Lorant quits Saipa, Daei is new coach

AFC -  Iranian veteran Ali Daei has been appointed as player-coach of Saipa after German Werner Lorant quit on Monday to take up the reins of Turkish Super League outfit Erciyesspor.

Former Munchen 1860 coach Lorant had joined Saipa this summer and managed to haul the team up to top position in the fledgling Iran Pro League but his sudden departure has left the team rudderless, forcing the management to hand over temporary control to the 37-year-old Daei.

“I have accepted the responsibility as we have important matches coming up,” said Daei, who found a place in Saipa with difficulty after almost all the clubs rejected him following his poor show in the FIFA World Cup in Germany and the intense media criticism.

“I have no intention of retiring and this coaching job is purely temporary,” added Daei, who is the first man to score a century of international goals and opened his account for Saipa last week.

Meanwhile, a Saipa spokesman said they would be approaching FIFA over the Lorant case.