Tag: Saipa

Iran’s football Marco Polo

A former Team Melli player has recently joined the fourteenth football league clubs of his career. The 36-year-old Mohammad Ghazi Najafabadi is currently playing in Mes Rafsanjan and experiencing his fourteenth club. However, the record holder for transfer belongs to another Khuzestani player and former Team Melli midfielder Milad Zenidpour

The Khuzestani midfielder has donned the jerseys of eighteen teams, a record in Iran, and not too far from a world record. The former Team Melli player is now 34 years old and plays for Sarawak United in the Malaysian League. The label of “Marco Polo of Iranian football” is quite appropriate for this professional football. Even his ardent fans have trouble keeping track of which team he is playing for!

Zanidpour began his career in Khuzestan then joined  Saipa, Peykan, Rah Ahan, Steel Azin, Damash, Sepahan, Peykan, Malvan Anzali, Zobahan, Naft Masjed Soleyman, Erbil (Iraq), Armi United (Thailand), Gostarish Tabriz, Madura United (Indonesia), Yuki M and finally Sarawak United (Malaysia). He is currently a record holder.

Of course, a much-travelled player in g=his class will hardly ever have time to develop or become a better player. His changing of clubs has not always been smooth either as he was sacked by some like Peykan,

Ansarifard Joins Olympiacos

Team Melli striker Karim Ansarifard has joined the Greek giants Olympiacos from Panionios on a three-and-a-half year contract and a reported fee of €400,000 on Friday.

The 26-year-old who made a name for himself in Greek Super league with Panionios after scoring 11 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions last season, had offers from AEK, PAOK FC, Feyenoord and Olympique de Marseille. This current season, Karim has scored 5 goals and provided 3 assists in 14 matches.


Olympiacos is currently leading the table in the Greek Super League with 37 points from 14 games under tutelage of Portuguese coach Paolo Bento who was appointed in August 2016.

Olympiacos has qualified for the round of 32 in UEFA Europa League and they will take Turkish side Osmanlispor in a two-leg clash.
Although it was initially reported that Ansarifard would remain at Panionios until the end of the 2016-17 season, the contract he eventually signed is effective from the January 2017 transfer window.


Karim started his professional career in 2007 with Saipa before moving to Iranian league giant Persepolis in 2012. After 2014 World Cup Ansarifard moved to Spanish Segunda division Osasuna where he was mostly used as a bench-warmer.
A move to Panionios in the summer of 2015 saved his career as his good performance caught the eye of big teams and finally Olympiacos signed him.

Karim Ansarifard signs for Greek club Panionios FC

Team Melli forward , Karim Ansarifard (25 years) signed a two-year contract with the Greek outfit Panionis FC.

Karim who last season experienced his worst ever season as a professional playing for Osasuna , was released by the Spanish second division club after he failed to score a single goal during the entire season. Playing alongside his Team Melli Captain Javad Nekounam was seen as a bonus for Ansarifard but his irregular selection, limited playing time , lack of confidence and his failure to gel with the other teams members resulted in a poor overall performance by the ex-Saipa and Persepolis & Tractorsazi striker.

Despite the woeful Season that Ansarifard suffered in Spain, he was adamant that he will continue to seek a European Club to continue his career. His confidence was high enough to make amends in another European country. The selection of Greece was more like immediate availability of a suitor for Ansarifard rather than choice

Greece, on the brink of bankruptcy as a country , does not seem to be the ideal place for the Iranian forward. During better days in the country, several Iranian professional footballer played in that country’s league including  Nima Nakisa and current Naft Tehran coach , Alireza Mansourian. A few others also ended up playing in the Greek League.

Karim Ansarifard is one of the few Iranian footballers who has played in every age group of the national teams. A talented striker with a lot of potential, when he was first discovered by Ali Daei, he lost his bearing between Leaving Saipa to Persepolis and ending up in Spain. He still has a plenty of time to recover and return to the top.

Panionis FC is a based in Nea Smyrni suburb of Athens. Panionios has spent nearly its entire history in the Greek First Division (now called ‘Superleague’).

The team had its own share of financial troubles since the nineties and changed ownership several times. Last season it finished in the 13th position and avoided relegation. The club home ground is Stadio Néas Smírnis in Athens with a capacity of 11,756

Majeed Saleh

Majid Saleh Joins Team Melli coaching staff.

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.