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FNA - Iran's Football
Federation (IFF) Sunday appointed legendary striker and present head coach
of Tehran's Saipa club, Ali Daei, as the new head coach for the country's
national football team.
The appointment came out of the blue as latest reports coming from the IFF
emphasized selection of Afshin Qotbi, the head coach of premier league
leader Persepolis, as the best possible choice for leading Iran's squad in
the 2010 World Cup qualifiers in Asia.
During the recent weeks, the IFF announced that its other choices included
ex-national team coaches Amir Ghalenoei and Bijan Zolfaghar Nasab and the
current national team caretaker, Mansour Ebrahim Zadeh.
Deputy IFF president Mehdi Taj told state television that Qotbi, trainer of
Persepolis Tehran, has prevailed over four other local contenders for the
post.
The 45-year-old Qotbi will head the national team in the first round of the
World Cup qualification games against Kuwait, Syria and the United Arab
Emirates, Taj said.
In case of success, the 45-year-old would also take the team into the second
round and eventually to the games in South Africa, Taj added.
Iran, which had been the only national side in Asia without a head coach
since last July, started its World Cup qualification games with a
disappointing goalless draw against Syria last month. The second game will
be against Kuwait this month.
The IFF had in the recent weeks tried to employ Portuguese Artur Jorge and
Spanish Javier Clemente but both efforts failed, especially with Clemente
who had even signed a contract but his main demand not to live in Iran
permanently was eventually rejected by the Iranian side.
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