Farahani stresses urgency of reforms

AFC - AFC Executive Committee member Mohsen Safaei Farahani of Iran has welcomed AFC’s move to relaunch the AFC Champions League strictly along professional lines next year, saying that Iranian clubs need to undertake urgent reforms to avoid being left out of the new set-up.

Speaking to www.the-afc.com, Farahani, who is also a member of the AFC Pro-League Ad-Hoc Committee which is spearheading the overhaul of the AFC Champions League, said: “The new criteria of the AFC Pro-League Committee is a warning to all clubs that they should rethink their current position and aim for what they want to be.”

“The new criteria has shocked Iranian football managers and they need to quickly review their statutes and guidelines to save their place in the future league. This is the most valuable result coming out of the new changes proposed to the AFC Champions League,” added the veteran Iranian football administrator.

Iranian clubs have performed strongly over the years in the AFC Champions League with Isfahan outfit Sepahan reaching the final last year where they lost to Japan ’s Urawa Red Diamonds.

Farahani stressed the key role quality human resources play in professional development of football and how AFC’s Vision Asia programme was helping in educating the workforce engaged in the game.

“Football has a long history in Asia but development so far has centred around players, coaches and referees, neglecting other equally important roles like managers, administrators, marketing and media officers,” said Farahani.

“Managers are the leaders who chart out the future of football and I believe that AFC’s programme to certify managers and administrators is helping to raise the overall quality of football.”

The AFC Professional League’s Ad Hoc Committee is currently in its final stretch of inspections during which individual meetings with 16 shortlisted Member Associations will take place before the announcement on May 20 of the countries which will take part in the keenly anticipated continental club showcase next year.