There are few fans in Asia or the world, as passionate about the beautiful game as well as the national team. In the past as there have been problems at home, people have taken solace in their heroes in white but this time, it just didn’t quite happen.
First, the facts. Iran managed just 11 points from eight games, a tally that was good enough only for fourth. South Korea won the group with a game to spare, leaving just the second automatic spot up for grabs on the final day.
Going into the final round, Iran needed to win in South Korea to have any hope of automatic qualification Those three points would have been decisive only if the match between Saudi Arabia and North Korea ended all square. The second part of the equation came true and the first nearly did.
But nearly doesn’t send you to South Africa. Iran took the lead in South Korea but a fine Park Ji-sung equalizer robbed Team Melli, for a second successive match against the Taeguk Warriors, of two points.
Then millions of fans watched as North Korea held Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw. It was exactly the result that Iran didn’t want.
And the media isn’t happy – for three reasons.
It starts with the fact that Iran played in Pyongyang on June 6, in Tehran four days later and then on June 17 were back on the Korean peninsula. That’s three vital games in eleven days and thousands of miles travelled.
There is also anger at the fact that the result of Seoul clash was known by both North Korea and Saudi Arabia hours before they kicked-off which leads to the last complaint, that the two played out a goalless draw in order to eliminate Iran, or at least guarantee a play-off spot.
The aggrieved have a point – two actually. It is nonsensical that Iran had to travel from Tehran to Pyongyang (via China of course) back to Tehran and then all the way back to Seoul with the World Cup at stake. It doesn’t need to be said that Asia is a huge continent and flying from one end to the other is an exhausting process.
Additionally, most leagues around the world ensure that the final round of games in a season kick off at the same time. Even at the ongoing Confederations Cup, the last matches of the group stage kick off simultaneously for obvious reasons. World Cup qualifiers should follow suit. The prize of appearing at the World’s biggest sporting event is simply too big to have it any other way.
Saudi Arabia and North Korea didn’t agree to play for a draw although the Seoul result must have had an effect on the game. DPR Korea knew that one point was enough and this team, one built on a solid defence, was never going to take the game to the Saudis and this Saudi team has not been impressive going forward in this qualification campaign. The Green Falcons tried their utmost to score but poor finishing and an inspired Ri Myung Guk got in the way.
But this isn’t why Iran didn’t qualify. The biggest reason was that Team Melli didn't deserve to.
The reason why Iran’s finest will not be in the Rainbow Nation next summer is because they collected just six points from the first five games. It is because they were the only team to drop points against the UAE, it is because they then collected just one point from the following two home games against South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
Whether the removal of Ali Daei should have happened or not, bringing in a new coach (or two as it turned out as Daei’s immediate replacement Mohamed Mayeli Kohan last just two weeks before resigning) was always likely to be too late.
Afshin Ghotbi was given three matches, two on the Korean peninsula, and orders to get seven points. It was a tough task and one that was within nine minutes of being completed. Football is full of ironies but Park Ji-sung, a player that the coach knows well, was that ended Iranian dreams.
Now Iran have to think long-term and inject some stability into the national team set-up. Missing out South Africa hurts but it could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
But first, the real reasons for failure need to be recognised.