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GOAL - At the age of 29, Vahid Hashemian has
become one of the most successful Iranian players in Europe. He is in his
seventh year of playing in Germany with 28 Bundesliga goals to his credit.
Following a slow year at Bayern Munich, a move to Hannover 96 has revived
his career.
Vahid Hashemian Career At a Glance
Fath, Tehran-Iran (1993 – 1995)
Pas, Tehran – Iran (1995 – 1999)
Hamburg SV – Germany (1999 – 2001)
VFL Bochum - Germany (2001 – 2004)
Bayern Munich - Germany (2004 – 2005)
Hannover 96 - Germany (2005 – Present)
PRESENT TIME
Kaveh: First let’s talk about your recent games. Since the arrival of Peter
Neururer, you have become more effective and so has your team.
Vahid: We have had two victories and a tie over the last three weeks. Two of
these matches were on the road which adds to the significance of these
results. Consequently, we are now 8th in the Bundesliga and getting more
comfortable.
Kaveh: That is true and it seems like you have personally been more
successful.
Vahid: We are playing more aggressively and are attack minded. That has
helped me to play better in the system and with the team. It is nice to also
have scored a couple of goals and made an assist in this stretch.
Kaveh: What is the difference between playing under Peter Neururer and your
previous coach? Do you play in a different system?
Vahid: Yes and no. Our system of play is still 4 – 3 – 3. So from that
perspective, nothing has changed. What has changed is how we implement the
system. Under the previous coach (Ewald Lienen), the forwards and attackers
were expected to get back into our half of the field when we were defending
and as a result it was difficult to create counter attacks and offensive
positions. Imagine I am in our half of the field, we have the ball and our
forwards have to get back on the offensive side. It took longer to create
situations and therefore fewer chances to score.
Now, we still play with the 4 – 3 – 3 system but when we lose the ball, we
press with our forwards and try to defend in the opposition half. As a
result, we are in a position to steal the ball or create offensive
situations without retreating. As a forward, when you play like this, you
have more opportunities and more chances to score. This is the ideal
situation and hence I am more comfortable.
Kaveh: So the coaching change helped?
Vahid: I like and respect our previous coach. He was very skilled,
knowledgeable, is a gentleman and a nice individual. He just had a different
approach with the team. The new coach has brought the offensive mentality
and that has helped us to do better.
Kaveh: How does your recent performance help you mentally?
Vahid: A striker would want to play in the opposition half of the field. He
would then have more chances to show his poise, he would become more
effective for his team and would provide opportunities for his side to win.
Team’s new offensive mindset and performance has helped me a lot
individually. I am still the same player and we have the same type of
practices yet I have more ball possession opportunities and therefore
chances to score more goals.
I have done OK over the last three weeks. Certainly, I have done a lot
better than the first 12 weeks but will do even greater as the season
progresses.
Kaveh: How do you think Hannover would fair in Bundesliga this year?
Vahid: We are currently 8th and should finish the season in the top 10. We
will be satisfied.
Kaveh: I don’t recall you getting yellow carded much but last week you did
get a yellow card. Talk to me about your experience in getting cards.
Vahid: Football especially football in Germany is a physical game. In most
countries, 3 yellow cards make you ineligible. Here in Germany and
Bundesliga, 5 yellow cards would make a player ineligible to play in the
next match. That just goes to show all recognize the physical nature of the
game.
In that game you mentioned, the referee decided that I had committed a
violent foul. Replays showed that I was aggressive yet didn’t commit a foul.
However a referee’s decision is what counts and I respect that. I have
learned to get tough and play the physical match in Germany and I have also
learned to respect referee’s decisions. That is how the game is played here.
Kaveh: A big controversial issue in Iran’s Premier League is the quality of
referees. Following almost every match, the losing team would claim the
referee made tragic mistakes, would accuse referees of favoring the
opposition and there is an overall lack of respect for officials. We see
players including national team members argue loudly with the referees. Then
they go on into media and criticize the men in black. What do you think
about that?
Vahid: You have to look at this from two different views. When a referee
makes a call, it is final. When a player argues the issue, he is not arguing
to change the call. He is probably frustrated. At the same time, a referee
should keep in mind that due to a bad call, a match outcome could change and
all the works done by the team, players and coaching staff could be wasted.
Our coaches have to teach our players to respect the officials of the game
yet our referees should also be constantly trained and made sensitive toward
players’ emotions and have consistency in officiating. Both sides need to
work on this. Additionally, referees should officiate based on their
trainings and abilities and not personal opinions.
Kaveh: I seem to recall that you once got red carded in Germany. Isn’t that
the case?
Vahid: That is true. It was six years ago in a game between Hamburg and
Dortmund when I received a red card. That was an odd day for me as I am
usually in control of my emotions.
EARLY DAYS IN GERMANY
Kaveh: Let’s talk about when you first came to Germany. Please explain your
challenges then and the difference of footballs played in Iran vs. Germany.
Vahid: Our (Iran’s) football then was in an amateur to semi-pro stage of its
evolution. I then came here (Germany) and walked into a true professional
environment. German football has a long history of professionalism and
championships in Europe. German clubs have state of the art facilities,
management and organizations.
Kaveh: What does professional environment mean?
Vahid: We are working for the club. The way we practice and the way we live
and eat is professional. In Germany, you practice every day and sometimes
twice a day. We are full time with the club. There is no casualness to how
we practice and live during the season.
The way we practice is very different than Iran. Here it is much more
physical and you have to be able to survive and get tough. At first, this
was a challenge for me but with hard work and practice I got used to it. It
took me a few times to adopt myself to the environment.
Kaveh: What are the key differences between how you practice now vs. how
your trained at Bayern Munich?
Vahid: Essentially, it is very similar. Most German clubs use the same
practice philosophy. The difference is in the caliber of players and the
players’ abilities. Naturally, at Bayern, the quality of players was higher
and therefore training sessoins more intense and competition more fierce.
QUICK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Kaveh: As of this interview, you have scored 28 goals in the Bundesliga.
Which one of them is the most memorable for you?
Vahid: The one that I scored with a scissor kick a couple of years ago with
my back toward the goal. I think that was against Munich 1860.
Kaveh: Your favorite goal for the Iran’s national team?
Vahid: Two goals. One was against Qatar which helped Iran to go on to the
next round of the world cup qualifications. The second one was against Japan
this past March during “Ayde Norooz” festivities (Iranian New Year) and I
felt like it was a “Norooz” gift to all Iranians. I really enjoyed these two
goals.
Kaveh: Best player you ever worked with?
Vahid: I always try to play well with whomever the coach picks next to me.
Kaveh: Who was your favorite player when you grew up?
Vahid: Maradona and in Iran, all the great players.
Kaveh: Why are you called a helicopter?
Vahid: It goes back to my first season in Germany. My coach compared my
jumps in the air for headers to the rise of helicopters. That name has stuck
with me ever since.
Kaveh: You don’t mind it. Do you?
Vahid: Well, these nicknames and titles wouldn’t make a player a great
player. Every team has her own fans and fan-base. Fans liked the title and
it was a way for them to appreciate me and I appreciated that. Hard work is
what makes a player successful.
NATIONAL TEAM
Kaveh: A few weeks ago, Iran played Togo and about 1000 fans showed up. In
our recent history, we don’t have many examples like this when so few people
show up for a national team match. Why do you think that happened?
Vahid: The game was played on a Sunday at 3 PM (Iran’s weekends are Fridays)
when many were at work or at school. Togo is not a known name in the world
football. I think those were the main reasons.
Kaveh: Don’t you think Iran’s poor performance against Macedonia had
something to do with it?
Vahid: It may have had some effects but not the main reason.
Kaveh: Your thoughts on the world cup?
Vahid: We have a good team and it would be challenging. We need to prepare
well and that will happen.
Kaveh: Thank you for the opportunity and the talk and good luck with your
game both in the club level and at the world cup.
Vahid: Thank you as well.
Kaveh Mahjoob
(Interview originally published on FootballMedia.net)
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