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PDFC - Kamran Delan of PFDC has conducted
an exclusive interview with the Iranian head coach Branko Ivankovic. This
full audio interview is provided for our viewers below.
In this interview Kamran Delan has asked many interesting questions in
which Ivankovic has answered in depth.
We would like to thank Mr. Human Afazeli of PFDC for his assistance in
arranging this interview and also, Mr. Chalangar for his efforts in
translation and finally Mr. Ivankovic for accepting this interview.
You'll need Real Audio player in order to listen to this interview.
Click Here
to listen to the clip.
Below you can find the full text
transcript of today's PFDC exclusive interview with head coach Branko
Ivankovic.
PFDC: I like to say hello to Mr. Ivankovic, we contact you from
persianfootball.com, along with his translator, Mr. Chalangar.
What do you think about the current situation of team melli and what are
your plans for the future?
Ivankovic: This is what the plans look like: On May 30th we will
play against Kuwait, and shortly after that a group of young players will
be active with a tournament in Syria from Aug. 28th until Sept. 6th. After
that, from Sept. 29th to Oct. 14th, we will participate for the Asian
Games in Pusan South Korea.
On Aug. 21st, our National team will play Ukraine National team in Kiev.
And we are in talks with Uzbekistan to have a friendly with them. And we
are trying to organize a few other friendlies for the Iranian Youth team.
PFDC: As you know in Pusan, we are only allowed to have three
players over the age of 23, and the rest of the players must be under the
age of 23? The team that participated in Kuwait was a little older than
that allowed in the Pusan games. Will you test new young players in the
future, or was this tournament in Kuwait the test?
Ivankovic: The Iran-Youth team will be very active until the start
of the Pusan games. In the past two months, we have tested 15 players. We
will invite 20 players to the camp that we are planning to have. So, by
the time the Pusan games come around, we will be ready.
PFDC: Mr. Farahani had stated that your contract is until 2006, is
this true?
Ivankovic: The contract means nothing, the only things that matters
is that the Football Federation will be happy with my work. After that, if
I sign a contract, it could be anywhere from 1-4 years.
PFDC: We ask this question because football fans want to know if
you have long-term planing or short term plans. Because if the contract is
longer, it allows long-term plans.
Ivankovic: I am working in a way, to benefit Iranian football. No
contract has been signed yet, and if I sign a contract, all these
questions will be raised, and if I sign a second contract, these questions
will be raised again.
PFDC: In the tournament in Kuwait, Iran was not in top form. But,
we look at this tournament from an optimistic view, we see that this is a
sign of a better future, and this gives us hope for the National team,
what is your opinion?
Ivankovic: It is always possible to get better results and play
better. But, if we look at it from a view that we were playing in Kuwait's
home field, with Kuwait's A team. It is hard to tell, it was our players
first time playing together, and for some players, it was their first time
leaving Iran.
We only had five days to prepare for this tournament. And due to the Asian
Club Championships, we were unable to rely on the services of Faraz Fatemi
and Sohrab Bakhtiyarizadeh. We also didn't have two of our players due to
injury, I am referring to Mojahed Khaziravi and Ali-Reza Nikbakht Vahedi.
Then, we can conclude that we could have played better, but I am always
yearning for better results.
PFDC: For the reason of the National team being active and ready,
why don't we play more games within Iran against youth teams and clubs to
test out tactics?
Ivankovic: This is the testing phase for our players,
unfortunately, I have been here for only two months. And the players are
active with their respective clubs right now. I have no way to test our
players but in
such tournaments, to observe their potentials and techniques. Until the
time that I feel is appropriate, I will not use my tactics.
PFDC: If you are Iran's coach in the future, what kind of football
do you want Iran playing? an attacking style of football or a defending
style of football? What country has a tactic similar to what you want to
accomplish in the Iranian team?
Ivankovic: It is hard to pin-point the tactic of a specific
country. Every country has its own style.
Generally, there are two types of football: South American football and
European. These two styles are very similar today, in that the South
Americans are looking for tall and strong players, where Europe is looking
for technical players.
We cannot go and copy other teams' tactics, Iran has its own style. We
have to work on a style of our own, and look at the principles of the
players and choose between them. This is what we have to do for Iran's
advancement.
PFDC: In recent competitions, Iran has fallen behind Japan, South
Korea, and even Saudi Arabia. In your opinion, how long will it take for
us to catch up? What do we need to do to catch up?
Ivankovic: Japan has had a professional league for ten years now.
In these ten years, they have seen progress. They have bought the best
players and the best coaches in the world to help their players and their
youth.
After ten years, just recently they start seeing signs of progress. I
repeat only signs. Same thing with China, S. Korea and Saudi Arabia. They
get the best coaches for their players, and our best clubs don't even have
training camps.
In reality, 95% of their success is due the hard work and only 5% depends
on talent so we cannot rely on talent in Iran and have to work very hard.
PFDC: It is known to many that Iranian players have good technique,
but lack the speed that the rest of the world has. Have you thought to
help fix this problem?
Ivankovic: How did you assume that we have good technique? We have
players that have technique with the ball, and we have players that have
technique without the ball. What is the meaning of technique? What do you
mean by technique?
PFDC: The value of each individual player and his abilities.
Ivankovic: Yes, I know that, what do you mean by values? Are you
talking about passing or dribbling? Or passing at the right time? which
one?
PFDC: Lets talk about their dribbling abilities in this case.
Ivankovic: In your opinion, is Hamed Kavianpour a good technical
player?
PFDC: Our personal opinion doesn't matter now, what I am asking is
that if you have any plans to speed up the games and work on the players'
speed?
Ivankovic: I do have plans, but this depends on the individual
player. The problem is that the player must have the skill to do it. We
cannot go for a counter-attack if we don't have fast players. I can't make
the players give up the ball faster, they have been playing with the ball
on their feet their entire life. These problems cannot be solved in one
day. Before the next game against Kuwait, we will only have one practice
and that is right before the match. We cannot solve the players problems
because they have been used to them their entire lives.
PFDC: What do you think about the replacement of players like Ali
Daei, which have big names. We know it is hard to work without them, with
the journalists and reporters pressure? Wouldn't you be forced to use them
by the media?
Ivankovic: I don't see any problem here, I don't understand the
question. Are you referring to their positioning or about changing them?
PFDC: The question is that is it hard for you to replace these
players because of the pressure from the
media asking you that we need them?
Ivankovic: I will use these players until better players come along
to replaces them.
PFDC: You stated before that we don't practice more than 4-5 days
before a match, are you planning to make more time for practice?
Ivankovic: If I had a choice, I would want the players with me for
12 months. Do you think Perugia will let Rahman Rezaei go for more than
five days? Or Bochum let Vahid Hashemian go for more than five days? Or
Hamburg allow Mahdavikia? They have league games and so do we in Iran.
But, FIFA rules state that the players have to be released to their
national teams at least five days before official FIFA matches for their
respective nations. And these players have to return to their clubs within
24 hours of a match.
PFDC: We know it is a very hard thing to do, and we witnessed it in
the tournament in Kuwait. Won't it be easier for you to not invite the
players that play in Europe and invite more players that are more
available?
Ivankovic: How can we win if we don't use our best players? We have
to win and get used to winning. And advance in Asia, so we can get respect
from the people and the players can get more self-confidence. Also, this
would attract more young people to football, and the sponsors would take
notice and start to invest. I have no right to deny anybody from playing
for the National team if they deserve it.
The players that play in Europe are the backbone of the National team: Ali
Daei, Karim Bagheri, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Mehrdad Minavand and etc., our
football has gotten popular in the world because of these players. And not
to mention other players such as Ali Karimi, and those who will play in
Europe soon such as Hamed Kavianpour, Ebrahim Mirzapour, and maybe Hossein
Kabi.
Many foreign clubs are seeking the services of these players. But you must
know that Iran hasn't been in the olympics for football in 25 years, and
in 20 years it has been to the World Cup only once.
PFDC: I would like to thank you for your New Year greetings to our
visitors. Our visitors became very happy, and thank you again.
Ivankovic: It was my pleasure to have an interview with
persianfootball.com. I am a regular visitor of your site and Im a big fan.
I get most of my news through Persian Football. I also would like to say
hello to your visitors and those who work with you.
PFDC: I would also like to thank you personally Mr. Chalangar for
your help and hard work, and I would like to thank Mr. Human Afazeli for
helping us arrange this interview.
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