In a statement to ISNA today, Fereydoon Esfahanian , a member of the FFIRI Executive Committee assured the fans that Team Melli will be conducting a winter camp without giving any further details.

Esfahanian said that FFIRI President and Executive Committee has recently met with the new Minister of Sports. Various subjects were discussed in the meeting including the preparation of Team Melli for the next series of matches in the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers. “The minister was well aware of our problems as he meticulously listened to our preparations plans for Team Melli. The minister pledged his support and directed his aides to prepare a package of support for Team Melli.” Esfahanian said.

The EC member , as usual, highlighted the lack of funds that his federation is chronically suffering from while demanding the full financial support of the government to be provided for Team Melli in order to qualify for the World Cup. The lack of funds by the federation is in contradiction to a recent audit report highlighting failure of the football federation to properly control expenditure , misappropriation of funds , mystery payments and  un-budgeted expenditure during foreign trips by Team Mell squads or official delegations. 

Despite his vague assurance that Team Melli will be setting camp abroad, Esfahanian refused to give any details were the camp will be set up or if any friendly matches are being arranged.  Some media reports , confirmed by the Moroccan Football Federation official , have been talking about a friendly international match between Iran and Morocco in the city of Al Ain in the UAE on 6th January.  

Yesterday , another media report from Morocco mentioned that the friendly match in Al Ain might be cancelled as Iran is negotiating another friendly match against Armenia instead!

Meanwhile, the FFIRI , is supposed to have an international Media Officer and a public relation to communicate with the press. While being handsomely paid, those PR men are enjoying an extended holiday and  keeping everything a big secret while. It seems that they enjoy watching the Iranian media playing the guessing game on Team Melli program !

Team Melli’s , heading the group with 11 points, will be playing Qatar in the next FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Doha. All the teams in the group have announced preparations international friendly matches except for Iran.