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Special Team Melli News
With little over four months left to world cup finals we are once again witnessing the familiar mismanagement and incompetence in the Iranian Football Federation (IFF). Iran and Japan were the first countries to qualify for world cup 2006 giving them a head start to prepare for the finals.
Jubilant fans crowded the streets across Iran when Team Melli qualified for Germany 2006 on June 8 th 2005 by beating Bahrain. After the match Iranian players were confident of Iran progressing to the second round of world cup finals, Iran had put together a magnificent run of results to qualify for the world cup, players and coaches had every reason to be confident.
After the disappointment of missing out on WC2002 finals the IFF appeared to have learnt their lesson. This time a psychologist was hired to help the players deal with the mental pressures of the game; Iranian Embassy in Bahrain ensured of proper accommodation for the team when they played in Manama, Iran even took their own catering facility with the team to ensure the players received nothing but the best. These were positive and welcomed signs that the authorities were beginning to act professionally.
What has followed since June 8 th however is heartbreaking to say the least but it's a familiar pattern that Iranian players, coaches, fans and media have seen before; that's IFF mismanagement. Iran qualified for the world cup with a game in hand, consequently Iran's final match of WC2006 Qualifiers against Japan last August was not taken seriously, Iran lost the match 2-1 away but more alarming than the result was Iran's poor performance in the match. This was followed by the cancellation of a two legged friendly against Romania courtesy of IFF in September, the two matches would have been of great value and experience for Iran.
Iran's 2-0 loss to South Korea in a friendly game last October totally wiped out the joyful moments of June 8 th . But there was worse to come, the well publicised LG Cup to be held in Tehran later that month became the target of political retaliation with the Iranian authorities banning LG sponsorship from the Tehran tournament in retaliation for South Korea's support for the US on Iran's nuclear energy research issue. The tournament went ahead under a different name with Iran losing to Macedonia B side in their opening match, Iran's win over Togo did little to comfort the fans. After all the political wrangling that surrounded the LG Cup Iranian players seemed to have lost their motivation and hunger to play in the now Tehran tournament. Iran's recently arranged friendly against Ukraine for March 1 st 2006 was called off by the Ukrainians last week.
Iran face a new dilemma now, apart from being hit by IFF mismanagement Iran face political isolation as a consequence of the country's foreign policies and their nuclear research program. Many countries are not prepared to play in Iran after the recent revelations. There has also been News of possible sanctions against Iran which might include throwing Iran out of the world cup; FIFA has however re-iterated their policy of keeping football separate from politics. Sport must not be mixed-up with politics; however, since Iran banned LG football sponsorship of Tehran tournament over politics are we in a position to complain if Iran was to be kicked out of WC2006 for political reasons? Furthermore Iran's refusal to play against Israel in any sport is mixing politics with sport. There is one thing for certain, banning Iran from WC2006 would only hurt the nation not the intended target of Iranian Government.
How is all this affecting our players' mentality and confidence? Every country that has qualified for WC2006 has lined-up friendly matches for their teams; our fellow AFC sides Japan, South Korea, Australia and Saudi Arabia are playing friendly matches against European and South/Central American sides.
At the time of writing this article (Jan 23 rd ) IFF have not lined up any friendly matches for Iran. Interestingly though Persepolis FC of Tehran have managed to play a friendly with German Giants Bayern Munich!
So what options are available for Iran? In the past fans have complained when Iran have played friendly games against European football clubs, I have never agreed with them so long Iran play strong clubs; Real Madrid for instance rather than the unknown Esteghlal of Kish (an Island in the Persian Gulf) where Iran played last week.
It is already late for Iran to be fully prepared and at their peak by June 11 th when the world cup kicks off, but with immediate IFF action and planning we could still send a team to Germany that is prepared enough. The fans and media must get behind our head coach Branko Ivankovic and support his team, only helpful guidance and viable feedback to the team is acceptable, Team Melli does not need isolation and bashing from their own fans and media at this late stage.
Iran must hold regular training camps and keep their players in a high state of fitness, Iran's secret weapon in world cup 98 was the hard work the former Croat Coach Ivich put in the team; he put high emphasis on players' physical strength. IFF must support the team in the next five months by providing logistics such as proper travel arrangements, accommodation and training camps in Europe where Iran could play top European Clubs if not national sides. Our options are limited; time is not on our side.
It must be said however that Iranian players are quite used to IFF incompetence, they have been through all this mismanagement before, we can recall time and again Team Melli players have risen to the occasion and defeated the odds, Iran's match against Australia in Melbourne and against USA in Lyon (WC98] will always remain fresh on our minds, for the Iranian players the current turmoil the team is going through is simply business as usual for Team Melli Iran, based on Iran's past record I believe the Persians will give a good account of themselves in the finals despite their federations mismanagement, but one wonders what Iran could achieve if the Iranian authorities and IFF were well organised and supported their team just as the other qualifying countries are.
Jubilant fans crowded the streets across Iran when Team Melli qualified for Germany 2006 on June 8 th 2005 by beating Bahrain. After the match Iranian players were confident of Iran progressing to the second round of world cup finals, Iran had put together a magnificent run of results to qualify for the world cup, players and coaches had every reason to be confident.
After the disappointment of missing out on WC2002 finals the IFF appeared to have learnt their lesson. This time a psychologist was hired to help the players deal with the mental pressures of the game; Iranian Embassy in Bahrain ensured of proper accommodation for the team when they played in Manama, Iran even took their own catering facility with the team to ensure the players received nothing but the best. These were positive and welcomed signs that the authorities were beginning to act professionally.
What has followed since June 8 th however is heartbreaking to say the least but it's a familiar pattern that Iranian players, coaches, fans and media have seen before; that's IFF mismanagement. Iran qualified for the world cup with a game in hand, consequently Iran's final match of WC2006 Qualifiers against Japan last August was not taken seriously, Iran lost the match 2-1 away but more alarming than the result was Iran's poor performance in the match. This was followed by the cancellation of a two legged friendly against Romania courtesy of IFF in September, the two matches would have been of great value and experience for Iran.
Iran's 2-0 loss to South Korea in a friendly game last October totally wiped out the joyful moments of June 8 th . But there was worse to come, the well publicised LG Cup to be held in Tehran later that month became the target of political retaliation with the Iranian authorities banning LG sponsorship from the Tehran tournament in retaliation for South Korea's support for the US on Iran's nuclear energy research issue. The tournament went ahead under a different name with Iran losing to Macedonia B side in their opening match, Iran's win over Togo did little to comfort the fans. After all the political wrangling that surrounded the LG Cup Iranian players seemed to have lost their motivation and hunger to play in the now Tehran tournament. Iran's recently arranged friendly against Ukraine for March 1 st 2006 was called off by the Ukrainians last week.
Iran face a new dilemma now, apart from being hit by IFF mismanagement Iran face political isolation as a consequence of the country's foreign policies and their nuclear research program. Many countries are not prepared to play in Iran after the recent revelations. There has also been News of possible sanctions against Iran which might include throwing Iran out of the world cup; FIFA has however re-iterated their policy of keeping football separate from politics. Sport must not be mixed-up with politics; however, since Iran banned LG football sponsorship of Tehran tournament over politics are we in a position to complain if Iran was to be kicked out of WC2006 for political reasons? Furthermore Iran's refusal to play against Israel in any sport is mixing politics with sport. There is one thing for certain, banning Iran from WC2006 would only hurt the nation not the intended target of Iranian Government.
How is all this affecting our players' mentality and confidence? Every country that has qualified for WC2006 has lined-up friendly matches for their teams; our fellow AFC sides Japan, South Korea, Australia and Saudi Arabia are playing friendly matches against European and South/Central American sides.
At the time of writing this article (Jan 23 rd ) IFF have not lined up any friendly matches for Iran. Interestingly though Persepolis FC of Tehran have managed to play a friendly with German Giants Bayern Munich!
So what options are available for Iran? In the past fans have complained when Iran have played friendly games against European football clubs, I have never agreed with them so long Iran play strong clubs; Real Madrid for instance rather than the unknown Esteghlal of Kish (an Island in the Persian Gulf) where Iran played last week.
It is already late for Iran to be fully prepared and at their peak by June 11 th when the world cup kicks off, but with immediate IFF action and planning we could still send a team to Germany that is prepared enough. The fans and media must get behind our head coach Branko Ivankovic and support his team, only helpful guidance and viable feedback to the team is acceptable, Team Melli does not need isolation and bashing from their own fans and media at this late stage.
Iran must hold regular training camps and keep their players in a high state of fitness, Iran's secret weapon in world cup 98 was the hard work the former Croat Coach Ivich put in the team; he put high emphasis on players' physical strength. IFF must support the team in the next five months by providing logistics such as proper travel arrangements, accommodation and training camps in Europe where Iran could play top European Clubs if not national sides. Our options are limited; time is not on our side.
It must be said however that Iranian players are quite used to IFF incompetence, they have been through all this mismanagement before, we can recall time and again Team Melli players have risen to the occasion and defeated the odds, Iran's match against Australia in Melbourne and against USA in Lyon (WC98] will always remain fresh on our minds, for the Iranian players the current turmoil the team is going through is simply business as usual for Team Melli Iran, based on Iran's past record I believe the Persians will give a good account of themselves in the finals despite their federations mismanagement, but one wonders what Iran could achieve if the Iranian authorities and IFF were well organised and supported their team just as the other qualifying countries are.
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