Tehran

Esteghlal assistant coach Majid Saleh , has been added to Team Melli coaching staff.

Saleh (47 Years) began his coaching career with Saipa as an assistant to Bizan Zolfagharnasab in 2004. He was selected by AMir Ghalenoei to be his tight hand man when the current Esteghlal briefly coached Mes Kerman. and then back to Esteghlal. Saleh also worked with Mansour Ebrahimzadeh as an assistant in a spell with Zob Ahan.

Majid Saleh eventually was given the opportunity to be a head coach of his own right at his original club Saipa. in May 2011, however it turned out to be a bitter experience for the young coach as he was relieved from his duties on February 2012 Ghalenoei came calling again and Saleh was picked up again to be assistant coach for Esteghlal.

The appointment of Saleh came after much debate and disagreement between Queiroz and Kaffashian. The latter insisted that an Iranian coach must be included in the coaching staff of Team Melli for many reasons, while Queiroz was not that too keen of doing so. The Portuguese coach kept referring to Namazi’s departure from Team Melli as his justification for not picking an Iranian coach!. Kaffashian , under pressure from the rest of the Executive Committee of IRIFF , would not have any of that.

Eventually a deal was reached when Kaffashian agreed on Queiroz nominee to replace the departed Siomoez , on the condition of picking an Iranian assistant coach to work beside  him.

With Queiroz selecting Oceano , the deal was completed by getting Majid Saleh in the coaching team. Carlos Queiroz has never worked with Saleh before and it is not clear how much he knows about Amir Ghalenoei’s right hand man and whether the Esteghlal head coach had any influence or role in this selection. Queiroz has met with Ghalenoei a few weeks, but their discussions were undisclosed.
Despite his inability to secure a full coaching job in Iran apart from the first experience in Saipa,  Saleh has built up a reputation of being a smart tactician , well versed in the modern styles and tactics of the European football and an aficionado of the quick passing game . His influence on the style of play is evident in Esteghlal teams.

Majid Saleh will be accompanying the squad to the South Africa camp.