IRNA - Hansa Rostock's Amir
Shapourzadeh confirmed that he had recently met with Iranian national
football team coach Amir Ghalehnoei in Germany amid earlier Iranian news
reports about a possible invitation of the Iranian midfielder to Team
Melli.
"I held talks with Ghalehnoei last weekend in Rostock. The meeting was
generally aimed at getting better acquainted. There were no concrete
discussions about joining the Iranian national football team,"
Shapourzadeh said in an exclusive interview with IRNA late Thursday
evening.
"I would be very glad and it would be a great honor, if I were to
receive an invitation for Iran's national football squad. So let's see
what will happen," added the player who was also reportedly linked to
the Iranian national team before the 2006 World Cup.
Shapourzadeh whose contract with Rostock was just extended until
mid-2008, stressed that his present primary focus will be on his club
which is on the verge of being promoted into the first German football
division.
The right-winger expressed overall satisfaction with his first-year
performance as a professional player, after having played 25 Bundesliga
games in which he scored four goals and had three assists.
"I hope I can continue my positive development in the Bundesliga which
is a very strong league, in a bid to offer my services for the (Iranian)
national team," Shapourzadeh said.
Asked about his assessment of the performance of other Iranian
Bundesliga legionaries, he added that all Iranian footballers in the
first German division have successfully proven over the years that they
can compete at the highest level.
The 25-year-old Shapourzadeh joined Hansa Rostock in 2005 from north
German rivals Hamburger SV.
