Tag: Team Melli

Finally…Nottingham Forest signs Ansarifard

Nottingham Forest have signed Iran striker Karim Ansarifard after delays obtaining a work permit.
The 28-year-old Team Melli center forward has signed a one-and-a-half year contract, after finally being granted a work permit to enable him to join the Championship club.

Ansarifard joins as a free agent on a deal until the summer of 2020.

He has been without a club since being released by Olympiacos – the Greek club owned by Forest majority shareholder Evangelos Marinakis – in August.

Ansarifard scored 17 goals in 26 league appearances for Olympiacos last season and featured against Burnley in the Europa League earlier this term.

He has scored 18 goals in 68 international appearances for Iran, including the equaliser against European champions Portugal at the 2018 World Cup.

Nottingham Forest fans have been reacting to the much anticipated signing of Karim Ansarifard.

The former Olympiacos forward arrives at the City Ground on a free transfer following the termination of his contract with the Greek club in August.

He signed terms on a one-and-a-half year contract in Nottingham and will add competition to the current forward line of Nottingham forest in-form Lewis Grabban, Daryl Murphy and Hillal Soudani.

Despite the move only being announced on the day of today’s visit of table-topping Sheffield United the forward is eligible to be included in Aitor Karanka’s squad.
This however will not be his first time taking on English opposition this season as he featured for his former side Olympiacos as they eliminated Burnley in the Europa League.

Trinidad and Tobago announces squad to face Iran.

Trinidad and Tobago Senior Men’s Team head coach Dennis Lawrence today announced a 20-man roster for the October 14th International Friendly against Thailand.

The squad remains basically the same from the one that defeated United Arab Emirates 2-0 last month with Israel-based winger Levi Garcia still missing with injury. Making into the squad is forward Ricardo John. Lawrence also invited three Under 21 players to train with the squad on local soil over the weekend before the team’s departure for Thailand. Those players are Kierron Mason, Judah Garcia and Tyrese Bailey.

The TTFA also announced that a friendly against Iran , which is preparing its National team for the AFC Asian Cup 2019, has been secured to be played in Tehran on November 15th.

Iran played Trinidad in a friendly before the FIFA World Cup 2014 and defeated the Caribbean nation 2-0

 

Trinidad Squad

  • ADRIAN FONCETTE
  • MARVIN PHILLIP
  • SHELDON BATEAU
  • DANEIL CYRUS
  • AUBREY DAVID
  • KEVAN GEORGE
  • CUPTIS GONZALES
  • ATAULLA GUERRA
  • RICARDO JOHN
  • TRISTON HODGE
    AKEEM HUMPHREY
  • KHALEEM HYLAND
  • JOEVIN JONES
  • KESTON JULIEN
  • NATHAN LEWIS
  • DUANE MUCKETTE
  • LESTON PAUL
  • JOMAL WILLIAMS
  • SHAHDON WINCHESTER
  • ALVIN JONES

Late strike by Ansarifard gives Iran a narrow win against Lithuania

Karim Ansarifard scored a late winner to give Iran a 1-0 victory over Lithuania in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Friday.

Carlos Queiroz’s side, who will face Morocco, Spain and Portugal in Group B at the World Cup, went into the game on the back of a 2-1 friendly defeat against Turkey in Istanbul and struggled to create chances against Edgaras Jankauskas’ lively Lithuania side.

After going in goalless at half-time, Iran spent much of the second half pinned back by waves of Lithuanian attacks, with Justas Lasickas firing over the crossbar before substitute Povilas Leimonas failed to hit the target after a neat passing move culminated in a chance on the hour mark.

Iran came to life in the last 10 minutes of the game, piling forwards and creating a number of chances before Olympiacos striker Ansarifard tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area and found the net in the 88th minute.

While the result – Iran’s fourth victory in their last six international friendlies – will have pleased Queiroz, the manner of his side’s performance will have given him food for thought ahead of their group opener against Morocco on June 15.

This was the last friendly of Team Melli. Due to a mixture of issues, games against Greece and Kosovo were cancelled. At the last minute it was been able to arrange this game against Lithuania. The Iran was the first team to arrive in Russia and has been in Moscow for 3 days, where it will play. its fifth participation in the World Cup.

Lithuania is a fourth tier team of Europe, which has not played in any World Cup, nor is it expected to do so in the short and medium term. The team consists of local players who play in their country’s, infima league, where their first division players, would have problems playing in the third division of Spain, for example.

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Fifa gives green light to Sierra Leone friendly in Azadi

Sierra Leone Stars hopes of meeting World Cup-bound Iran in a friendly encounter in Tehran on Saturday, 17 March has been confirmed by football world governing body, Fifa.

The contest will take place in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

A Fifa spokesperson told Football Sierra Leone UK via email that there was a need for proper clarification ahead of schedule match.

The match was uncertain after FIFA’s recognised SLFA head, Isha Johansen, and her Scribe; Chris Kamara informed the organisation that they were unaware of the ‘friendly.

Extracts of the communication read -“For the captioned international friendly match, please be informed there was a need for some clarifications before the necessary authorisation could be extended, but the said match will go ahead in Tehran.”

It could be recalled that on October 2017, Isha Johansen and Kamara were both ordered by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to step aside following charges of abuse of office and pilfering of public funds. The matter is ongoing.

In spite of the above, Fifa says they recognise the Johansen leadership until Integrity checks and elections are conducted.

The arranged test scheduled will be Iran’s first 2018 World Cup warm-up encounter and the first between the two nations.

Leone Stars including just three foreign-based players will take on the best Asian football team.

The foreign-based are Finish-based TP-47 striker Thomas Koroma, JS Hercules midfielder Abdul Sesay and attacker Abu Bakarr Kargbo from fourth-tier German side Berliner AK 07.

The two countries have a very good international relation and Sierra Leone for the first time considered to play a friendly by a team heading to a World Cup.

The African minnows ranked 98th while Iran is the best Asian football team and 33rd in the world.

Iran are in Group B at the FIFA World Cup alongside Spain, Morocco and Portugal.

Carlos Queiroz’s men will open their Russia 2018 campaign with a match against Morocco at Saint Petersburg on June 15, before taking on Spain in Kazan on 20 June.

No reception party for Team Melli squad !!

Carlos Queiroz refused to give an interview on arrival at Imam Khomeini International airport as a result of what he claimed as lack or respect by the management of the federation. Team Melli squad arrived in Tehran after a long trip from South Korea after playing a goal-less draw against the host nation in the qualifying rounds of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018. Iran maintained the lead in the Group with 21 points 7 points ahead of second place Korea with an incredible run of 12 clean sheets match in the qualifiers .

Team Melli players have already used the social media to complain about the lack of support and the indifference of the authorities in providing suitable resources including a proper training ground.  This type of federation indifference has become the norm from as far as Queiroz took over in 2011.  After several threats of resignation and refusal to go to Tehran , Queiroz was promised that support will improve and his requirements will be met. Promises after promises and 6 years later , the situation has hardly changed. The head of the FFIRI has changed but certainly not for the better and the same incompetence still prevails leaving Carlos Queiroz fuming at every opportunity.

This time in the Airport, there was not even a single FFIRI delegate to meet the squad. Such lack of interest by the officials left many players despondent. Khabar Varzeshi news which was televising live from the airport on Team Melli arrival was not granted any interviews because of FFIRI officials absence!!

 

Styed Jalal Hosseini on the injury list.

The centre back of Team Melli, Seyed Jalal Hosseini has lost the chance of playing against Turkmenistan in the FIFA World Cup 2018 Qualifiers and possibly the trip to Guam, after suffering a leg injury during a league match.

In the absence of Hosseni , the Naft Tehran defender, Carlos Queiroz will most probably use Morteza PouraliGanji is the role as the Chinese league Tianjin Teda player performed during Asian Cup 2015 in Australia. At the time, the other pair of the central defense, Pejman  Montazeri was not available to partner Hosseini and Pouraliganji did an excellent job deputizing for him despite his limited international exposure.

Concerns raised on Team Melli sponsorship deal.

A sub-committee of the Iranian parliament, investigating the financial dealings and expenditure of government-owned entities and also the subsidies that the government provided to the various sport federations, has unveiled yet another possible corruption case in football federation FFIRI.

The sub-committee of the Majlis , which like the Ministry of Youth and Sports , has been highly critical of the financial irregularities of the football federation and lack of transparency, is targeting the sponsorship deal awarded to a private sector organization for the sponsorship of Team Melli.

The sub-committee has been receiving a lot of complaints from people claiming that the rebates, giveaways and gifts that they were promised by the joining Team Melli support campaign backed by the sponsors have not been forthcoming.

The culprit is a mobile communication company in Iran that has a huge advertising campaign using Team Melli name. The company has alleged to have promised several gifts including CD’s , rebates on phone calls and other services for a mere 5000 toman to Team Melli fans club.

During the last general assembly of the FFIRI, there was very little mention of the sponsorship deal with the company in the financial report. The sub-committee stated that the top brass at the federation could not provide them with the details of the sponsorship contract and how much the federation is getting out of the deal with this particular sponsor.

The sub-committee believes that this company and football federation have created an atmosphere of mistrust and used the popularity of Team Melli to gain money unethically and amounting to an embezzlement.

The World Cup is here and Team Melli is set to go

After all the clamors, the excitement, the thrills and the expectation where the world media was virtually littered with stories about the World Cup. The day of the reckoning is here and now.

Stories from the downright silly and ridiculous like the one about the turtle that predicts the World Cup winner ( it can’t get more sillier than that , can it ?) to the more serious side of the World Cup where a plethora of football experts have made life easy for you by predicting the winning teams, before a ball has even been kicked! Mixed with real life stories of calamities, unfinished work on Stadia , violence, robberies, industrial disputes and incredible traffic jams in major cities of the host nation.

This should have been a red card.

In the opener the 20th FIFA World Cup 2014, Brazil defeated Croatia 3-1 after the East Europeans stunned the host with a goal. In fact it was a friendly own goal by the recent European Cup winner defender of Real Madrid,  Marcelo. However , young  Neymar stole the show as Brazil came from behind to score two goals, one a of which was a controversial penalty. The Croats are still devastated and feel grieved because Neymar should have been sent off for elbowing Modric in the first half.

A controversial start, no doubt we have not seen the end of those.

Own goal by Marcello

Team Melli will be there amongst the elite. We will be hearing and seeing Hajsafy mingle with Di Maria,  about Dejagah tackling Messi , while Hosseini will be stopping Aguero from scoring and Ghoochannehad passing Zabaleta on his way. Names that increases the adrenaline on hearing them , oppositions at the highest level of football,  a far cry from hearing the names of Guinea or Thailand or  Belarus or Angola that Team Melli has been sparring with in their way to the Word Cup. This is the real thing, people.  The match in 4 days against Nigeria will be the decider, according to Queiroz. No time for losers.

Ashkan Dejagah

From the pulse of the Team Melli fans, we see that the majority will not be satisfied with anything less than qualification to the next round. While that is genuinely a legitimate wish and within the full right of the aspiring fans, it is perhaps a bit of unrealistic expectation considering the less-than-optimum preparations and acute lack of high level friendly games by Team Melli.    

All this is water under the bridge now. The reality is that Team Melli will be facing Nigeria and it is well within the capability of the boys to beat them. Then they have to face one of the title contenders in Argentina. A totally different proposition, a quality at the highest level and in Messi , they have the greatest football player on earth. HosseinKazerani , the solid defender of Pas and a member of Team Melli 1978 World Cup team, speaking recently on a TV show about memories of 1978 World Cup,  countered  the fear of some his teammate playing against the might of Holland with  household name players, Kazerani said in a simple term “Their players have one head two legs and two hands, same as we do, what are you frighten of ?”. Simplistic logic it might be, but no denying that it is very much a true statement. It is about who dares win and who is hungrier for glory. About the stronger mentality and better motivation.

Let us hope Team Melli plays with the passion and pride that they are famous for. Let us hope that the skills of the players yields the optimum result and finally , let us hope that Team Melli impresses the fans across the globe with a display of valor , sportsmanship and skills worthy of the name of Iran.

Mansour Team Melli World Cup Song.

 

Pump up the volume ..Listen to Mansour’s Team Melli song.

 

 

Mansour

 

 

Mansour---Football-OFFICIAL-D-(03)

 

 

عاشقه فوتبالیم فوتبالیم

عاشقه ایرانیم ایرانیم

 

 

میرسی بچه های ایران   برای جامه جهانی

ما بشماها مینازیم          بعنوان یه ایرانی

   تو قلبه ما تیم ملی ایرانه….برای ما قهرمانه

   تو قلبه ما تیم ملی ایرانه….برای ما قهرمانه ….یه قهرمانه

عاشقه فوتبالیم فوتبالیم……ایران ایران ایران

به شما میبالیم میبالیم……ایران ایران ایران

Looking deeper at Iran chances.

Now that it is safe to assume that Team  Melli players WILL exchange shirts with the rivals after each match in the World Cup, we can look relax and think of more important issues like what are Iran chances in Group F.

There is no denying what is the fans expectations are.  We have arranged several polls here at TeamMelli.com and have come to an early conclusion that the majority of the fans across the globe expect Team Melli to succeed. The majority wants and expects Team Melli to qualify to the next round ahead of Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Is that a realistic expectation or just one of those wishful thinking bits that passionate football fans always dream of beyond but it is beyond the capabilities of their beloved teams.?

If you are looking for a quick answer , we do not have one, but if you are patient enough to read our outlook , then please do so and then come up with your own conclusion versus ours.

DejagahAThese days, friendly or practice matches prior to the World Cup is dime a dozen. There are lots of them as each team is examining the strength and the weaknesses of their line up or try to sort out the tactical plans or maybe to put the final touches. The giants like Spain, Germany, France, England and Brazil have been toying with weaker opponents and having a ball. Out of all of those friendly matches, none was more dignifying,   encouraging, and inspiring than the Germany vs. Cameroon match. No need to go into the historical background of the two teams for level comparisons, all one can say is the Germany at home should have easily dispensed of their less glamorous African opponents with ease. They did not and one reason for that is the motivation of Cameroon players and coaches , their willpower and their courage. Something that Queiroz and his men must take a note of.

Cameroon , did not park the bus in Mönchengladbach, they dared to attack and attack they did. They were rewarded and scored the first goal. Germany hit back and scored the equalizer then the second goal , both brilliantly taken. The locals were waiting for the third to cap good day work for Germany , but once again Cameroon dared to attack the Germans at their home and managed to score a beautiful well-earned equalizer. It ended all square 2-2 in Germany.

We have not seen Queiroz being bold enough or daring in any of his matches, and expecting him to change his mentality overnight is wishing for a miracle. The man is conservative by style and that is his right as there is a lot at stake at this level of football.

NekounamJWhat  though , if the boys are given a bit more freedom to go attack, Teymourian , Nekounam and Dejagah daring to attack and taking the battle into the enemy premises. What if Pooladi or Beikzadeh on the left and Heydari on the right feed the box with accurate crosses for our forwards and midfield player to take a chance or two?

It is a question of desire rather than ability. In Dejagah , Team Melli has a winner in every sense. Both strikers have some beautiful touches and finishes. They have both proven their qualities. And then we have a gem of young player Jahanbakhsh who is rearing to go , if he is given a chance or two, He is not short of courage , running and willpower.  We sure do have the tools and the resources, what is needed is the will ,  the desire and some bravery. Cameroons of this world do not score by parking the bus. They dare to attack and they reap the reward.

Saying all that, we do not advocate chaotic offensive game plan as the defense is very vital. Unless we do attack , take the time to organize the players forward, we will not be able to win matches.

Apart from Argentina, which incidentally is not known for its World Class defending, the other two teams are not superior to Iran. Sometimes, strong desires and mentality can overcome tactics and skills and wins you matches.

Our conclusion is if Queiroz opens up and employs some of his weapons, Team Melli can surprise a few people and possibly qualify. Deploying defensive strategy is more difficult to see the team making it to the next round.  Fortunately, team Melli has been pretty impressive in quick counter attacks, which has won them at least three matches in the Qualifiers. Whether such strategy will work at this much higher level , is something that has to be seen