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Reuters - Iran's soccer coach is confident his
team will not be distracted by politics during next month's World Cup in
Germany.
Speaking to Reuters at a training camp in Switzerland, Croatian Branko
Ivankovic said he would not ban his players from answering political
questions but expected them to be fully focused once the finals start on
June 9.
"Obviously people can ask the players about anything that they want - we
don't have any restrictions - but I would rather people built a clear wall
between sport and politics," he said.
"Of course it is hard for the players to switch off completely from what is
going on with Iran, but we have a young ambitious squad who I am convinced
will only be thinking about the football."
Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparked controversy for remarks that
Israel "should be wiped off the map" and questioning whether six million
Jews were killed by the Nazis in the Holocaust.
Iran has also refused to renounce its nuclear activity. Ahmadinejad is not
expected to travel to Germany for the month-long World Cup.
Ivankovic said he would not comment on Iran's nuclear ambitions or the
resulting threat of sanctions, saying he did not give opinions on Croatian
politics during his time as assistant coach to his own national side.
Mohammad Nosrati in action for Iran in a
friendly game against Lyss
Iran's Mohammad Nosrati (R) vies with SV Lyss players Hakan Bucak (C) and
Michael Quartey during their friendly on 9 May 2006 in Lyss near Bern.
WOMEN BANNED
The 52-year-old trainer was more forthcoming on the issue of Iran's women
supporters, who have since 1979 been banned from attending football matches
in their homeland.
Having declared a lifting of that ban last month, Ahmadinejad this week
reversed his decision following disapproval from the country's supreme
leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"I haven't heard about the latest decision but I am sure this issue will be
discussed again.
"All I can say is that the women in Iran are crazy about football - they are
always coming up to me and asking why I didn't choose a particular player or
why I don't use a particular formation.
"When some women made it into our match against Bahrain a year ago the
atmosphere was excellent. FIFA have said they want football to be for
everybody and I completely agree with that."
Ivankovic says he hopes to steer Iran to at least the second round at the
finals. They are in Group D with Euro 2004 runners-up Portugal, Mexico and
debutants Angola, in their third World Cup appearance.
"The expectations are always incredibly high in Iran, but I think we do have
the strength to get through even if Portugal and Mexico will be clear
favourites.
"I was already impressed by the Iran team that reached the 1998 World Cup
when I was working with the Croatian team, but I believe this side is even
stronger - particularly because of the international experience that a lot
of our players now have."
TOP PLAYERS
Currently staying at the same Swiss hotel from which Germany launched their
first World Cup triumph in 1954, Ivankovic and his squad are having to
prepare without many top players.
Germany-based players Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Vahid Hashemian and
Fereydoon Zandi, plus FC Messina defender Rahman Rezaei, will join up with
the team on May 20 in Tehran.
Ivankovic has to name his squad by May 15 and has organised three friendly
matches against lower league Swiss teams to help him make up his mind.
The first of these nearly ended in embarrassment on Tuesday, with Iran
needing two late goals to salvage a 2-1 win over the amateurs of Lyss.
"We have a lot of young players and some of them are nervous because they
still don't know if they will make the World Cup squad," Ivankovic said.
"It was in any case good to remind the players that there are no easy games
anymore and that everybody knows how to organise their sides."
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