In a highly unusual occurrence, Mehdi Taj, the head of FFIRI was less than complimentary of Omid’s 2-0 victory over Thailand in the last 16 round of the Asian Games 2022 at Guanzhou.
Mehdi Taj said: “Enayati wanted the team to play faster and score more goals. Our players scored the first goal due to their goalkeeper’s mistake and the second goal was scored from the penalty spot. If we perform to such a level as we saw against Thailand, then we will face lots of difficulties against the stronger teams ahead.”
“We had some 70 to 80 percent control of the game, when your share of the ball in the game is that high, then something else should happen. They should create and convert their chances into more goals. I feel Enayati was not too satisfied with such and I hope the next game will have better results.”
About the possibility of three Persepolis players returning to the Omid team: the head of the Football Federation said “We are arranging a meeting about this. Farqani, head of the Omid team, has already reached an understanding with Persepolis officials and has promised that the players will return. There have been interactions between the officials of the Omid team and Mr. Darwish (Persepolis CEO), “
Despite the two-goal margin against Thailand which was ranked third in its group of 4 teams behind Korea Rep and Bahrain, Omid’s performance was worrying and uninspiring. However, for the Head of FFIRI to criticize the team, perhaps shows how Taj and the FFIRI are worried about yet another Omid Team failure and the public backlash.
Regardless of results and performances, it is customary for the FFIRI officials to praise their teams even if they stumble and fall. The public pressure is telling on FFIRI for choosing a rookie coach with no coaching experience at the international level and a strange arrangement of pulling 3 key players right in the most crucial stage of the competition, to play for their clubs!!
Then again, in Iran, things are not played strictly to the norms of international football standards.