Tag: Payam Sadeghian

Payam Sadeghian slapped with a career ending ban.

The former Persepolis and Team Melli midfielder has been banned from all football activities for 15 years.

Payam Sadeghian, the 27 years old player was considered as one of the best talents in Iranian football with a bright future when he emerged in Iran age groups team. His natural talent and skills were marred by equally destructive behaviour, controversy and indiscipline.

 According to the Mehr News reporter, Sadeghian was sentenced to this extremely long ban as a result of the establishment and operation of betting agencies in the field of football. According to the ruling by the disciplinary committee of the FFIRI, the former midfielder , who was born in Tabriz, is not allowed to attend any football matches in any capacity (even as a spectator) during his ban.

Sadeghian started his professional career in Zob Ahan before moving to Persepolis, then Naft Tehran, Saba Qom, Machinesazi, Turkish club Osmanlispor and now playing with Sepidrood Rasht.

Sadeghian is one of the very few Iranian players that have represented Team Melli in every age group, U14, U17, U20 , U23 (Omid) and also played 5 matches for Team Melli.

Destination Turkey.

The two mighty neighbors Turkey and Iran have a heavy mutual influence on each other, due to geographical proximity, economic benefits, linguistic and ethnic relations. They were also regional rivals at some stage of history and fought each other for influence and power. In modern times, the relation has been peaceful and friendly.  Football formed part of this peaceful relationship and also created a regional rivalry.

The Turkish association with European football and its membership in UEFA, has immensely benefitted its development. The Turkish national team, despite making it to the World Cup twice only in their history (1954 & 2002), was always considered to be better and stronger than Iran’s Team Melli from the early 50s. Those days, the two countries played a lot of football against each other including a regional tournament called RCD which was a three side annual tournament that also included Pakistan in the 60s.

However, like many things after the 1979 revolution, with Iran’s major change of political ideology, the two countries experienced less than a cozy relationship, football naturally suffered from this cold relation and the two countries cut off their football connection. Neither side showed any interest in playing friendlies against the other, no doubt politics playing a major role in the break of footballing relationship.

Meanwhile, Turkish football, at club level at least, was thriving. The trio, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and Besiktas were as good as many first-rate  European clubs. With financial clout and huge fan bases, Turkey became the focus of attention and the destination of many foreign players.  For years, the Turkish clubs employed the services of European, African and Latin American footballers, those included some household names in football. However, the majority of the big name European signings were players at the twilight of their careers who were there for a last-ditch attempt to enrich their bank accounts before hanging their boots rather than seeking glory.  The success of the policy of the Turkish clubs in attracting high profile aging footballers was mixed perhaps moderately successful at best.

What the Turkish club ignored was the abundance of talents on the eastern and southern borders. Iran and to a certain extent, Iraq had a wealth of young talents that were there for the taking. Since the late nineties, European clubs, particularly the German realized that as a number of the best Iranian players were employed by clubs like Bayern Munich , Hamburg, Hertha Berlin, and Arminia Bielefeld While talented Iraqi players headed south to the Persian Gulf states. At no time, the Turks endeavored to attract Iranians and Iraqis to play for their teams, although it would have been a good investment and certainly cheaper for them too.

By the beginning of the second decade of the millennium, The Turkish clubs, at last, looked at Iran. There had to be something special in that country’s football that can generate quality players for Team Melli.  With shoestring budgets, Iranian clubs managed to continuously deliver talented players thus enriching Team Melli and many 0f those young players eventually heading outside Iran to play professional football. In the process, Iran has made 4 appearances in the FIFA World Cup after a break of 20 years since the initial one in 1978, but also steadily climbed in the FIFA World Ranking to approach the elites. Meanwhile, Turkey managed one appearance in 2002.

That made the Turkish clubs think hard and employ scouts to talent hunt in Iran and seek bargains and future investments from the Persians.

For the Iranians, Turkey is the perfect destination for a professional player. The culture, the climate and the proximity of the two countries make it an ideal place to play football, to develop and to make a decent living.  Although the flood gates had hardly opened on the Iranians, the Turkish clubs are beginning to be shrewd as they are constantly on the lookout for talented players even as young as 18 years old. In the case of Allahyar Sayyadmanish, who was hardly a fixed player in his club Esteghlal, such investment could turn out to be a clever an astute move by Fenerbahçe. The giant Turkish club is now seeking the services of the 19 years old Iraqi forward Muhanad Ali Kadhim from Al Shorta Club.

It is a win-win situation for both sides. Iranian Players can develop well in Turkey with training facilities and passionate fans enhancing the league to become one of the best in Europe. It is certainly the right environment for aspiring young Iranian and Iraqi players.

 

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, is an 11th Iranian footballer in Turkey.

Naser Sadeghi (Galatasaray / Konyaspor)
Mohammad Khakpour (Vanspor)
Reza Shahroudi (Altay)
Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh (Erzurumspor)
Mohammad Moemeni (Erzurumspor)
Hamed Kavianpour (Kayserispor)
Sajjad Şhahbazzade (Alanyaspor) ♣
Payam Sadeghian (Osmanlıspor) ♣
Vahid Amiri (Trabzonspor) ♣
Majid Hosseini (Trabzonspor) ♣

♣ currently active.

Payam Sadeghian “I will return to Team Melli”

The controversial midfielder, who was sacked by Persepolis, says he is determined to return to the top and back to Team Melli.

Payam Sadeghian , who is arguably one of the most talented Iranian young Players of the last few years but unfortunately notoriously indiscipline as well, said that he is looking forward to playing in Europe and then coming back to claim his rightful place in Team Melli.

Branko Ivankovic , Persepolis Croat coach has categorically refused to have Sadeghian in his team and informed the management that under no circumstances he will give this player a place in his team even if Persepolis extended Sadeghian’s contract. Sadeghian was a bench warmer in Persepolis during the time Hamid Derakhshan was the coach and continued the same after Ivankovic took over, mainly due to disciplinary reasons.

Disreputably famous for his transgressing and aggressive behavior, Payam Sadeghian looks liked he ruined a golden opportunity to enhance his career after joining Persepolis. His on and off filed antics, lack of commitment and misconduct overshadowed his talent sometimes so sublime that many critics regretted the failure of those at the helm to properly address, guide and console this talented player. Sadeghian had a lot of potential and was a promising player who represented Iran at several age level teams. Now without a club and with very few in Iran wishing to recruit him due to his troublesome record, he has to pick up the pieces to revive a tattered career outside the country.

sadeghian bench

Sadeghian refused to name the European club that he claims is interested in him. “They have watched me and they contacted me to express their interest. I also have several offers from China, Japan, Qatar and Slovakia but I am not interested to play in those leagues. If it all fails, I am hopeful that I can join Naft Tehran to play for my old boss Alireza Mansourian.” The 23 years old player said in an interview with Iran Varzeshi newspaper.

Naft Tehran has not publically expressed any interest in Sadeghian who has been consistently making the headlines for the wrong reasons. If Sadeghian is to succeed in his career, there is no doubt that he has to attend anger management classes and be counselled by experts; else he will be biting the dust.

Sadeghian has played 5 times for Team Melli in 2012 & 2014.

Another Iranian young star bites the dust.

In the last few years of Iranian football,  a few promising talents emerged from the land that has abundant talented young kids. Amongst this group, a unique skilled player who seemed to possess a multiple of skills made the headlines and the media was quick to declare the emergence of the next Ali Karimi and even the Iranian Maradona.

Payam Sadeghian

A star is born

His name is Payam Sadeghian, and to be plainly truthful, the kid had talent, plenty of it, in fact.

From the youth teams in Zob Ahan until he ended up in Persepolis, Sadeghian consistently showed his skills, his courage, passion and zest. He can dribble all right but also has a venomous shoot. His dead ball skills are second to none. There isn’t much that Sadeghian cannot excel in while on the pitch.  For such talent, Sadeghian was selected for every national team age group that existed, from the U14 in 2005 all the way to the senior Team Melli in 2012.

But the kid had one major shortfall. With the praises bestowed upon him, left , right and center, he developed an unwelcome ego and lack of discipline bordering delinquency. Time and again, on and off the field, Sadeghian was involved in unruly, disruptive and troublemaking scenes. He had several disputes with coaches and managers.

mohsen-mosalman-and-payam-sadeghian-7681

NAVAD V show interview

In an interview with TV Show Navad, Ferdowsipour asked him about this side of his “ugly” football and why does he seem to be in the news for the wrong reasons? Payam Sadeghian’s  answer was evident of a  young man is living in denial and has no real clue how his misbehavior is slowly destroying what looks like a promising career , regardless to his inherit and undeniable talents . Sadeghian accused some people of exaggeration and said that he is not the evil person that some of his enemies portray him! Obviously, Payam Sadeghian believed that he is doing fine and there is no sense in addressing his character or behavior.

However, the biggest failure in Sadeghian case is the fact that his club managers and coaches have failed to truly address his trouble case and deal with it by providing the proper solution. His poor disciplinary record was even defended by some of his peers. Even Ali Daei, who always portrays himself as a strict disciplinarian and law abiding person, miserably failed in tackling Sadeghian while he was the head coach of Persepolis. Daei is famous for being very quick in finding faults in others!

Daei was sacked , then Derakhshan came and gone and now one Branko Ivankovic , a household name in Iranian football, has taken the helm at the most popular club in Asia. Ivankovic, a disciplinarian but one of the most approachable and likable characters, has had enough of Payam Sadeghian only few weeks of working with him. The Croat head coach of Persepolis announced that he will not allow Sadeghian in his team. Asked if Sadeghian will be in Persepolis team next year, he simply said “NO.”

 Bleak future

Payam Sadeghian is a regretful case of a young footballer failure. Of course, there is a long road to recovery if he wishes, but the signs are there to assume that he has not repented. It is a personal failure and the responsibility is upon his own shoulder.  He went astray and off-course somewhere along the line regardless to the reasons. It is also another failure for Iranian football management which consistently fails to handle indiscipline players. This Persepolis team alone has half a dozen players or more in the same category, but Sadeghian is the most regrettable because the kid has talents that might never materialize and blossom the way it deserves to.

One think is taken for granted. Carlos Queiroz has no time for such delinquency. The chances of Sadeghian ever making one of Queiroz squads is quite remote knowing the Portuguese coach strict requirement by his player for disciplinary compliance.

Makani is pardoned: Debility of Iran’s football.

Why is Carlos Queiroz so popular amongst the Iranian fans?

For many reasons, but one of them is that Queiroz is fundamentally a professional coach , brought up in a professional environment and applies the highest standards in his work of which conduct and discipline is top priority.

In a professional environment, disgruntled or disobedient players like Rahmati and Aghili have no place in Team Melli, regardless to how good they actually are. They have to pay the price for their indiscretions.

Only two days after Sousha Makani was sacked by Persepolis coach Hamid Derakhshan and his dismissal was confirmed later by team Manager Mahmoud Khordbin , a bunch of flowers and a kiss on the forehead ended all the commotion and everything is back to normal. Sousha Makani is pardoned by Derakhshan!!

Sousha Makani’s harsh words for his coach in front of his teammates subsequently followed by his refusal to sit on the bench and departure from the squad , lead to some unsavory scenes and a coach who was  angry and humiliated.  Derakhshan on his part announced in a news conference that Makani has no place in the team as long as he is the coach of Persepolis.

The reinstatement of Makani typifies how feeble this coach is and how Persepolis is suffering from lack of strong leadership. This act of fragility and instability by Derekhshan , whose days are numbered as Persepolis coach anyway, does not concern Persepolis team alone, but extends to Iran’s football image. It also concerns team Melli as Makani is was in the last squad.

Persepolis is a proud team with a legacy. It has been suffering from acute players’ indiscipline and even revolt against a weak management and coach. Derakhshan’s main interest was the title of Persepolis head coach. Neither his achievements nor his resume merits his appointment as the coach of the most popular team in Asia. However, it is the results and the behavior of the players such as Makani , Sadeghian  and the rest that typifies the weakness of this man and reflects negatively on all Iranian national coaches. Being a coach of Persepolis, will inadvertently puts the person in the news and limelight in Iran.

Despite Derakhshan’s act of benevolence, Persepolis Disciplinary Committee has yet to rule on Makani.

Even if Queiroz did not lift any trophies for Iran, he has shown the way and succeeded in managing a team to the highest standards possible despite lack of resources.  Will the Iranian coaches learn from him or at least follow his professionalism and high regard for discipline?

Derakhshan is certainly not a good learner.

 

FFIRI disciplinary committee ruling on the Military Service.

Ismael Hassanzadeh , head of the Disciplinary Committee of the FFIRI has confirmed that the federation will deal firmly with any cases of fake Release Certificates from Military Service.

In a recent statement , Hassanzadeh said “We are awaiting the report from the League commission about those cases. Any player who is found to be in violation of the military service regulations or holding a fake certificate will be immediately suspended form playing league football.”

A recent statement  by Persepolis management have implied that Hossein Mahini, who is one of the players suspended by the federation due to violations of Military Service rules, will be soon be allowed to play for Persepolis until his case is heard by the authorities. This statement triggered fears amongst other clubs that Persepolis is wielding its power and influences to get their player off the hook while other clubs will be denied such privileges and remain suspended.

Ismael Hassanzadeh also refuted any suggestions that Payam Sadeghian will be pardoned putting an end to another widely circulated news that the suspended player is about to play for his club, Persepolis  and join Team Melli training camp in Portugal.

Heavy suspension of Sadeghian threatens his Team Melli career

Payam Sadeghian , the young Persepolis players who narrowly missed selection for the squad to the FIFA World Cup 2014 at Brazil, was given a 3 months suspension from all football activities and a heavy fine of 5 million tomans, after his sending off in the last game on Thursday against Foolad Khuzestan.

 The defending champions defeated Persepolis in Ahvaz 2-0. Near the end of the game, Sadeghian protested against a referee call uttering profanity at the official who branded a straight red card to the player, Sadeghian, taking an exception to the red card then went on to physically confront the referee and managed to push him before his teammates restrained him.

That was not the end of the story with Payam Sadeghian, a player who is notoriously famous for his transgressions even with his own teammate. In the dressing room, Sadeghian broke a glass door to leave his mark at the Ghadir stadium.

The federation disciplinary committee , landed hard and took into consideration all the 3 actions by Sadeghian to sentence him heavily. Persepolis can appeal the verdict as per regulations.

Payam Sadeghian

The comical reaction by Mohammad Panjali , shows the extent of calamity in the Persepolis organization. Panjali is a former defender with the reds who had a successful football career with Team Melli and Persepolis in the eighties, was an exemplary player with good sportsmanship attitude and clean record. He is now Persepolis Manager. In trying to defend or cover the misdeed of his player, he accused Foolad Khuzestan and Unnamed people of trying to tarnish the reputation (…) of Sadeghian by publishing a picture of a broken glass door in Ghadir stadium using Photoshop !!!

After the sentencing, Panjali changed his tone, and asked the federation for clemency, because as he said “It will tremendously affect his team who is I dire need of such player“. Panjali also added that because Sadeghian is young, he should be given clemency!! This one is certainly new to us.   

With this suspension, Sadeghian’s chances in being recalled to Team Melli again , has already taken a big hit in two fronts. His attitude as frequent offender with disciplinary problems and his anger management issues, will certainly be a big concern for Queiroz. While his suspension from football for 3 months means lack of competitive football which will reduce his chances for being selected.

Persepolis , struggling with many difficulties this season on and off the pitch had two players sent off now in the last two matches played, plus the coach was fined for criticizing the referee in the post-match press conference. The serious disciplinary problems this season is emphasized by the attitude of an angry , confrontational , and hostile coach in Ali Daei. A gentleman in his playing days and an exemplary sportsman , Daei has not managed to control Sadeghian , perhaps the most talented of the young players in Iran because he (Daei) himself is setting a very bad example and has been a poor role model for his players.

No doubt younger players always look up to their coaches for guidance and inspiration. In Persepolis case, what these players see is a coach who spends a large chunk of his time protesting with referees and other official over a throw in or a supposed foul for his team that the blind referee did not see!

Sadeghian , other younger Persepolis players , road to redemption  starts with Daei. If the most highly decorated Iranian footballer in modern times does not change his hostile and livid attitude, the chances of the like of Sadegghian will be minimal.

 

38 years wait for football to qualifying for the Olympic Games. Will it happen this time?

When the Colombian referee, Guilermo Velasquez whistled for the end of the match in the Municipal Stadium , Sherbrouke , on 25th of July 1976, he put to an end what would have been a true shock to the world football system. Iran was playing against the mighty Soviet Union with its full force of senior players, in the quarter finals of the Olympic games. Iran was one goal from reaching the semifinals and perhaps the gold medal match, but for that Colombian whistle. The Soviets where comfortably leading 2-0 until the 80th minute when a penalty was called for Iran. Ghleechkhani converted to make it 2-1. Following that goal, Team Melli went for an all-out assault. Heshmat Mohajerani urged his men to venture forward and attack, the Iranian players responded well while the Soviets were of the defensive. The equalizer seemed to be coming any minute and with it , the extra time. But , it was not meant to be as the gallant Persian warriors ran out of time. So near and yet so far.

Nelo Vingada - U-23 Head Coach
Nelo Vingada – U-23 Head Coach

 

2-1 for the Soviet Union. Iran lost the match but gained immense respect from the football community , after all losing to players in the class of the European player of the year Oleg Blokhin , was no disgrace. Middle East , was an emerging football region and Iran was proudly leading the way. But who would have predicted that it will take Iran 9 Olympic tournament and 38 years (40 years by the time the games start in Rio) to qualify once again for the football tournament ? assuming Iran will do it this time.

Olympic Games football changed quite a lot. FIFA and IOC decision to restrict the teams to U-23 players , opened the door for the emerging football nation to compete for glory , and compete they did , Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon , South Korea and Mexico all had won medals and titles in the Olympic games since the rule changes. In all of that, Iran’s name was conspicuously absent. Iran’s football was truly missing since that Canadian summer evening in July 1976.

The reason for Iranian failures at this level of football is so plentiful and diverse; it needs a whole book to give it the necessary justification. Suffice to state the obvious and that is the Iranian football community, in general, does not grant this age level and younger players the respect, recognition, care and the attention it needs to qualify at the highest level of World Football. In fact, it is even struggling at continental level at present.

In comes one Nelo Vingada. A compatriot and a close friend of Team Melli head coach, Carlos Queiroz to save the day for the Iranians and for the first time in 40 years , give Iranian fans the one thing they truly missed for decades . A smile and a wave by Iranian footballers in the opening ceremony of an Olympic games. Iran had plenty of success in Wrestling, Weightlifting and Martial arts, but football is not normally considered as an award or title wining sport of the country.

Vingada is quite gifted at this level of football with a track record that could be the envy of many coaches. On his trophy chest, there is two FIFA U-20 World Youth championship won for his country as an assistant beside no one other than Queiroz himself. Vingada went on to coach Portugal U20 as head coach , Saudi Arabia, Egypt U20 and Jordan amongst the many sides he coached and managed.

Now it is the turn of Iran’s Olympic team to get the benefit of the Portuguese coaching experience and success. Vingada, along with his Iranian assistant Human Afazeli , have been working hard for a few months now on preparing the U23 for their first real test , the Asian Games in Incheon. The signs are mixed so far but it has not been a smooth paved surface.

There have been many absentees form the original list of players announced by the coaching team due to the players club commitments. The likes of Payam Sadeghian , Mohsen Mosalman , Mehdi Sharifi , Alireza Jahanbakhsh , Sardar Azmoun and quite a few others , who are established players with their clubs now be it in Iran or abroad. Clubs will not release such players for the Olympic squad so easily while they are beginning the new season.sardar azmoun 2

There is no prefect scenario for Vingada, who at the end of the day, has to work with whatever resources that are available to him. But then again, Iran is definitely not the only nation that faces such a dilemma. Others worked out some kind of a system to ensure the parallel availability of the players for their clubs and Olympic team. The onus is on the Iranian football federation to produce an appropriate program that can be helpful for the Olympics squad.

The track records, unfortunately, indicates that the federation has been pathetic at programing and management at Olympics football level. Suffice to mention that the last effort for the London Olympics 2012 ended in true humiliation and a whole set of red faces after Iran U-23 were declared loser against Iraq for fielding an ineligible player who had two yellow cards and was suspended,

Needless to say that everyone did the usual finger pointing but no investigation to find where the fault was, no gap analysis, no accountability, no one was really identified as the culprit and life went on merrily at the FFIRI as it usually does under the all smiling Kaffashian!

To expect a major improvement in programming, support and the mentality to back the U23 system in general , is perhaps asking too much. There might be a slight improvement in some areas, and we hope that a man is assigned with a pencil and paper to record the number of players’ yellow cards, but Vingada should not count on a whole-hearted 100% backing for his work. The usual difficulties will still prevail. If Vingada has strong aspiration, he has to do many things on his own.

 

 

Team Melli needs a major overhaul for Asian Cup 2015,

Regardless to the outcome of the result by Team Melli in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2014, Team Melli needs new blood, new mentality and a whole new idea to put Iran firmly on the Asian Football map for the AFC Asian Cup 2015 competition. This current generation of players of Team Melli is aging and Iran could very well be the oldest team in the World Cup. Apart from a few number of players in the current squad, Team Melli must look at the new generation.

Iran has never been short of young talents and potentials in football, what is lacking in this area , is management and utilization of these talents. The worst examples of misguiding and poor handling of young talented players are the league clubs. With the pressure to succeed or avoid relegation as the case might be, almost all the Iranian clubs are hesitant and reluctant to give opportunities to talented young players.  It is very obvious if these young players are not given playing times, their chances of progress are limited or slowed down, some never reaching the potential. Subsequently, if there is no playing time at the club level, it will be even more difficult to be selected for Team Melli

It is simply quite difficult for the coaches of Team Melli to select a young talents into the squad without him being able to make the first team in his club.

There are some exceptions though as seen in Foolad Khuzestan club. The club from the south has won the league years back with one of the youngest or least experience squads on records. This season with 3 matches to go , Foolad Khuzestan  might very well repeat that feat and win the title again by a young team. So, the myth that a team requires older and senior players to win league title is ,  not strictly true.

Currently , Iran is blessed with some wonderful talents in the right age brackets. Kaveh Rezaei , Payam Sadeghian, Alireza Jahanbaksh , Mohsen Mosalman , Sardar Azmoun, Bakhtiyar Rahmani , Arash Afshin , Milad Sarlak, Yaghoub Karimi , Ali Karimi (Sepahan), Amir Mohammad Mazloum, Mostafa Hashemi , Mehrdad Jamaati , Jallaledin  Alimohamadi , Omid  Allishah , Omid Ebrahimi , Shoja’a Khalilzadeh, Mehdi Sharifi, Milad Fakhreddini , Shahryar Shirvand  are amongst the best. Many of them have represented Iran at international and continental levels in age group levels , most suffer lack of regular playing time.

With Carlos Queiroz being unlikely to be the head coach of Team Melli in January 2015, it all depends on the future coach’s  vision and whether he will be influenced in using the same old players , or be courageous enough to go for the youth or a right balance of talented and seasoned players.

Nekounam , Shojaei , Khalatbary , Amir Hossein Sadeghi , Hosseini , Ahmadi ,  Jabbari and many others are on the twilight of their careers and have been less prominent in Team Melli outfits recently,  The replacements are already available, it only needs a firm , ambitious and aspiring mind set to make it happen.

Sadeghian & Mosalman suspended by IRIFF

Payam Sadeghian and Mohsen Moslaman two of the most promising Iranian players are suspended indefinitely by IRIFF.

The suspension was a swift reaction by the football federation that was initiated and enforced by Ali Kaffashian after the controversy in Kish island after pictures of members of Team Melli U-22 were published in the social media showing them smoking the Shisha in the hotel they were accommodated in.

Sadeghian and Mosalman were both excluded from the U-22 squad competing in the AFC Asian U-22 championship that will start in Muscat in a few days, while Kaffashian instructed Carlos Queiroz not to select the two mentioned players in any Team Melli squad including the upcoming World Cup.

Three other personal associated with the camp. The team manager ,  doctor , and  the masseur were also given an  indefinite suspension from all football activities for their role in this misdemeanor. It is not clear what was the role of the 3 officials in this incident. There is another player involved whose name was not mentioned at this time.

Both of the Persepolis players , who have been instrumental in Persepolis recent good run , were hopeful of making the final list of Carlos Queiroz for the World

Cup , but this incident has badly hurt their chances and once again highlighted the indiscipline that is rife in Iranian football especially at the younger level. Sadeghian, a a player who is no stranger to controversy , has previous misdemeanors on and off the field , including several public statements in the press criticizing Team Melli players selection process and indirectly accusing Queiroz for ignoring his performance and goals in the league.

Reacting to the news of the suspensions, Rouyanian , Persepolis club CEO , quickly came to the aid of his players and denied that his players were guilty of smoking during the camp in Kish and accused the federation of trying to sabotage his team ahead of the local derby. Rouyanian, no stranger himself to controversy and rhetoric said that the IRIFF had no concrete evidence and came up with a decision in haste without examining the evidence.  Rouyanian did not offer any concrete evidence himself in the defense of the players nor did he elaborate on his serious accusation against the IRIFF.