready to play for South Korea. “To play against some strong opposition is a scarce opportunity for us . I hope we play well, not only as a preparation match but to give our young players the opportunity to play.” Queiroz said.

 Asked whether he will have a surprise and include the young players in the line up, Queiroz said “will have to play the young players at some stage. We do not have many friendly games lined up and this one is the only one so far so we might as well use them. After the World Cup ,  we needed to embark in building a new young team (…)  Because there are not many opportunities for friendly matches , their playing chances will be at the earliest opportunity .” referring to the young players.

 National coach said: I’m sure players like him Pouraliganji,  Ehsan Haj Safi, Sardar Azmoun , Jahanbakhsh will form the backbone of the future team.

 On the question of the plan for re-building , Queiroz said that “we  will continue re-building the team and start depending on the youngsters , however Team Melli does not need a revolution now, we will re-build at our own pace ”

About whether the process will follow the national team after the Asian Cup seriously or not, he said,  “The team does not require a revolution. You need to keep the core team and they take that work forward. Players who are older should be good models for young people.”

Iran plays South Korea in Azadi on Tuesday.