Lauded by Sir Alex Ferguson in his 2013 autobiography as “the closest you could be to being the Manchester United manager without actually holding the title”, Carlos Queiroz is widely admired within English football for his time as the club’s assistant manager between 2004 and 2008, a trophy-laden era that would ultimately culminate in the club’s historic Premier League-Champions League double.
Alongside his successes as the number two at Old Trafford, the Portuguese coach’s career of 28 years has also boasted a season at the helm of Real Madrid and two stints as manager of the Portugal national team.
But despite possession of a stellar résumé that one would be forgiven for presuming might put him in the frame for a coaching role at just about any of European football’s elite clubs, the Mozambique-born 64-year-old has instead spent the past six years changing the face of Iranian football. Having taken over the 47th place ranked team in April 2011, Queiroz has overseen his side rise to the higher echelons of Asian football that has been driven by his willingness to embrace the previously unlocked potential within football’s Iranian diaspora.
The success of Queiroz’s time in charge of the Iranian national team has been irrefutably shaped by his own fiery disposition as good on-the-field results have been coupled with regular episodes of off-field controversy. High profile quarrels with rival managers – most notably his extensive feud with former South Korean boss Choi Kang-Hee - and multiple resignation threats following disagreements over issues including a perceived lack of support from the football federation in a club versus country row have often cast long shadows over his time in Tehran, and led to speculation of an exit with bookies like bigfreebet.com.
His side’s backs-to-the-wall performances at the 2014 World Cup finals came to represent a near-perfect reflection of his own brand of steely determination, the valiant nature of Iran’s defensive performances against Nigeria and eventual tournament runners-up Argentina won recognition from many factions of the footballing world.
Iran’s gallant performances continued into the 2015 Asian Cup. Queiroz’s disciplined side passed comfortably through to the knock-out stages of the competition, before being knocked out by rivals Iraq in a penalty shoot-out that followed Iran battle back to a 3-3 draw after extra-time in spite of Pooladi’s controversial first-half sending off.
Since then, Queiroz’s Iran have risen to sit atop of Asian football, their 30th placed FIFA world ranking putting them 13 spots ahead of nearest rivals South Korea. The continuation of the side’s dogged defensive style has put them to within a hair’s breadth of qualification for the 2018 World Cup, undefeated and yet to concede a single goal.
Whilst the defensive style of play that has become synonymous with Carlos Queiroz’s time in charge of the Iranian national team has often been lambasted by critics angered by his refusal to play expansive football in the pursuit of goals and entertainment – they have scored just six times in their seven qualifying fixtures – a begrudging respect must be paid to his ability to so persistently grind out results with the limited tools at his disposal.
As Queiroz sets his sights on the finals of a second World Cup as the manager of Iran, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United man will be steadfast in his belief that his Iranian footballing revolution is more than capable of delivering an upset against the establishment of the international football community.