Category: AFC Asian Cup 2019

Mutual respect between coaches, but Queiroz is promising nothing!

Abu Dhabi

teammelli.com report

The pre-match press conference of Iran vs Yemen match was conducted in Mohammed Bin Zayed stadium earlier today.

Iran Conference.

Masoud Shojaei, who accompanied Carlos Queiroz started the press conference responding to teammelli.com question of “What is the level of the team performance in the match ahead that will satisfy him? Will the team be inspired and go forward with a narrow straight forward win , or a big score margin?”

 The Captain of Team Melli simply said “We want to be ourselves and play like we always play”

Questions then were asked of Queiroz, Answering about his statement that Yemen game is a final in itself; Queiroz said that there was a misunderstanding of what he has said.

“I didn’t say the game against Yemen was the most important game, I simply said that we will take each game as it comes and take it seriously. We are focusing on Yemen game, one game at the time.”

On his opinion on which team is the black horse of the championship.

 Queiroz said “As far as I am concerned , Japan and South Korea are the two top contenders as they have invested heavily in football, have expansive youth program, quality infrastructure and they have the resources.”

“Next comes  Australia  with and couple of dreamers!  20 or 21 other dreamers” as Queiroz put it.

Asked about his aspiration in the championship , Queiroz said that he does not consider his team as title contender. “All I can say is that we will try to be better and if we win we win deservedly. “

On the conditions of the players, The head coach of Team Melli said  “2 major players were not able to recover for the game on time, fortunately we have other options to replace them. It is not a major concern for us and I am happy with the situation, Injuries can happen to any team. UAE lost Omar Abdulrahman for the tournament and it already has a big impact on them”

Question ” Is there any lessons to be learned from the two games already played, UAE drew with Bahrain and title holder Australia lost to Jordan?

“It is always a warning for big teams. No team has a credit card that tells it that it is the favorite.  We have to display our abilities. Yemen has a good coach, I praise him for working under difficult conditions, and they have beautiful players.”

“We are looking to play a good match that entertains the fans and makes them happy; we do have the ability to display such standard.”

A question was asked by a reporter saying that Team Melli fans and indeed Iranian all across the world  followed you for many years now, what do you have to present to them in this championship?

“ We can’t control the outcome of the game!. We can control our commitment and attitude. I always challenge my players to play so that the fans are proud of them. Display positive attitude inside the pitch. Personally I feel proud if that is achieved”

Non-Committal.

Queiroz refrained from giving any promises apart from playing to entertain, as he put it. Short of entertainment, he has not declared or publicaly announced any championship aspiration as he puts Iran in the dreamers group with another 21 teams that plays second fiddle to Japan and Korea.

It is indeed a confusing and perhaps shattering statements for some fans who expect nothing less than lifting the trophy after 43 years of absence. It shows how Queiroz is detached from the public sentiments but if he really has such aspirations, then he is holding his cards close to his heart.

It needs no reminder that Queiroz is following his old and trusted style. By constantly reminding the world about the lack of resources in Iran and glorifying the opposition, even Yemen, he is limiting expectations. A win is a bonus but a loss is expected as he would easily respond by saying “I told you so”

Querioz has successfully navigated rough terrains of Iranian football by following such policy. Today he downplayed any championship expectation but it is not clear if the crowds like such lack of ambition.

Team Melli Training

The media was allowed to attend the first 15 minutes of the practice which was entirely dedicated to stretching exercise and light training with and without the ball. The goalkeepers then formed their own mini group and  headed to far side for shooting training.

Player formed several circles passing the ball between themselves.

While a group was passing the ball, Biranvand got whacked in the face. The players of the group surrounded him to console him. It looked painful, but he emerged out of it laughing.

Stretching exercises while the press was allowed to watch was carried out in a jolly spirit. Some players displayed exceptional control of the ball.

Jahanbakhsh individually trained with Montazerri. He looked quite sharp despite his chances of playing against Yemen is slim.

YEMEN Press Conference

Yemen’s Czech trainer expressed his views in the formal diplomatic style that coaches deploy nowadays. Calling Iran as one of the best Asian teams that has played very well in Russia’s World Cup, he said he has no delusions about that he expects and what he can be achieved. He has studied Iran and knows that his team has a difficult task ahead, however, he has asked his team to play to their best ability. On the troubles and war in Yemen, Jan Kocian said that most of the selection was carried out by his assistant and the Coaching team, though the training camp that was carried out in Saudi Arabia was quite valuable as they have played several games too.

Alaa Al Sasi , the star player of Yemen team  was asked if he has thought of any opposition player that the team need to control or limit his threats , he said that the coach has reviewed Iran thoroughly and we accept all their players are quite good but there is no plan to focus on any single player of Iran.

Kocian was asked what he thinks of Queiroz, the Czech coach said as a coach he has a lot respect for his colleagues, Carlos Queiroz is no exception but saying that he is a good coach who is well known outside of Iran. He knows that Queiroz has faced some pressures from the media and there were some uncertainties, but he remains an excellent coach.

Iran and Yemen will meet in the opener of Group D of AFC Asian Cup 2019 in Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on the 7th January.

Unveiling of Team Melli bus in the AFC Asian Cup

Team Melli bus was was unveiled at the AFC Asian Cup venues today.

The national team buses of all participation countries in the Asian Cup were unveiled at venues, each marked by the slogan of the national teams.

Team Melli slogan is “

“Eighty Million People …One of Nation , One heartbeat“

There is a possible case of lost in translation here !

Jahanbakhsh doubtful for Yemen match.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh who has been suffering from a hamstring injury is doubtful for the first game of Team Melli in the AFC Asian Cup 2019.

The Brighton & Hove Albion winger has been sidelined for almost three weeks now. Although he has resumed training recently and even managed to join Team Melli squad for the Training Camp in Doha, his main focus was on light work and physical strength exercises. Jahanbakhsh did not play against Palestine or Qatar in the last two test matches before the tournament.

For Queiroz, Jahanbakhsh’s absence from the game against Yemen and even against Vietnam in the next match, will not be a major concern as Team Melli has enough strength in-depth to win both matches without Jahanbakhsh. However, starting from the match against Iraq and the next round matches, his presence is significant. The only other concern will be if Jahanbakhsh shows rusty signs because of  injury and lack of playing competitive football for some time.

Iran will meet Yemen in Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi in the first match of Group D of the AFC Asian Cup. In the other group match Vietnam will take on Iraq.

Jahanbakhsh is currently the most expensive Iranian player. A lot is expected from him after what was a disappointing World Cup. Along with Sardar Azmoun, he is the major hope of Team Melli in the Asian Cup.

Team Melli defeats Qatar in the last trial before Asian Cup 2019

Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun scored in each half for Team Melli to end the last preparation match 2-1 against Qatar.

The match was held behind closed-door and was not televised.  Only a privileged  few managed to get entry in the Khalifa stadium to watch the match. Hassan Al Haydoos scored an equalizer late in the first half from the penalty spot.

This was the last match for Team Melli and ended the four months preparation right after the world cup with a moral boosting victory against a strong Qatari team.

Team Melli Line up

Alireza Beiranvand, Vouria Ghafouri, Ehsan Hajsafy, Morteza Pouralighanji, Seyed Majid Hosseini, Omid Ebrahimi, Karim Ansarifard, Vahid Amiri, Saman Ghoddos, Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun.

Carlos Queiroz  made a number of substitutions in the second half the 67th minute, Vera Ghafouri, Vahid Amiri, Saman Ghaddoos, Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun  were substituted with Ramin Rezaeian, Masoud Shojaei, Roozbeh Cheshmi, Mehdi Torabi and Ashkan Dejagah. Also, in the 83rd minute, Pejman Montazeri replaced  Morteza Pourali Ganji.

Team Melli will face Yemen in the first match of group D in Abu Dhabi on the 7th of January. Iraq and Vietnam will face each other in the same group a day later.

Team Melli plays Qatar behind closed doors.

Iran and Qatar will meet on the eve of the New Year behind the closed doors for both teams final preparation for the AFC Asian Cup which begins in the UAE on Saturday. The match is one of the most important and strongest experiences for both teams since the training camps followed by series of friendly matches began last September. It is the perfect finale for both.

The match will start at 8:00 pm at Khalifa International Stadium and will be closed to the media and the public.

Most certainly the Qatari team will field its strongest line up.  Qatar has already played Ecuador, Switzerland, Iceland and Algeria, with mixture of players. Iran has played Uzbekistan, Bolivia, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela and Palestine.

For Qatar, the experience of tonight’s game with Iran will be very different from these previous experiences. The Annabi’s (Qatar Team) objective is to benefit from tough opponents, perhaps physically superior and play with strong and well-known team. Switzerland is the eighth in FIFA Ranking, however the match against Team Melli is completely different experience, because Iran is a  strong contender for the title of Asian Cup.

Qatar coach Felix Sanchez, needs to have some final touches on his team tactics and that is one reason that he vehemently objected to the presence of media and spectators in this match. It is expected that the main line up will start the match for Qatar

Team Melli will approach this final preparation much with caution. Queiroz will use the same basic starters but with tactical changes and allowing as many substitute players to perform, despite the fact that few minutes of playing time has hardly benefited any player or its team.

Qatar Team which has the skeleton of Al Sadd team is counting on a result to lift the spirit and the confidence of a relatively young team players.

For Iran, despite the game being a friendly, the team will be looking for a positive result simply as a morale booster. The final shape of the team has already been decided by Queiroz and there should not be any major surprises.

Team Melli has been training in the Aspire camp in Doha for over a week now and will have no issues with the weather, which quite pleasant in this time of the year.

An absurd trend on the rise!

This peculiar trend of playing international friendly matches behind closed doors is becoming epidemic in Asian Football. Whatever reasons the coaches dream of  including any  employment of some top secrets that they want to keep under wrap is no more than  just figments of their imaginations. All players in any national team are well-known to fans and the media, from their personalities, skills, physique and pace to whatever else that matters. In this day and age of information revolution and social media penetration, there no such nonsense as secret weapon of a team or a player. After all, this is the most popular sport in the world and the fans have the right to watch their National Team play either by attending the match or through TV or other media outlets. Anything else is way down the priorities. International friendly matches should not be held behind closed-door. It should be strongly discouraged and even penalized by the world governing body.

The right of watching National football Teams matches by the masses should be protected by the law that only FIFA can mandate.

Iran, the strongest contender for the title.

As the AFC Asian Cup is drawing closer, the pressure on Carlos Queiroz mounts to prove his worth with Team Melli by winning the 17th edition of the continents top prize.

The Portuguese head coach, whose resume included world class teams like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Portugal and South African national teams, has spent enough time in Iran and Asia to mount a serious challenge for the continent most coveted trophy which eluded Iran for 43 years.

For over 5 years, Team Melli has been ranked at the top of FIFA Ranking, rudely interrupted by Japan in one or two occasion. Under Queiroz’s leadership, Iran made it to two World Cups with ease it should be said, against tough opponents such as South Korea and Uzbekistan.

Iran stars such as Azmoun, Jahanbakhsh and Ansarifard have not performed anywhere near some of the other Asian footballers in Europe and none of them seem to be able to hold a place in their teams. South Korea’s Son Heung-min ,  is indispensable  member of the English Premiere league title contenders , Tottenham ,  Ki Sung-yueng is an important player for Newcastle, Australia’s brilliant goalkeeper  Mathew Ryan , has been Brighton’s saviour, Tom Rogic of Celtic  plays a major role for the Scottish champions, Japan’s Maya Yoshida (Southampton) ,  Shinji Kagawa (B. Dortmund),and Shinji Okazaki (Leicester City) all passed the grade for their  European Teams. It is interesting to note however, that Japan’s coach Hajime Moriyasu in true Japanese tradition opted for a team filled with young Europe-based talents, leaving stars like the latter two players off the squad. In brief, individually, the other Asian footballer have fared much better in Europe than Team Melli players.

 

Success at National team level in a competition such as the AFC Asian Cup cannot be judged on the individual star of a team. In the true meaning of the word, it is the team, in a collective sense that makes a difference at the end. The combination of Queiroz with his experience, knowledge and tactical acuteness with this group of talented and capable Iranian footballers, whom he has built and molded to his liking, is an excellent recipe for success. This is perhaps the best Iranian team since 1976 and many pundits know it and swear by it.

It is football, after all. One or two teams can spring a surprise. Australia, the defending champion minus a few of their stars from 2015 , Japan’s young yet tactically sound team, South Korea with a tradition ,  tactical discipline and winning mentality are as good as any to win the title.  There are also some outsiders, including Qatar, Iraq, Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia who might have a say in the tournament too.

Considering all factors, Iran and Queiroz still hold the upper hand and they are the team to beat. Barring some of the reckless finishing that have marred their recent performances, the trio up front in Team Melli can beat the best of their opponents. A solid defense is vital for any team with aspiration of winning championships and Team Melli has it all. In fact, Queiroz has a problem of riches in defense with all the defenders in the squad on similar forms and standards.

Ezatollahi’s absence in the defensive midfield role is a real, perhaps the only blow to Queiroz, but there is enough quality in the team to ensure his absence is not felt.

Success and chances of lifting the trophy will be greatly enhanced when personal, and tactical discipline (Queiroz is most defiantly should lead by example from the touchline) is at its highest. Not allowing the outcome of the match to be dependent on vacillating referees’ such as Ben Williams calls is a key factor.

On a positive note, Team Melli will have the greatest support outside of Iran in the UAE. The great Iranian community will be ever present to cheer the boys. This support cannot be underestimated.

Now all that remains is for the likes of Azmoun, Taremi, Ansarifarfd and Jahanbakhsh to convert their chances on the pitch and leave lady luck in the dressing room.

Iran hampered by usual issues ahead of bid to end drought

Michael Church

 (Reuters) – Turmoil and uncertainty have become constant companions for the Iranian national team, but coach Carlos Queiroz will look to push aside such distractions and end the country’s 43-year Asian Cup title drought at next month’s tournament.

Iran last lifted Asian football’s most coveted trophy on home soil in 1976, when they completed the third leg of three consecutive championship wins that mark the country out as one of continent’s most successful ever.

But for all their achievements since defeating Kuwait to complete the hat-trick — a resume that includes five World Cup appearances and three Asian Games gold medals — the title the nation covets the most has continued to prove elusive.

Iran head to the United Arab Emirates as one of favourites, even though Queiroz has been denied the services of Reading’s Saeid Ezatolahi, an influential presence at the heart of the team, due to injury.

The absence of the 22-year-old is the latest in a string of issues to hamper the team’s preparations, with Queiroz’s own future proving a major distraction since the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

After Iran narrowly missed out on advancing from the group stage for a first time, Queiroz’s demands for a new four-year contract were ignored by Iranian football authorities and doubts will remain over his future until the Asian Cup finishes.

Star striker Sardar Azmoun, meanwhile, shocked many when he announced his international retirement in response to abuse the 24-year-old received in the aftermath of a lacklustre World Cup campaign for the Rubin Kazan forward.

Further issues arose in early December with the Iranians at risk of an international ban from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over government interference in the domestic federation’s affairs.

The team has suffered funding issues, too, while the United States government’s decision to impose sanctions on Tehran has made it difficult for Portugal’s Queiroz to properly prepare his squad for the tournament.

But, as a long-running row between Queiroz and former national coach Branko Ivankovic, now in charge of Iran’s most popular club Persepolis, simmers in the background, one of the most talented squads in Asia will head to the finals in January.

Azmoun has since been convinced to backtrack on his retirement decision and he leads a line-up containing 18 of the 23 players who went to Russia, where Iran defeated Morocco in their opening game to secure a second-ever World Cup victory.

A draw against Portugal in their third game could not prevent them from exiting the competition, but the four points gained were the largest haul in the country’s World Cup history.

Queiroz, whose team take on Iraq, Vietnam and Yemen in the group phase, will be looking to create history for Iran once more and nothing short of victory in the final in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 1 will be deemed a success.

Know your Team Melli players.

Team Melli squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 have been announced. This post is a short review of each player for your reference and information. At the end of the review, a brief statistics is provided . We hope your enjoy the AFC Asian Cup 2019 wishing the best for Team Melli Iran in its quest to lift the title for the fourth time.

 

 

GOALKEEPRS

ABEDZADEH, Amir: Still the 2nd choice goalkeeper. Has not managed to get the nod to replace Birnavand. His game time was limited and  played in two friendly games.  In both of those matches his shot blocking was excellent and promising

Club : C.S. Marítimo

Age: 25

Caps : 2

World Cup :2018

Asian Cup: –

 

BIRANVAND, Alireza: The No. 1 choice and still the best Keeper in Iran. However, as much as he can be a hero, Biranvand is also famous for blunders and poor judgment on aerial balls. His temperament is also suspect. Conceded many poor goals with Persepolis this season.

Club : Persepolis

Age: 26

Caps : 27

World Cup :2018

Asian Cup: – 2015

 

NIAZMAND, Payam: New and untested. The only player in the squad who has not played any games for Team Melli. His performance with Sepahan was exceptional and that is reflected in the Esfahani team leading the league.

Club : Sepahan

Age: 23

Caps : 0

World Cup :-

Asian Cup: –

 

DEFENDERS

 

CHESHMI, Rouzbeh: Unfortunate injury has side-lined him for some period but he is back and playing quite well. He will have no problem playing in several roles in defense or midfield as a holding midfielder.

Club : Esteghlal

Age: 23

Caps : 25        Goals: 1

World Cup : 2018

Asian Cup: –

 

GHAFOORI, Vourya : Missed the World Cup, unfairly as some claim, however , he is selected for the AFC  squad and can be an asset in defense. Hard tackling and brilliant when ventures forward.

Club : Esteghlal

Age: 31

Caps : 24        Goals: 0

World Cup :

Asian Cup: 2015

 

HOSSEINI, Majeed: The surprise of the pack. Only 22 years old and still part of the U-23 team. He was picked by Queiroz for the World Cup 2018 and played 2 games. Hosseini did not disappoint. One of the picks for the star of the tournament.

Club : Trabzonspor

Age: 22

Caps : 6        Goals: 0

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup: –

 

 

 

KANANI-ZADEGAN, Hossein: Although first appeared for Team Melli back in 2015, he was not regularly selected since then. Changed clubs several times but he remains a quality defender with a good heading ability. Expected to be used as reserve.

Club : Machine Sazi Tabriz

Age: 24

Caps : 4        Goals: 0

World Cup :  –

Asian Cup:  –

 

MOHAMMADI, Milad: His pace and runs are special. He is also a defender who can score. His work on the flanks will be of a great importance for the forwards.  His Achilles heel is the tendency for some mistimed wild tackling .

Club : Akhmat Grozny

Age: 25

Caps : 24        Goals: 0

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup:  –

 

 

MONTAZERI, Pejman: Despite the age and lack of pace, which in itself is a risk at this level of football, he will add experience and  leadership in the back line. He can be a solid defender commanding the rest of the team.

Club : Esteghlal

Age: 35

Caps : 49        Goals: 1

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup: 2015

 

 

POURALIGANJI, Morteza : A very good defender by all means of the word and a capable header of the ball. He will be the pivotal defender in UAE and can operate as central defender or as half back. Has also played in the central role in midfield.

Club : Eupen

Age: 26

Caps : 31        Goals: 2

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup: 2015

 

 

REZAEIAN, Ramin : A controversial figure and perhaps the weakest link in defense. Nevertheless, he is one of the coach’s favorite players. Despite the lack of a club since the start of the season 2018/19, and no match practice, he was still invited by the Portuguese coach to Team Melli squad!.  Recently managed to find a club

Club : Eupen

Age: 26

Caps : 31        Goals: 2

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup: 2015

 

 

MIDFIELD

AMIRI, Vahid : Since joining the Turkish side, Trabzonspor, Amiri had a dip in performance. He is still a skillful and capable player operating on the wings.

Club : Trabzonspor

Age: 30

Caps : 41        Goals: 1

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup:  2015

 

 

DEJAGAH, Ashkan: Another player who has not been at his best since moving to Iran with Tractorsazi. However, he is a good leader in the midfield and has the trust of Queiroz. Fitness and stamina allowing, He will be a fixed player in the lineup.

Club : Tractorsazi

Age: 32

Caps : 51        Goals:  9

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup:  2015

 

 

 

EBRAHIMI, Omid: One of the best players in the World Cup for Team Melli. He is expected to play the same role in the midfield in the AFC Asian Cup. His running and stamina is exceptional so is his tackling and robbing the ball from the opponents.

Club : Al Ahli

Age: 31

Caps : 38        Goals:  0

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup:  2015

 

 

GHODDOS, Saman: The most gifted of Team Melli players. He was not utilized properly in the world cup playing a peripheral role as a substitute. This player has a lot to offer if Queiroz allows his more playing time. He has speed, individual skills, vision and a ferocious shot. His ball distribution is a delight to watch.

Club : Aimes

Age: 25

Caps : 14       Goals:  1

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup:

 

HAJSAFY, Ehsan: The young veteran who will joining the centenary club in the UAE. Hajsafy is only 28 but has already played in 2 FIFA World Cups and 2 AFC Asian Cups. He has 98 caps under his wings scoring 6 goals. He is a multirole player best suited for the flanks as a winger or right back.

Club : Tractorsazi

Age: 28

Caps : 98      Goals:  6

World Cup :  2014-2018

Asian Cup:  2011- 2015

 

 

NOORALLAHIE, Ahmad: The new boy of the team. Has been playing exceptionally well for his club Persepolis leading them to the finals of the recent AFC Champions League. Scored a magnificent goal in the semi-finals.  A workhorse who has a good vision and runs tirelessly.

Club : Persepolis

Age: 25

Caps : 2     Goals:  0

World Cup :  –

Asian Cup:  v-

 

SHOJAEI, Masoud : Aging midfielder and the most experienced of the team members. Has played in 3 World Cups and as many Asian Cup. Still holds a few cards up his sleeve, but it is difficult to see him being a fixed player in this intensive competition.

Club : Tractorsazi

Age: 34

Caps : 81       Goals:  8

World Cup :  2006-2014-2018

Asian Cup: 2007-2011-2015

 

 

 TORABI, Mehdi: The Gazelle, who has acceleration & pace to beat any opponent. His individual skills and dribbling abilities are excellent. Selected for Team Melli many times but does not seem to be able to force a permanent place in the starting lineup. A quality player and a future star for Team Melli for years to come..

Club : Aimes

Age: 25

Caps : 14       Goals:  1

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup:

FORWARDS

 

 

ANSARIFARD, Karim: Although 28, he is the senior man in the offensive line. His time in Greece was the best of his career, however since the transfer to English Championship side Nottingham Forest , he has not managed to win a place in the line-up spending most of his time on the bench

Club : Notingham Forest

Age: 28

Caps : 71      Goals:  19

World Cup :  2014-2018

Asian Cup:  2007-2011-2015

 

AZMOUN, Sardar: The disappointment of the World Cup is behind him and so was his short retirement from Team Melli.  He remains the top hope for team Melli goals.  This prolific scorer and top-notch forwards has exceptional qualities, including heading, dribbling and pace.  his records speak volume about the quality of the 23 years old forward.

Club : Ruben Kazan

Age: 23

Caps : 39       Goals:  23

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup:  2015

 

 

JAHANBAKHSH, AliReza: Winning the Dutch League top goal scorer title in an exceptional season for AZ Alkamaar resulted in his transfer to Brighton as the English club’s most expensive player. However, he has not performed as expected and a recent injury has side lined him further. Despite the recent injury , his quality and class should help him through.

Club : Brighton & Hove Albion

Age: 25

Caps : 43       Goals:  5

World Cup :  2014-2018

Asian Cup:  2015

 

TAREMI, Mehdi: The up and down striker, who could be brilliant on moment and truly profligate the other. Lacks consistency and his conversion ratio of goals from chances in quite poor. Despite playing several matches along Azmoun in a two forward game plan, they did not gel very well.

Club : Al Gharafah

Age: 26

Caps : 34       Goals:  12

World Cup :  2018

Asian Cup:  2015

 

 

 

Statistics:

The average age of Team Melli players in the AFC 2019 is : 27.04 years

The Average games of each player is: 32.6 games

Total goals scored by the 23 player : 96 goals, an average of 4.17 goals per player

14 players out of 23 (61%)  have already scored at least 1 goal for team Melli.

17 different clubs have provided player to Team Melli.

51% of players play outside of Iran and 49% in the domestic league

Qatar League has the most Iranian players  (3)

Esteghlal Tehran and Tractorsazi Tabriz have the most number of players, 3 each.

 

Youngest player is  Majid Hosseini  (23)

Oldest Player is Pejman Montazeri (36)

Asian Cup 2019 Final players list

 

The final list of players selected by Carlos Queiroz for taking part in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 has been announced. The list contain 23 players as permitted by the AFC rules. 

The new additions were Payam Niazmand ,  the Sepahan Goalkeeper and Ahmad Noorallahei Persepolis midfield player.

Ezatollahei is the most significant absentee because he is deemed not fit enough and lacking match practise for a competition the size of the Asian Cup. two of the most disappointed players were Ali Karimi and Ali Alipour both of who were confident of making the list.

Overall, the list looks well-balanced with a good mixture of youth and experienced. Queiroz will be missing the quality of Ezatollahei in the holding midfield role , with no obvious replacement although it looks that Roozbeh Chesmi might fill that role in the UAE.

There were many questions in the past, particularly in the FIFA World Cup 2018, on the lack of a pivotal role for Saman Ghoddos by Queiroz.  The Aimes player with unquestioned quality can be a winner, if he is giver a broader role and playing time rather than being a peripheral. Ghoddos is a much better option than the aging Shojaei and inconsistent Dejagah, both of whom play a similar post to Saman Ghoddos

It is hoped that this time round, the Portuguese head coach understands the value of a quality player such as Saman in the team and utilizes him.

The defense looks sound and sharp with the full recovery of Pouraliganji while the valuable experience of Pejman Montazeri will be crucial in this competition despite lack of pace.

The riches of the players up front in the shape of Azmoun, Ansarifard, Jahanbakhsh and Taremi looks brilliant on paper, however, the former 3 players in European leagues, and the latter in Qatar have been performing poorly and there is a fear that their leagues below par forms might affect them in the Asian Cup too. A lot is expected from the front line players, it remains to be seen if they will click in the UAE and against the other giants of Asia.

 

 

THE SQUAD

# Player Club Country
GOALKEEPERS      
1 ABEDZADEH, Amir C.S. Marítimo
2 BIRANVAND, Alireza Persepolis
3 NIAZMAND, Payam Sepahan
DEFENDERS      
4 CHESHMI, Rouzbeh Esteghlal
5 GHAFOORI, Vourya Esteghlal
6 HOSSEINI, Majeed Trabzonspor
7 KANANI-ZADEGAN, Hossein Machine Sazi
8 MOHAMMADI, Milad Akhmat Grozny
9 MONTAZERI, Pejman Esteghlal
10 POURALIGANJI, Morteza Eupen
11 REZAEIAN, Ramin Al Shahaniya
MIDFIELD      
12 AMIRI, Vahid Trabzonspor
13 DEJAGAH, Ashkan Tractorsazi
14 EBRAHIMI, Omid Al Ahli
15 GHODDOS, Saman Aimes
16 HAJSAFY, Ehsan Tractorsazi
17 NOORALLAHIE, Ahmad Persepolis
18 SHOJAEI, Masoud Tractorsazi
19 TORABI, Mehdi Saipa Alborz
FORWARDS      
20 ANSARIFARD, Karim Nottingham Forest
21 AZMOUN, Sardar Rubin Kazan
22 JAHANBAKHSH, AliReza Brighton & Hove Albion
23 TAREMI, Mehdi Al Gharrafah

 

Saeid Ezzatollahi is out of Asian Cup 2019

Saeid Ezzatollahi  the Iranian national team midfielder who  has recently joined Team Melli squad in Doha, has been declared unfit and will lose the chance to take part in the 17th AFC Asian Cup 2019.

The disappointing news on Ezzatollahi who was injured and recently recovered, was released after the medical team examined the English championship side, Reading the defensive midfielder for fitness and recovery. In consultation with the coaches, it was decided that Ezzatollahi was not at the optimum shape and condition for the grueling tournament. Ezzatollahi  has not featured for his team , Reading for the last three weeks but it was hoped that he will be fully recovered by the time the championship starts in Abu Dhabi. Queiroz personally relayed the bad news to the midfielder.

The news is a big blow for the team and the supporters.

Team Melli head Coach will be announcing the final squad list  for the Asian Cup 2019 on Wednesday, and he has already mentioned that he needs fully fit and ready players against the tough opponents in the Asian Cup. Queiroz has emphasized, that the list of omitted players will be privately discussed with the individuals and will be conducted in a civilized and respectful atmosphere before being publicized.

Team Melli is scheduled to meet Qatar on December 10 at Khalifa Stadium at 20:00. The seventeenth Asian Cup will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates on January 5th, and the Iranian team is set to end 43 years of misery at these Championship. Yemen, Vietnam, and Iraq, are Iran opponents in the group stage of the competition