Where Now For Iranian Football?

GOAL - 2006 began as a year full of promise. The World Cup was to be the showcase of Iranian football. Our youth were to shine in Asian U17 and U20 competitions. Foolad and Saba Battery were to demonstrate quality football in the Asian Champions League and the U23 team was to win the Gold in Doha.

In 2006, those expectations were not met and dreams of Iranian football turned into ashes.

At times, numbers speak the truth. This past year, different Iranian teams participated in five major football campaigns and their only achievement was a bronze medal at the Asian Games.

There is no denying that the winter of “our game” has arrived. Failures piled up as the pride of Iranian football in every age group and level was stepped on and crushed. The complete collapse and failure of Iranian football, on and off the field, should be a sobering moment for those who run the game, write, analyze and care about it.

To be fair, our football has been struggling in Asia for a very long time.

Here are a few facts and figures of Iran’s football achievements over the last decade:

- Iranian clubs have not made it to the final four of Asian Champions League since the inception of the tournament in 2002.

- Iran's U23 team failed to qualify for either the 2000 or 2004 Olympic Games.

- In five U17 tournaments since 1997, Iran has managed a second and a fourth place finish.

- In five U19/20 tournaments since 1997, Iran has only managed a 4th place finish.

- Iran did win the Asian Games of 1998, 2002 and finished third following an uninspiring campaign in 2006.

- Iran qualified for the 1998 and 2006 world cups.

- Iran finished 3rd in the 2004 Asian Cup but was eliminated in the quarter finals of 2000 version of the same tournament .

When compared to Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, Iran’s accomplishments over the last 10 years come short. Nowadays, Iranian football should also be concerned with second and third class Asian football nations.

Just over the last 12 months:

- Iran’s national team tied Syria and Jordan.

- Had a difficult time defeating Maldives and Hong Kong, each by 1 goal, in the Asian Games.

- Lost to North Korea 5-0 in Asian U-20.

- Lost to Tajikistan in the Asian U-17 competition

- Fell apart at home and on the road in the Asian Champions League .

North Korea’s five goal margin of victory against Iran’s U20 is perhaps the worst defeat for any Iranian team for a few generations.

While the results were not there, and the quality of Iranian teams has deteriorated for all age groups, it was the poor management of Iran’s Football Federation (IFF) on and off the field that highlighted and underscored the reason behind the “winter of our football.”

Both Dadkaan’s and Mostafavi’s federations have shown ample examples of lack of discipline in providing a simple annual calendar, game plan for a major tournament or a consistent way of dealing with challenges. The ultimate lack of discipline was when Iran’s football was suspended by FIFA for a short period of time.

What has happened to the promise of our young talents?

Where are the “professional” clubs that are building characters of our youngsters?

Who if anyone, is in charge of Iranian football?

Why are we the fans and media so infatuated with our legionnaire players in Germany, England, Italy and Spain?

While most of these “star” players are benchwarmers for their European based clubs, we write and talk about them as they are the final hope to bring some level of pride to a football program that is simply bankrupt.

Where to go from here?

Problems and challenges are everywhere. The system is broken. The infrastructure is not sufficient.

The federation is struggling to put a brave smile on a tired, clueless and confused face.

Clubs are struggling.

On the other hand, there is a tremendous amount of talent in the streets of Tehran, Abadan, Tabriz, Shiraz, Mashad and other cities. Hope is plentiful and fans are looking for a reason to celebrate.

What Iran’s football is lacking first and foremost is a professional sports management. There is a total disrespect for the organizational skills of those who run the federation. Without such skills, Iran’s football will continue to suffer in all levels.

Iranian football needs to think beyond the next tournament and work on a four- year plan. The organization of our football is the first step for rebuilding and the new federation chief needs to do the right things.

Unless such discipline becomes the norm at the IFF, until our clubs get managed professionally and unless our players show as much care in their game as they do with other aspects of being a “star” player, we will continue to discuss past glories and will be forced to live with the current dismal performances.

The simple question is how long this winter will last and will there be a spring awaiting our football at the end of this cold spell.

Kaveh Mahjoob

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