Whats going on? Why are we not using our A-team vs Mexico?

[KasraKhan]

I am so confused and frustrated. For the first time in a LONG TIME, we are lucky enough to arrange a good friendly. Thanks to the generous Mexican invite of course.

Now...finally after arranging a good friendly with a good footballing country, we have to send our best to see how we fare against them. Because Mexico is preparing for the Gold Cup, they will be playing with full force.

Naturally...Iran, the weaker of the 2, would play with the full force, but no....not this time. A GREAT friendly oppurtunity to test our boys before the Asian Cup was completely over-looked.

What reasons could they have? Nekounam is coming, and he played today. Ando's league ended 2 weeks ago. Same with Karimi, Hashemian and Kia. So are they tired? I dont get it. Are the legionarres rejecting the invite or did IFF just not invite them? IF they are rejecting..WHY?

How come we can get our full team to play agaisnt Qatar and Kuwait but not Mexico? Everyting in the IFF is backwards....

[zereshk-ali]

A huge waste of an opportunity. The really sad fact is that these games come up every couple of years and not as regularly as for Korea, Japan and Australia.

[Mr.Good]

I'm kind of glad we are playing with Mexico with the reserve. We don't want to risk fatigue and injury before Asian Cup. its also good for the reserve to gain experience.

[Nokhodi]

I agree with you Kasrakhan, after who knows how many years do we get a decent friendly away from Azadi, yet how many of our legionnaires show up?
This is very sad, and honestly I think after this many of the legionnaires have no right to be complaining about friendlies.

By the way I think Ando would have shown up but either he or one of his family members is getting married on the same day.
Also Dame Nekounam garm. The guy's league has not ended, he has come off a injury, yet he still shows up for TM.

[Mansoor]

This problem is nothing new. Same trouble Branko faced last year.

Here are some explanations for the absentees. Which ones are "excuses" and which one are not, I leave it for the readers:

1- Hashemian is hurting. His back needs full rest, according to his club doctor. It has been under lot of stress for the past year or so, since they did not take any break last year, going to WC camp immediately after their league, and going back to the league and training again.

2- Karimi is tired and needs to rest. He also got hurt at the end of season and did not attend their friendly matches after season. His team doctor cleared him to go home and rest.

3- Kia saw the two and said he is tired too and needs to rest to be ready for Asian Cup.

4- Ando is getting married and will join the TM camp after Mexico friendly.

5- Perspolis, Sepahan, Saba, and Peykan players are left out so they can participate in Hazfi cup.

6- I have no idea about Rezaei but I am guessing the same as his season is ending and perhaps he wants to take care of some personal matters before coming for Asian Cup. He says he will retire from TM after Asian Cup.

I also wanted to see Iran play with full force against Mexico but I can understand the circumstances. I guess it is something about face off against Mexico that suddenly we have to face a series of unfortunate incidents.

Ghalenoei tried to get them in, but they all wanted to rest except Nekunam. He is rested coming out of injury and is ready to go, so he'll join the team. So is Zandi.

[faraz]

This may end up helping Iran...those who are absent are regular starters, and will most likely all be on the field in the AC regardless.

Perhaps we can see how our substitutes actually fair against a team that is not the UAE or Qatar? Who knows, we may get some suprises

[Dubxl152]

This may end up helping Iran...those who are absent are regular starters, and will most likely all be on the field in the AC regardless.
Perhaps we can see how our substitutes actually fair against a team that is not the UAE or Qatar? Who knows, we may get some suprises

i completly agree im looking forward to a difficult learning experience.

[KasraKhan]

But the first priority currently should be to prepare the A-team for the Asian Cup as its just aroun the corner. And the only friendly now we wil be using our A-team is vs Qatar. Thats not enough. 1 match...

[leviathan]

I think it sucks that almost all of "A" team players can't play.

(kia really does not have any excuse)-every body is tired?

Perhaps they should have rescheduled, may be at least so that Ando could get married!
Any way,how long does a marriage cermony take?!

[zzgloo]

The real waist, is that $200,000.00 IFF paid to Mexico.......

I guess, galenoee, is copying Branko, as to have a damage control policy, Branko also avoided big teams, and GN, when he get big teams, uses B team to have scape goat !!

[Paradigm]

I am so confused and frustrated. For the first time in a LONG TIME, we are lucky enough to arrange a good friendly. Thanks to the generous Mexican invite of course.
Now...finally after arranging a good friendly with a good footballing country, we have to send our best to see how we fare against them. Because Mexico is preparing for the Gold Cup, they will be playing with full force.
Naturally...Iran, the weaker of the 2, would play with the full force, but no....not this time. A GREAT friendly oppurtunity to test our boys before the Asian Cup was completely over-looked.
What reasons could they have? Nekounam is coming, and he played today. Ando's league ended 2 weeks ago. Same with Karimi, Hashemian and Kia. So are they tired? I dont get it. Are the legionarres rejecting the invite or did IFF just not invite them? IF they are rejecting..WHY?
How come we can get our full team to play agaisnt Qatar and Kuwait but not Mexico? Everyting in the IFF is backwards....

Agha your best team consists of 6-7 fixed players. If they do not perform, like they did not in many previous occasions, then the embarassment and disappointment will only be the more. By the way, I do not consider the best team consisted necessarily of the Euro-based players. Many of our best still play in Iran or in UAE. Besides it is disastrous to think a country of 70 million relies on only 6-7 fixed players for honor and glory in soccer. I am glad others are getting a real chance to represent their abilities and gain valuable exprience; this will add more depth to our football.

[Ali Chicago]

Call me crazy, but I am glad we play with the so called Reseve team. I think this game will be the begining of an end (for the legioners). Our team will not and can't rely on so called legioners. To be honest, I hope in AFC we dont' give an automatic spot to the so called legioners. Only those will start up that truly can help the team.
Even if we loose (which probably we will), I hope our team play a decent entertainnig football and show the football world that our 38th ranking in the fifa isn't a fluke. Although Iran plays in Mexico, I hope our team wipes out the memory of the embaressing second half game against Mexic in the WC 2006. Boy that memory still boils my blood.

[Ali Chicago]

....

I guess, galenoee, is copying Branko, as to have a damage control policy, Branko also avoided big teams, and GN, when he get big teams, uses B team to have scape goat !!

I really don't follow your logic. If this guy was afriad of big games, he wouldnt' have played with Mexico in the first place. Playing with a Mexico in their home field, with the so called B team to me is a sign of courage. Ok, if you want to call it stupid even I undrestand, but copy Branko, I really can't see that.

[zzgloo]

I really don't follow your logic. If this guy was afriad of big games, he wouldnt' have played with Mexico in the first place. Playing with a Mexico in their home field, with the so called B team to me is a sign of courage. Ok, if you want to call it stupid even I undrestand, but copy Branko, I really can't see that.

Ali Chicago jan,
The Logic is very simple....
Damage control Policy, comes in many forms, some by avoiding big games,some by,sending B teams.
1- IFF because of Branko's time,had been under criticism,for avoiding big teams.
2- Iff deciedes who to play, not galenoee, and only asks his opinion....yet tells him, we must play a big team.Mexico is fine with Ghalenoee,because,even Branko lost to them.
3-No,big team comes to Iran, and very few play for $200,000, but mexico does.
4-Ghalenoee,does not want to get fired before asian games.
5- Ghalenoee goes with B team.
.................................................. .......................
And as for your other post, I also like you,believe, we deserved better than that secound half,made us look.

[Ali Chicago]

Ali Chicago jan,
The Logic is very simple....
Damage control Policy, comes in many forms, some by avoiding big games,some by,sending B teams.
1- IFF because of Branko's time,had been under criticism,for avoiding big teams.
2- Iff deciedes who to play, not galenoee, and only asks his opinion....yet tells him, we must play a big team.Mexico is fine with Ghalenoee,because,even Branko lost to them.
3-No,big team comes to Iran, and very few play for $200,000, but mexico does.
4-Ghalenoee,does not want to get fired before asian games.
5- Ghalenoee goes with B team.
.................................................. .......................
And as for your other post, I also like you,believe, we deserved better than that secound half,made us look.

Thanks for your reply ZZ jaan. With all the due respect, I think you got a couple of things not quite right.

On point 2 IFF decides who to play not GN. I beg to differ. The decision on which team to play is with GN. Probably GN or any coach for that matter gives a list of the kind of team they would like to play and ask IFF to faciliate and schedule them.

On point 3, actually Mexico is paying Iran. Iran doesn't pay a dime. All the trip cost is covered too.

On Point 4 and 5, I think, if the team losses bad, regardless of being with team A or B, GN is going to get heat. But he definitly won't get fired regardless of the results (1 month to the AFC, that just won't happen).

I think the difference in point of views (you see it as an alibi by GN to send a B team Vs. mine) comes, because you and lot of other guys in PFDC think IFF and GN are incompatant. So their moves are being considered suspicious. However, I think lot of critics of the GN and IFF aren't realistic. They compare IFF and GN and our soccer for that matter with advanced countries (soccer wise). That is a comparing apples and oranges. Iran simply doesn't have the management, organization, facilities to run its soccer like an advanced country does.
Mansoor in the other thread listed every single legioners and the reason they aren't able to make it. Go through the list in the other thread. GN has no option, he can't order to player to play. If they dont' want to play or can't, he needs to accept it. Soccer isnt' as simple as many fans like us make it. Every player has its own agenda and his benefits maynot be aligned totally with TM. Few players put the national team above their club interest. Ali Dai (despite all my criticisems in other regards) was an example of the players that sacrificed his club for the TM. Specially during the WC 2002 Qualification, that guy traveled so much for TM. Legioners don't want to get injured, loose their spot in the club, or sometimes it is just pure bad luck and mismanagment (Ando is getting married on 14th for example).

Bottom line, I think not playing with our legioners is a good thing for our football. Iranian football has to get off this full reliance on legioners. Lot of people, kept saying GN team will be the same Branko team. I hope that doesn't happen. At least this game and Asian championship be the begining of the end and new faces play in TM.