Afshin Afshar, latkick.com

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

There are rumors that Mohammad Mayeli-Kohan (remember him?) may be the next Team Melli coach! Let’s face it folks, no top rated coach will come to coach Team Melli! Why? Because no self respecting coach is willing to work for a Federation that can not get its act together.

Iranian Football Federation has decided to delay the Sixth Iranian Professional League’s kickoff in an attempt to help Team Melli preparations for the Asian Cup! Sacrificing club football for the sake of the national team is a mistake. The future of the Iranian football will come from the league. Postponing the kickoff will hurt the clubs, and that in the long term will heurt the national team.

Esteghlal of Tehran and Team Melli striker Reza Enayati is UAE bound. He is currently negotiating terms with Al Emarat club and if agreement is reached Enayati will kick the ball across the Gulf, Persian Gulf that is.

Foolad of Khouzestan will be going through another rebuilding process. After a successful attempt to defend the IPL title that they won two years ago, and a disappointing Asian campaign, the club lost many of its start players such as Hossein Kaebi and Ebrahim Mirzapour. They will do well to stay in top division in 2006-07.

Saturday, June 3

It seems like Javad Nekounam will be playing for German Bundesliga’s Herta Berlin are interested in the midfielder and are aggressively pursuing him. He should have gone to Germany last year. Although, Kaiserslautern, the team that was interested in him was relegated. But who is to say that they would have if Nekounam joined them?!

Another Team Melli member, forwards Rasoul Khatibi of Sepahan FC, may be moving to Spain. Tenerife officials have approached Sepahan inquiring about the forward and things are happening.

That is not all! Apparently Al Shabab of UAE really want to sign Saipa’s Masoud Shojaei. No! Not there! Go to Europe Masoud!

Let’s talk IPL. The 2006-07 Season is scheduled to kick off on August 8th.

More on IPL, as you know Shahid Ghandi of Yazd and Shamooshak of Noshahr were relegated at the end of this season. Well, we now know that one of the team to be promoted, Paykan, will be from Tehran! That means at least seven of the sixteen teams in the top league will be from Tehran! That is ridicules!

Friday, April 13

Those of you who live in the US and follow MLS check these pictures of the new Chicago's Bridgeview Stadium. I learned about this on Du Nord weblog. I wish we made a few of these in Iran.

I wrote a little article about Ashkan Dejagah in my Iran World Cup Weblog. With Hashemian and Karimi injured, it is sad that this talented young man is not tried and given a fair chance.

The Mehdi Mahdavikia situation is probably very embarrassing for him and his family, but the timing is even worse for Team Melli. With Hashemian and Karimi injured, now our best player will be under pressure from the issues rising from this scandal.

Javad Nekounam wants to play in the Bundesliga. I wish he had made the move back when Kaiserslautern was seriously interested in him. The news out of Germany is that Herta Berlin is interested in the midfielder, but nothing is likely to happen until after the World Cup.

What in the world is wrong with Saipa’s management? Dr. Bijan Zolfagharnasab was fired by the club earlier this week because they fell out of the championship race, but they have conveniently forgotten that their goal at the beginning of the season was mere survival in the IPL. Dr. Z delivered that and more with a bunch of young and unknown players who played their butts off for him.

Have you heard the news about Angola asking for Mourinho’s help? That should prove interesting, wouldn’t you say?

Country after country coaches are announcing their provisional World Cup squads, Trinidad and Tobago were the latest. No news from Iran yet.

Tuesday, April 4

You read it here first folks. This is a Team Team Melli rumor that I picked up on the World Cup Blog for which I also write. The rumor is that Team Melli has confirmed a game against Cabo verde on May 30th in Switzerland! Check it out here in the comments section as it was explained by my fellow blogger Luis Paolo.

Do any of you know of any recent Iranian football chants? I know the classics like “Bachehaa hamleh konin, bachehaa hamleh konin” (Attack boys, attack), and “Iran chikaaresh mikoneh? Sooraakh soorakhesh mikoneh” (What is Iran gonna do to them? Rip’m to shreds!), and my all time favorite “doo doo roo doo doo IRAN!” But there must be new ones for Team Melli, right?

Did you read the open letter (in Farsi) the president of Pas FC wrote to IRIFF president Mr. Dadkan? And did you read about Dadkan’s response (in Farsi) in 90 TV program? If true, that really sucks.

Perspolis and Abu-Moslem tied in their last league match of this season, but they will meet again in the Hazfi Cup in a few days in Mashad. That should be interesting.

Monday, April 3

As I always say, one has to know his/her opponents very well. So read a little bit about Portuguese midfielder Maniche here.

Swedish Equality Ombudsman Claes Borgström has asked Sweden to boycott the World Cup in Germany because extra brothels being set up there to meet up the demand from travailing World Cup fans. I get the feeling that Mr. Borgström may be not very popular with Swedish football fans at the moment.

Good news out of Hamburg Germany. Mahdavikia’s injury is not serious. No tears or anything, just some hyperextension I think. It can actually be a blessing in disguise, because Mehdi gets to rest some.

Good games coming up this week in UEFA Champions League. They are all good, but if I had to pick only one to watch, I’d pick Arsenal vs. Juventus. But thanks to modern technology and my DVR box (It’s my newest toy!) I can watch them all!

Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe announced his pre May 15 roster. Has anyone heard from Branko Ivankovic lately?

Afghans got their first point in the AFC Challenge Cup which is taking place in Bangladesh. With only one point out o two games, it does not look like they are going to make it past the group stage, but it is possible. Their next game is against Philippines.

Sunday, April 2

Most of you have by now heard about “Offside”, a movie by Iranian film maker Jafar Panahi about a group of young Iranian girls who get arrested for trying to enter a football stadium disguised as boys. Here is a nice article about the movie.

Do you want to see a tribute to Team Melli and the boys? Click here and remember a few nice moments from not too long ago

Do you browse the world of soccer blogs? You should if you already don’t. Lot’s of good stuff in there. Here are a couple of my favorites: Du Nord and The Sporting Rogue.

Earlier this morning I watched Hamburg vs. Schalke on FSC. Nasty stuff! There was a lot of fouls, faking, diving, pushing, and shoving. HSV won 2:0, but our Team Melli man Mehdi Mahdavikia was hurt and had to leave the game.

If you think Brazilian football is not influential enough, read this. More and more Brazilians are joining international football through naturalization.

Remember Portuguese international Nuno Valente? His World Cup was in doubt after a thigh injury; at least that is what the initial prognosis was. Well, he is going to be fine. Good! I hate to see anyone loose the World Cup due to injuries.

Saturday, April 1

I watched the Spanish El Classico today with a few friends of mine. I guess you could call it our little warm up for the World Cup.

The game itself did not play up to the hype, but it was fun to watch. I wrote a little piece for the World Cup Blog in which I listed the Brazilians playing for Barca and Real. It made me laugh to think that if Brazilian fans were to spent as much time writing about their European players as we do on ours, they’ll probably be writing 24 hours a day! It is Simply Rediculous!

So is Ali Daei really a part of Branko’s coaching staff as ISP reported on Friday, march 31 or the ISP folks were one day early with their April’s Fools Day joke?

Rahman Rezaei did not play in Messina’s embarrassing 3:0 loss to Inter. What’s the story there? Is he hurt, or the new coach does not like him?

Did anyone watch AC Milan loose to Lecce? This should end their hunt for the title. Juve’s got this one tucked away.

All you EPL fans out there, Man U is closing the gap! Chelsea tied, Man U won, and Mourinho blabbed on! Liverpool did well too, but what about them Gunners? They have been red hot lately, both in Europe and in EPL. But I think Chelsea will win it again anyway.

Have you watched the Nike commercials with Eric Cantona? I liked the one with the young Ronaldinho. Man! He was had those move when he was a little kid! I can't find the one I am talking about, but check this one out!

Don't tell this to our Korean friends, but I think Park Ji-Sung may be the best Asian player in Europe now! Mehdi Mahdavikia is up there too, but I have watched them both and Park has had better games lately.