The Helicopter has also managed to hang around the Bundesliga for a good few years and is one of Asia’s most successful-ever exports to Europe.
Not only has the 33-year-old stayed the course in one of the world’s top leagues, the way he approaches the game and the way he talks about it has piqued interest in what he will do when the rotors stop spinning and that is no mean feat in the world of football.
After starting out in his homeland with Pas, Hashemian signed for Hamburg SV in 1999. A decade ago, the movement of Asian players westwards was more sporadic and less organised than nowadays, thus making the then-23-year-old one of the pioneers. The striker has never been one to shy away from a challenge on or off the pitch.
The Helicopter Takes Off
Playing opportunities were hard to come by by the North Sea and so a move to VfL Bochum in 2001 seemed the right thing to do, even though the club was then in the second division. His goals helped the team win promotion and sealed his place in the hearts of the fans.
It was then, in 2002, and there in the Bundesliga, that Hashemian came into his own and moved into the spotlight. It was by the Ruhr that fans gave him his nickname. His goals in the 2002-03 season helped the club finished a respectable ninth. His goals in the 2003-04 season took the club to fifth and the UEFA Cup.
Fans loved the player, not only for his goals, but for his determination and hard-work on the pitch. As is usual in these situations, few guessed that these were Hashemian’s halcyon days. The coach had faith, the team-mates had confidence in his goalscoring abilities and appreciated the fact that he was the team player and the fans had their hero.
Twenty-six goals in two seasons naturally alerted the attention of bigger Bundesliga fish and then came a move to Bayern Munich in 2005. He wasn’t the first Team Melli man to head to Bavaria and wasn’t the last. It wasn’t a successful time for the striker. He spent much of the season on the bench and didn’t score once.
With a second season of substitute action looming, Hashemian had to move and was soon in Hannover. He wasn’t quite the same player. Understandably perhaps, the striker’s confidence was not what it had been.
The coolness in front of goal, once so impressive at Bochum, rarely appeared in Hannover. Playing time was no problem. The goals though, no longer came freely but in the manner of a car looking for a parking space in Tehran’s rush hour – if you drive for long enough you’ll eventually find one but it will be a painful, frustrating process watched by thousands of people.
Back To Bochum
Only nine goals came in the following three seasons before Hashemian returned to Bochum. Fans there were desperate for him to be the Hashemian of old.
But time and injuries had caught up with the striker. He still was an intelligent frontman, he could still create chances for others and give defenders a hard time but he struggled to lose them when he needed that extra space for the shot. He was still good in the air but was no longer as feared by defenders.
The effort was still there, and for that and for his past exploits, he remains popular. Last season was one in which he was suspended for an interview with Bild, a misunderstanding he claimed, and also battled injuries.
At the age of 33, his time at the top is coming to an end and his appearances for Bochum next season are expected to be few. It could be the end of an era.
International Retirement
It has ended in international terms. Since the World Cup, a disappointment for all concerned, the striker has been in and out of the national team, sometimes by choice, sometimes not. He still showed flashes of class – a last-second goal at Seoul World cup stadium in September 2006 was a lesson in coolness and execution.
His time with Team Melli wasn’t always happy and after early snubs and little playing time, despite lengthy trips from Germany, Hashemian eventually had enough and refused to accept summons that became more sincere the more goals he bagged in the Bundesliga.
He did cave in eventually and returned in time to help the boys qualify for the 2006 World Cup, a frustrating one personally and for the team.
Hashemian is a strong character and has not been afraid to speak out regarding the problems that Iranian football faces. Unlike some others however, he intends to do something about it and has already started to talk of coaching – unusual for an Asian player before he hangs up his boots.
It is not just talk either; he has completed his ‘B’ coaching licence in Germany and doesn’t plan to stop there.
“I could not qualify for the World Cup with Iran as a player, but I hope that to do that as a coach. I want to end my playing and pave the way for young players to help the team to get good results in the next matches.”
As befitting a player with such experience, he has much to teach.
That could start with a return to the Iranian league, one which needs stars such as 'The Helicopter' to thrill the crowds, improve the level of professionalism and become an all-round figurehead for the domestic game.
It would be a step in the right direction for the player and Iranian football.
John Duerden
Asia Editor
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