PLDC - Ahvaz, The former Team Melli right back has high hopes for his new club: Esteghlal Meli-Sanati Khuzestan F.C.

Regarding the newly promoted Ahvazi team, Hossein Kaebi said,"We have a good situation. We have done physical training and bodybuilding for a few weeks. We have also had good preseason friendlies and hopefully we can get good results in the league."

This club has signed many Khuzestani talents and Kaebi confirmed,"It was not only our team, but other teams such as Fajr Sepasi of Shiraz, Malavan of Bandar Anzali and Damash of Rasht have also signed many home-grown talents from their regions. "

He continued, "We are all very focused and we are only thinking about football so we can attain the best results possible. For sure, we have much to prove this season. "

Esteghlal Khuzestan has been criticized by the media, regarding this issue, Kaebi complained, "For some reason we have been criticized a lot [by the media]. A few days ago I was watching television and seen a channel that criticized our team so unfairly that it made me sick. They were saying 'how can Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh play at 40 years old?' Don't they watch European football? Zanetti who is almost 40 years old is the star of his team. Maldini played til he was almost 42 years old. How come these critics don't criticize them? The fact is that these people don't know anything about football. They say Kaebi, Mobali and Meydavoudi were dropped from their teams and that's why they came to Esteghlal Khuzestan. I don't feel that they are worthy of being addressed, but when I hear these types of claims, it upsets me."

The veteran defender was hopeful about his team's first league match against Zob Ahan, as he said,"Zob Ahan is a good team. They were able to fight relegation and stay in the pro league. They have also signed Luka Bonacic as their head coach, and he is a well known coach who knows what he's doing. God willing, we will gain three points from this match."

Esteghlal Khuzestan's coach (Abdollah Veisi) had announced that he has ambitions of gaining one of Iran's shares for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League. Regarding this matter, Kaebi said, "Right after he was assigned as the coach of the club, Veisi put on a bulletin board that he wants us to go to the Champions League. This is very motivational for the team. Although I realize that Sepahan, Persepolis, Esteghlal, and Tractor Sazi have put together very strong teams, we will still try our best."

By: Arman Tamjidi