Iran coach says tensions have not affected team

FIFA - Iran coach Branko Ivankovic rejected on Wednesday suggestions that political tension over Tehran's nuclear programme was the cause of his team's inadequate preparations for next month's FIFA World Cup™ in Germany.
"It's nothing to do with politics but everything to do with the fact that our top players are not available for some time," Brankovic told Reuters.

Iran's football media has been critical of the national team's FIFA World Cup build-up, with only two full internationals scheduled against Croatia on 28 May in Osijek and Bosnia-Herzegovina on 31 May at home.

Proposed matches against Ghana and Uruguay in late March failed to eventuate while the Football Federation of Iran was unable to arrange warm-up games against Tunisia and Czech Republic.

Ivankovic dismissed claims that international teams have been unwilling to play in Iran because of Tehran's political stand-off with the United States and Europe.

He said five of his best players had club commitments in Europe and added he could not start working with a full squad until 20 May at the FIFA World Cup training base in Friedrichshafen, southern Germany.

"We started training five days ago with players who are in the Iranian league," said Ivankovic. "We have problems getting the whole team together. The Bundesliga finishes on 15 May and then, we have to give those players seven days' rest according to FIFA rules.

"We have a strong group of players but our preparations are not enough. I don't think there's ever enough time to prepare for any national coach. But we cannot do anything about it."

Four Iranian internationals play in the German Bundesliga – Ali Karimi (Bayern Munich), Mehdi Mahdavikia (SV Hamburg), Vahid Hashemian (Hannover 96) and Ferydoon Zandi (FC Kaiserslautern). Another player, Rahman Rezaei, turns out for Messina in Italy.

"These are all key players for Iran," said Brankovic, who on Monday takes a 25-strong Iran-based preliminary squad to Switzerland for a training camp. Included in the squad are record goalscorer Ali Daei and stalwart defender Yahya Golmohammadi.

Iran play Mexico in Nuremberg in their opening Group D match at the FIFA World Cup finals on 11 June. They also face Portugal and Angola.

"Our target is to try and get to the second stage," said Ivankovic.