Mehran Afshar, lastkick.com

Team Melli officials and coaches have upped their campaigned to win back the fans, and Mehran Afshar was there to witness it in person ……

After years of having to sit on cement blocks to watch their National team’s training, the Team Melli fans can now sit on brand new green and white seats, watch their heroes train, and feel appreciated!

In an attempt to win the hearts of the faithful camp visitors, the old and ugly cement blocks at the camp were equipped with approximately 1650 seats. The change has given the training ground a very sleek and tidy look.

To top the these improvements, last Thursday, the Team Melli coaching staff led by Head Coach Afshin Ghotbi made a surprise friendly gesture and approached the three or so dozen fans after the practice session, shook hands, chatted, and posed for pictures with them. The move was a big hit with the fans.

This in fact was a throwback to the early 90’s when then the Head Coach Ali Parvin made a point of regularly sitting amongst the fans on the Amjadiyeh training grounds to watch the team go through drills. Thursday’s was the first time in recent memory that one could recall the coaching staff mingle with the fans so closely.

Such close encounters between Team Melli coaches and the fans are really rare, and one could interpret it being a part of a bigger campaign to bring the team closer to the people. It is a departure from the direction and approach taken by Iran National Team officials in the last few years, one that drove the team away from its loving and faithful fan base.

These attempts to win back the hearts of the fans, and all the hard work by the coaching staff, and the players may not be enough to help the team climb out of the hole and qualify for South Africa 2010, but the change in the tone is a welcome sign that, regardless of the outcome of the next three qualifying games, the team is attempting to improve its image, and focus its attention on getting back on the right track on and off of the green zone.

More photos ….