5/4/2006
Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR – Iran coach Branko Ivankovic rejected on Wednesday suggestions that political tension over Tehran's nuclear program was the cause of his team's inadequate preparations for next month's World Cup in Germany.

"It's nothing to do with politics but everything to do with the fact that our top players are not available for some time," Brankovic told Reuters.

Iran's soccer media has been critical of the national team's World Cup buildup, with only two full internationals scheduled against Croatia on May 28 in Osijek and Bosnia-Herzegovina on May 31 at home.

Proposed matches against Ghana and Uruguay in late March failed to eventuate while the Football Federation of Iran was unable to clinch warm-up games against Tunisia and Czech Republic.

Ivankovic dismissed claims that international teams have been unwilling to play in Iran because of Tehran's political standoff with the United States and Europe.

He said five of his best players had club commitments in Europe and added he could not start working with a full squad until May 20 at the World Cup training base in Friedrichshafen, southern Germany.

"We started training five days ago with players who are in the Iranian league," said Ivankovic. "We have problems getting the whole team together. The Bundesliga finishes on May 15 and then, we have to give those players seven days rest according to FIFA rules.

"We have a strong group of players but our preparations are not enough. I don't think there's ever enough time to prepare for any national coach. But we cannot do anything about it."

Four Iranian internationals play in the German Bundesliga – Ali Karimi (Bayern Munich), Mehdi Mahdavikia (SV Hamburg), Vahid Hashemian (Hannover 96) and Fereydoon Zandi (FC Kaiserslautern).

Another player, Rahman Rezaei, turns out for Messina in Italy.

"These are all key players for Iran," said Brankovic, who on Monday takes a 25-strong Iran-based preliminary squad to Switzerland for a training camp.

Included in the squad are record goalscorer Ali Daei and stalwart defender Yahya Golmohammadi.

Iran play Mexico in Nuremberg in their opening Group D match at the World Cup finals on June 11. They also face Euro 2004 finalists Portugal and Angola.

"Our target is to try and get to the second stage," said Brankovic.