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.
