Tag: Players

Mehdi Ghaedi chased by Qatar Star League clubs

Team Melli and Esteghlal striker Mahdi Ghaedi is close to playing in the Qatar Star League QSL according to the daily Al Raye of Doha. The newspaper cites several foreign sources who have been secretly negotiating with the player and agent to play in Qatar next season. The reports claim that several serious offers have been put forward to the Iranian star from several Qatari clubs, headed by Al Sadd and Al Duhail, to recruit the services of the player who starred with his team in the group stage in the AFC Champions League which helped Esteghlal to qualify for the next round of the AFC Champions League.

The 22-year Ghayedi is still under contract with Esteghlal and the club is insisting on keeping him for the next rounds of the AFC Champions League hoping to make it all the way to the finals. Esteghlal was the most potent attacking team of the group stages and Ghaeydi was amongst the top 5 stars of the competition according to the AFC website.

Transfermarket.com which tracks players’ value in the market quite a figure of 1.6 million Euro for the player from Bushehr. However, Ghaydi’s true value is much higher than what transfermarket is quoting, perhaps two to three times that.

Ali Karimi Joins Al Duhail

 Ali Karimi, Team Melli, and former Esteghlal midfielder who was transferred to the Qatar Star League side, Qatar Sports Club at the beginning of the season, has moved on to Al Duhail. in the winter transfers on loan.

After former Persepolis midfielder Bashar Rasan joined Al-Qatar, the club’s officials removed Ali Karimi from the list and transferred him to Al-Duhail. Al-Duhail team is led by French “Sabri Lamoushi”. Previously, Ramin Rezaeian, Team Melli defender played half a season for Al-Duhail, but he was included in the surplus list and went to Al-Siliyah. Karimi replaces Rezaian in Al-Duhail, with whom he will play in the Club World Cup.

Team Melli players news & transfers.

Omid Noorafkan, who is a member of the Belgian football club Sporting Charleroi has agreed terms with Foolad Sepahan on a one-year deal. Noorafkan was on a loan deal with Esteghlal but his contract with Sepahan is a permanent one, according to ISNA. Noorafkan has already joined Sepahan squad and has been training at the club training ground from today (Tuesday). Massoud Tabash, managing director of Sepahan Club, confirmed this in an interview with ISNA.

Saman Ghoddos transfer to the English Championship club Brentford has fallen apart at the last minute with the Iranian not agreeing personal terms.  Ghoddos returned back to his club Amiens SC in France and joined the squad for training.  Ghoddos already played two matches for his club in League 1. The Iranian midfielder is one of the very few successful Iranian legionnaires’ in Europe. Last season he played 27 times for Amiens and scored 4 goals.

Meanwhile, in Qatar, Omid Ebrahimi‘s contract with his club Al Ahli is about to run out. According to one source, Ebrahimi who had a very good season with Al Ahli is sought by several QSL clubs. Al Duhail seems to be the favourite to sign him. No official announcement has been out from either side.

In Belgium, Kaveh Rezaei is still registered with Club Brugge however, he has not featured in any matches yet. He was in the 18 man squad on one match but was an unused substitute. Club Brugge seems to be looking for options to sell the Iranian forward by the 2nd of September were the European transfer windows will close. The Iranian forward is surplus to requirements at Belgian team Club Brugge according to coach Philippe Clement who has made it clear that Rezaei no longer figures in his plans.

One of the options for Rezaei is to return to Charleroi. The 27-year-old striker has played 11 times for Club Brugge and scored just one goal. Rezaei joined Club Brugge for a reported club-record fee of €5 million in August 2018.

Ali Gholizadeh, another Team Melli player in Belgium has made a cameo appearance for his club, Sporting Charleroi coming in at the 88th minute of a league game. His status seems to be a bench warmer with Charleroi however there are no indications that the club is going to release him.

Krim Ansarifard in the Qatar Star League

The former Nottingham Forest player and Team Melli centre forward, Karim Ansarifard signed a 2-year contract with Al Sailiya Sports Club in Doha.

Al-Sailiya SC is managed by the Tunisian Sami Trabelsi and Ansarifard is the only non-Arab player in the squad which is mainly formed of north African and Sudanese players.

Last season, the club ended the season in a very respectable 3rd position behind champions Al Sadd and runners up Al Duhail. This was one of the best rankings of Al Sailiya in Qatar Star league. Ansarifard, whose contract with English Championship club Nottingham forest has run out, had a few good seasons in Greece before moving to England and the disappointment of Nottingham Forest. In 2017/18 season, the 29 years old Ansarifard played in the Greek League for Olympiakos Piraeus where he scored 17 goals in 26 matches. However, in England, Ansarifard only managed 3 goals in 12 matches without securing a starting place in the line up of coach O’Neil.

Nottingham Forest had to endure a lot before managing to secure the signature of Ansarifard last season after eventually getting his work permit sorted out, but after all that effort the striker was to warm the bench for most of the season!

England has never been a successful playing ground for Iranian internationals and despite the small number of them playing in England, none of the Iranians managed to claim success. Jahanbaksh, the Top Scorer of the Eredivisie, was bought by Brighton for a record fee, but he could not score a single goal in the Premier League or other competitions with his team in a full season. It is to be noted however that Jahanbakhsh only played 19 games for Brighton missing many due to injury and then the AFC Asian Cup 2019 while he was away with Team Melli.

Masoud Shojae to join Panionios FC

Team Melli’s winger and midfield player , Masoud Shojae (32 Years) have agreed a deal with the Greek Super League outfit, Panionios FC.

Shojaei , who was playing for the QSL Al Gharafa last season in Qatar, will be joining his compatriot , Karim Ansarifard in the same team in Greek league.  Shojaei has played in the Spanish La Liga side Osasuna (101 games & 8 goals) and Segunda Division , Las Palmas (29 games & 5 goals) before returning east to the Persian Gulf and joining Qatar league.

Panionios FC were performing quite strongly in last season and with the help of Ansarifard’s goals , as they climbed the table near the top , but their campaign faltered towards the end and were finally ranked 5th , which was a massive improvement from the season before when they just managed to avoid relegation.

Panionios management has been trying to strengthen the squad to mount a good run and yet another title challenge in the Super League Greece season 2016/17.  They play their home games in Nea Smyrni Stadium with a capacity of 11.700 seats. Panionios FC is one of the oldest and most historic Greek teams.

Mehrdad Pooladi seeking asylum in UK.

The former Team Melli and Persepolis player Mehrdad Pooladi is rumored to be seeking asylum in Britain following his problem with the authorities in Iran as the result of Military Service.

Pooladi who was Team Melli’s best player in FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil, last played for Team Melli in the 2015 Asian Cup Australia. His expulsion in the quarter final match against Iraq after receiving the 2nd yellow card meant Team Melli playing the whole of the second half and extra time with one player short.

At the time, Pooladi was playing in Qatar Star League with Al Shahaniya and returned their following the elimination of Team Melli never to return back to his homeland.

The reclusive ex-Mes Kerman and Persepolis defender troubles began when he was named in controversial list of football players who dodged military service by presenting fake documents with the intention to fraud. The compulsory 2 years military service is required for all able bodied young Iranians after graduation from school.  Almost all the players named on that list, accepted the consequences of their misconduct and their subsequent punishments, which included servicing the full 2 years military service. Pooladi was the only one who insisted on his innocence. He was adamant that he followed the procedures in getting release from military service without publicizing the details.

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Pooladi who has always been media shy and did not give many interviews was said to promise the authorities to prove that his discharge was legitimate on his return to Iran following the AFC Asian Cup 2015.

Pooladi never returned back to Iran and the reason was a concerted media slander campaign where he was called a “fugitive” , “deserter” and even a “traitor”. It is believed that Pooladi , on hearing or reading those comments in government run media including respected news agency such as ISNA , thought he was fighting a losing battle. Dejected and angry by these accusations, he decided not to return fearing reprisal and imprisonment by the authorities.

A few insiders point fingers at unnamed Persepolis club officials who hatched this campaign against him as a revenge for him abandoning the club in 2014 when he was most needed in a struggling team. These claims are unsubstantiated, however.

Mehrdad Pooladi was one of Carlos Queiroz’s most trusted players. It seemed that the Team Melli head coach was swearing by him to the extent that he named him in a squad once while the left back was on crutches recovering from injury!

Pooladi and Shojaei relegated in QSL.

Al Shahaniya club lost its final match in the Qatar Star League QSL against Al Ahli and were relegated to the second division. Al Shahaniya which has two Team Melli players Mehrdad Pooladi and Masoud Shojaei in their squad , were just promoted last season. The two Iranian players started with the team from the beginning of the season , but their efforts were fruitless and could not help keep the newly promoted team in top flight for more than one season.

Al Shahaniya finished in 13th position with 20 points 7 points ahead of the bottom team Al Shamal which is also relegated along with Al Shahaniya.

Al Ahli which is coached by the ex-Sepahan coach Zlatko Kranjcar and has Jalal Hosseini and Mojtaba Jabbari playing for them finished the season at 5th place. Hosseini and played Pooladi played the full match for their respective teams , while Masoud Shojaei was introduced as a substitute from the second half. Jabbari is currently injured.

Al Wakrah which has Reza Ghoochanejad in their squad , just missed on relegation by beating Al Gharafa 2-1 in the final round of the QSL a result that ensured their survival. Al Wakrah finished with 23 point at 12 place just above the relegated Al Shahaniya. Ghoochanejad made a cameo appearance for Al Wakra when he replaced Ahmad Koheyl Substituted in the final 5 minutes of the game.

QSL title was won by Lekhwiya for the fourth time in their history.

Ghoochannejad to Al Wakrah Club in QSL.

Team Melli’s forward, Reza Ghoochannejad is on the final stages of completing the formalities to join Al Wakrah Club in Qatar Star League QSL.

Ghoochannejad who was released by his last club Al Kuwait SC and was not desired back at Charlton athletics, has found refuge in Qatar to become the sixth Team Melli player who play in the QSL. Ghoochannejad’s departure from Al Kuwait was mainly attributed to financial issues rather than performance in the very modest Kuwait League.

Ghoochannejad is carrying out his medical and pending successful result of the medical test , he will sign a one year contract with the Qatari club currently lying 12th in the 14 clubs league and only one place above the drop zone and relegation.

Other Iranian players in the QSL are: Ashkan Dejagah (Al Arabi) , Pejman Montazeri (Umm Salal) , Masoud Shojaei & Mehrdad Pooladi (Al Shahaniya) , Mojtaba Jabbari & Jalal Hosseini (Al Ahli).  Umm Salal is the highest ranked QSL team with Iranian player at 5th place while the rest of the clubs lying in the lower regions. Al Shahaniya is already in the drop zone with 12 points , 4 points less than Al Wakrah one place above them.

 

 

Masoud Shojaei scores a rare hat trick.

Doha

Masoud Shojaei , playing for Al Shahaniya in Qatar Star League QSL scored a rare career hat trick to help his team defeat the 10 man Al Sadd and current league  leader 3 – 1.

Team Melli winger Shojaei who was unable to find a Spanish club after his last club Las Palmas did not renew his contract following a poor season, eventually ended up in Qatar with the newly promoted team from the second division. Up to Sunday’s match against Al Sadd, Shojaei has managed to score one goal only in 12 matches. He has now 4 goals in total.

Masoud Shojaei has been one of the weaker performers in Team Melli matches. However; despite his lackluster displays , Shojaei has always been favored by Queiroz who has a much higher regards and respect for players who play outside Iran, especially Europe. Shojaei has been booed regularly at Azadi when playing for Team Melli due to his marginal form.   His lack of goals in Al Shahaniya has prompted the lowly team to look for an alternative striker from North Africa and Brazil to join the team in the January window. It is not known if this hat trick has changed the AL Shahaniya managements’ mind.

Masoud Shojaei seemed to have a found new lease of life just about the right time for himself and Team Melli with about a month to go for the AFC Asian Cup 2015. Shojaei’s compatriot Mehrdad Pooladi , currently not able to play for Iran , is also playing for the QSL team. Al Shahaniya is still near the bottom of the league and in danger of a quick return to the second division of Qatar league after one season only in top flight. Al Shahaniya has 12 points from 14 matches in the 13th position of the 14 team league.

Queiroz refuses to comment on Vingada.

Queiroz categorically refused to comment on the future of his compatriot Nelo Vingada with the Olympic team. Team Melli coach  was talking to reporters after the conclusion of the technical committee meeting of the FFIRI discussing the colossal Asian Games failures in which the team failed to progress beyond the group stage and was placed last in a 3 team group that included Thailand and Kyrgyzstan. It was one of the worst failures in history of Iran’s participation in the Asian Games football competition.

“A professional coach should never comment on another coach and as I am a professional I will refrain from commenting on Vingada and the Olympic Team” Queiroz stated “I was kindly asked by the Technical Committee to attend this meeting to give some technical viewpoints and my outlook for the Olympic Teams. I have an expertise in this area so I provided the committee some advice and my version of the plan.”

Nelo Vingada, the coach of the U23 (Olympic) team  has refused to attend this meeting as required by the technical committee citing his absence on leave. Vingada has said that he will only turn up for work just before the training camp in Qatar. Iran Olympic team is supposed to participate in a 4 side tournament in Qatar  in January 2015 which will include its Qatari counterpart, Al Ahli club and Qatar youth team beside Iran’s U23 selection.

Interestingly enough, Carlos Queiroz did actually comment on Vingada during the Asian Games and praised his compatriot and colleague saying Vingada knows what he is doing!

https://www.teammelli.com/2014/09/16/queiroz-vingada-knows-what-he-is-doing/

On the other hand , according to ISNA news Agency , the FFIRI technical committee were about to declare the termination of Vingada’s contract with FFIRI following the failure of Incheon , but the strong backing of Queiroz resulted in a U-turn by the committee. Morteza Mohassis , Human Afazeli , Fereydoon Moeini and Mohamad Ehsani were indecisive and easily influenced by Queiroz strong backing for his compatriot. The committee members retreated from their earlier position of ending Vingada’s contract. The final verdict on the future of Vingada will be left to the meeting next Wednesday.

Habib Kashani , who was the President of Perespolis not so long ago and was unceremoniously sacked from his position , is now in charge of Iran’s U-23 team as Team Manager.