Who is worse than animal Mr. Ghotbi? (An open letter to a fake emperor)

[Mansoor]

Who is worse than animal Mr. Ghotbi? (An open letter to a fake emperor)

Few weeks ago, Ghotbi had questioned some of the journalists’ character and work ethic and had labeled them “worse than animal” after being questioned for his assistant’s role in transfer of players. With his untimely departure and his team’s failure, the question of character and work ethic remains among many other questions that now should be asked from Ghotbi himself:

Mr. Ghotbi,

Details of your negotiations with Perspolis boss, Hedayati is disturbing to say the least. Is it true that despite all the financial troubles Perspolis club has been facing, you had bizarre demands from Hedayati to return to Perspolis?

In particular, Is it true that you demanded $300k for your girlfriend/wife’s expenses to stay in UAE? Is it true that you complained about your girlfriend/wife’s gallery that was held last year in Tehran, and her failure to sell her paintings and therefore offending her? That she is heartbroken and needed to be compensated? Is it true that Hedayati was forced to purchase all of them for $50k so you could get her to agree for your return?

Is it true that you demanded $350k for the inclusion of your assistant (transfer agent?) in your contract? And what was so especial about him and what sort of special training he performed to worth that much? How did he train Perspolis as a team to defend properly? Did he train the team to play up to players potential? Was his job to train the team or to transfer players? Why insist so much on him to be included in your contract and was all the money supposed to go to him?

Is it true that you demanded the inclusion of a so called “Brazilian young star” in your team that would solve the scoring problem for the club? And again re-stated and practically threatening the management in one of your after match interviews to sign him? Another $450k ($100k supposedly to his club but who knows how it was shared) out of the team’s “no budget” for a player that “needed time to learn how to score”?

How is that suppose to help Iranian football that you so proudly advocated in many occasions? Giving numerous chances to a novice player from foreign country while many of Perspolis youth team players wouldn’t even get a minute to play against a second division team in Hazfi cup? How did he compare to many “free” youngsters from Perspolis youth teams that you had in your disposal? Wouldn’t they also “needed time to learn” but not for $350k? Which “new” or “young” player have you ever introduced to our football, even as a prospect or potential?

And why always insist in bringing foreign players? How about Aranda last year? How much effect did he have in the team that he had to be brought all the way from South America to play? Are these “questionable” import of novice players particularly from American continent where your “supporting cast” operate more than just “questionable”? Cheap players for expensive contracts?

Can you imagine how this over one million dollar wasted above (not counting your contract!) could have been helpful to the club? Start of own facilities that you complained about? “Ready to be used” and not “needed time to learn” player in defense or goal to help Perspolis represent Iran properly in Asia?

You questioned journalists’ characters and ethic and therefore drew into the conclusion that “they are not human and worse than animals”! Since you have crossed into questioning characters and ethic, and have gone further to label some of the journalists “to be worse than animal”, is it fair to ask the same question from you about your character?

Is it true that you even didn’t care to visit your country and your own mother for 30 years? How about your wife and two daughters left in US for this girlfriend/wife nearly half your age that was so costly to Perspolis club? What does that tell us about your character?

Celebrating your country’s elimination from Asian Cup within a minute while millions of Iranian fans were still in sorrow and disbelief? Right in front of TV cameras and with feast in the air and your famous “... jumps”? Is that suppose to be the “professional” way to celebrate the failure of the country you now claim to love so much?

Is it the country or the money that determines your love? How many times did you put foreigners ahead of your countrymen just in the past few months? Is it perfectly ok for them to call Iranians crazy but we are worse than animal to question their actual role in transfer market while posing as a coach?

How about demanding the elimination of the very two men that played the main role in bringing you to Perspolis, and bring you the fortune you never dreamed of? Do you remember how they set the military up to treat you at the airport upon your first arrival to Tehran? How much role did Kashani have in your bubble like success in first year? Did you complain about ridiculous mistakes/favors by the referees toward the end of the season? How about your assistant, Hamid Estili, who prepared the team so well for you to enjoy the free ride? Your escape-goat last season that was never credited for his help to you but was always there to be blamed for “hidden hands”?

And now resigning from the team in turmoil that was suppose to win the league and ACL according to your hollow promises and lies? Did you lie again? Do you remember your claims for being part of US team as a staff in 1998 world cup? Did you ever respond properly to official publications exposing your exaggeration?

Turning your back once again to those who have been part of your being? This time to “simple-minded fans” that made emperor out of an average coach? Were is that “international football” and “international coach” to solve Perspolis football problems? Is this how you had planned to rescue our national team and take it to “international level” as well? Is this how you fix the “football mess” that you and your expensive trainer from Brazil have created? To run away with a letter that belongs to children’s book? Do you really think this low of your fans’ IQ to continue fooling them with “hidden hands”?

Is this your style and character to turn your back to anyone who has played any role in your current being? Your family, your co-workers, your players, even your fans? Is that the character you set example for? Or, is it a character worse than animal?

[shayan20]

هر چی تو دلم داشتم را شما با این لحن قشنگ گفتید!
امیدوارم قطبی خودش این نامه رو بخونه و دوباره به اندیشه به اشتباهاتی که انجام داد.

Mansour Jaan, Are you going to post this on ZendegiFootball like your other Article?
I think you should.
Thanks for the beautifully set article.

[TM-Fan]

Nicely written Mansoor jan. Hope to see more of your posts here.

[Doctor DOOM]

I didnt read ghotbi's actual comments. couldnt find it.
but from what I understood, he may have said something and meant something differently, but becoz he is known to translate english to farsi terms and phrases quite literally, he got into trouble.

so if he'd meant , for example, "ppl acting like DOGS WITH A BONE", he may not have been comparing them with dogs, but rather the "persistence" ( or as we say "sagak" ) shown by them on the matter.

so until I know exactly what he said I wouldnt assume he'd called ppl animals or dogs or ... .

anyone has the farsi transcript of that interview ?

[Mansoor]

Shayan jaan, Jamshid jaan, merci for your comments. Ham chenin for doostan w/ "thank u" note. Mokhlesim.

[zzgloo]

Mansoor jaan, while I believe you have had a " Thing " against Ghotbi !!
But, I must admit, I was wrong to disagree with you about him, before.....and, you were right all along......He indeed , got much more than he desreved.

[Mansoor]

Merci Bahram jaan.

Regarding "the thing" part, While I have been hit with that a few times but usually I didn't find enough interest and motivation to fully explain my views and "the thing". You know I have high respect for you despite our difference of opinion in many occasions so I am going to take my time and respond to the "thing" part in details. I'll post it today or tomorrow, once I find enough time. Mokhlesim.

[leviathan]

Mansoor jaan
if i may ask, are all the information regarding his new girl friend/ wife expense calims from hedayati available to public in iran?and if so how did every one find out about it?

How about leaving his wife and two kids in USA for a new girl?is that common knowledge too?

[Mansoor]

Iraj jaan, I don't live in Iran so I can't gather the data about public's common knowledge to answer your questions.

Generally speaking, I don't gather info from public or "he said she said". I usually go to "the" source for information; e.g. 1998 US soccer team staff ...

[Ali Chicago]

Well, it is a free country and everyone can express himself afer all. IMO, the whole letter is based on three elements with a heavy focus on elments of private life of Mr. Ghotbi which IMO should not have brought onm. Let me elaborate on these three elements:


Ghotbi Hedayati negotiation:
First element is claims about the negotation between Ghotbi and Hedayti. At the get go, I was really disappointed to see the term "girlfried/wife". The fact that Korean's lady that is companion of Mr. Ghotgi is married to him or not, has nothing to do with nothing. To be frank, that is using the same standards that cerrain Komiteh persoannel used when they arreseted man and woman in Tehran street. Why does it matter if she is his wife or gf?
Let's assume all of your claims about negotiation are true, Ghotbi is a professional coach and tries to get the most money for himself. The responsibility in on Mr. Hedayati and PP management to decide if they want to pay that or not. Did you expect, he doesn't drive a hard bargin? Isn't that what everyone would do?
You just mention the money figures without giving the context to the readers. How much other coaches in Iran are getting paid? Please put the things in prospect. Since you didn't do it, allow me to mention a few figures: Dai'e contract with TM is claimed to be at half million dollars, plus the contract for the TM jersey (which IFF gave to his company, I am sure even the incompetent IFF can get few hundred thousand dollars for that). GN with EsEs is around 350K (supposedly). In this context, maybe some of the figures you mentioned aren't as exorbitent.

Can you honestly beleive any coach who lives outside Iran will come and work in Iran without charging at least twice what local coaches make? How much was the contract of Kordes and the Saipa coach who left them last season and even last Saipa coach (Litbarski)?


Forigen players issue

It seems you have a seperate standard when it comes to Ghotbi. How many forigen players play in IPL? EsES had two brazilian forwards and none of them were any good. Does that mean GN did something inappropriat? How many foriegn players came to Iran who were dud? The argument about Iranin youth can be made in any team who bring foriegn players? Are you claiming that we shouldn't bring any forigen players into IPL? I haven't seen you say that, maybe I missed it.
You indirectly claiming/implying Ghotbi siphoned money from these transfers, without providing any proof. Ghotbi isn't a saint I am sure, but I suggest you be careful with claiming things without having proof. If this was done in US, Ghotbi could sue you for slandering

For the records, I can claim Rutemuller will come to Iran and certain coach will benefit financially (because he wants to bring him and not say X or Y). Unless I have proof (which is a very hard thing to provide), it is jus a claim. What you mentioned about foriegn players, is your claim, opinion and is respectable but you have no proof. I wish you stipulated that (it is your opinion) not facts (since you have no hard proof). In its current form, it is read as if there are hard core facts.


Ghotbi's personal life

You brought up issues like he didn't come to Iran for 30 years and his ex wife .......

His coming to Iran or not or ex wife is his personal issue and has nothing to do with football. I wish you respected his personal life. Even in the hard fought US election most recently, no one brought up issues of the Mr. Mc Cain's ex wife and other personal issues (which was the right thing). It was no secret that he was a playboy and all. But it wasn't brought up by Obama or even other rivals during the primary. You live here and I wish you had followed the same example. The fact that he came to Iran or not has nothing to do with football. PFDC is a football related site and for sure PFDC or any other site has a test to measure vatan parasti or vatan foorooshi in anyone. IMO bringing issues like "not visiting his mom", can be very misleading. We don't know all the details about his personal life, and we don't need to know. Maybe he did, maybe they met outside Iran, maybe they aren't a close family, maybe X, maybe Y.


You may have certain informations about Mr. Ghotbi that you are privy to and that makes your crusade against him totally justifed. Since I am not privy to those info, I just judge this issue based on this so called "open letter", which I tried to elaborate on. Considering your past posts regarding Mr. Ghotbi, this letter isn't a surprise.

[Mansoor]

Merci. I can’t go in details right now and you have to wait for respond to Agha Bahram’s post first before I can find enough time to respond to your post in details.

But briefly, as you said “everybody can express himself after all” and that is what you did. From what I see you have different standard and moral than I do which is perfectly ok. You basically imply throughout your writing that since others are doing something wrong, it is ok for him to do so and you approve that. That is your every right to have different standard which you have based your logic on, and simply not mine.

I‘ll see if I can find time to respond in more details about some of the points you couldn‘t understand properly but I have to say I won‘t have time to go back and forth with my limited schedule at this point. The article has left many issues to people’s level of logic and intelligence to understand and certainly not responsible for poor reading of it. Multiple reading of the article is recommended in these cases, and it may help clarify issues such as “girlfriend/wife” that was meant to say either/or and certainly not copycatting a “religious police”!?

[RaginG Inferno]

These accusations, if true, raise serious doubts about Ghotbi's credibility.

[Mansoor]

Ok Bahram jaan, here it is:

Do I have “the thing” against Ghotbi, another word is it something personal? The answer depends on the meaning of the question. So let me clarify first.

Ghotbi was mainly advertised by a known “shayad” in one of LA based TV stations. His collaboration with one of US based dallals and two of his hired writers both in a TV “show” and a website was one of those “business as usual” that we often see in Iran as well as other parts of the world.

Let me explain that being active in media gives me the chance to meet and discuss inside issues with inside people and obviously I had inside info on these dallal bazi as well.

Up to the point when they eventually found a spot in Perspolis for him, the matter did not concern me at all. As I knew of these repeated scenarios and he was just another opportunistic young coach looking for a head coaching job by any mean. The only difference was that in this particular case I was more informed of inside information surrounding his installation.

Also having the luxury of talking to a few footballers last year, some working closely with him in the club and some observing his work closely, I learned more about his below standard coaching skills in details yet kept my reservation to observe his end-result in the field.

Meanwhile, the media was heavily advertising for him in his first few month of coaching and the matter was gradually shifting toward national team while he had yet to finish his first year as a coach. More and more his advertising case began to look like a major circus in our football history with all the exaggerations and emperor labeling, and claims of “international football”.

At that point, I found my duty to make a difference and use all means possible to inform people of the truth as it did not make any sense to install a person as national team head coach without any professional playing or coaching experience.

And so I wrote my first writing showing stats on how Perspolis squad was so much superior to other teams and it’s half-season result should not be sufficient to hire a first year coach for national team head coaching job.

But the matter suddenly became serious and passed from media into IFF through an individual in IFF administration with connection to his “supporting cast”. So I took more responsibilities to inform higher people both in Perspolis management and IFF of his past resume, and did what I could in those critical days from my side, including the publication of his past work.

Of course I had taken the matter personal as our country’s pride and joy of millions of fans was my priority, not the career of a rookie coach and the financial benefit of "supporting cast".

Needless to say, it eventually became clear to most people with enough intelligence of his true potential as a head coach, and how he could have led Iran to same disaster as he did to Perspolis this year, and then ran away with leaving a note for children’s book.

So dear friend, yes of course it is personal when I see an average coach is being falsely advertised to get the national team job and there is no voice to stop this nonsense, and of course it is personal when I see what he has done to a club that will soon represent Iran in Asia. Of course it is personal when I see a character calls us “worse than animal” while having so many question marks in his own character. That certainly is personal to me, but anything beyond that is a vivid imagination of those that insisted or still insist on not focusing on real issues brought up through past year.

I congratulate you to be able to find the truth for yourself despite all the distractions and false campaigns, and more respect to your maturity for bringing it up.

Cheers

[Ali Chicago]

Well, I have many short coming, but never heard of the so called " poor Reading". I really tried to summarize your long list in three main items (which is really what you claim in the nutshell). So if I can summarize your post in three main categories, at least I must have read it a few times.

As the saying in English goes, "If it walks like a duck, quack like a duck it is a duck". I can't see why there was a need to use the term "girlfriend/wife". Can you explain why that term "girlfriend/wife" was used? Then toward the end question of 30 years out of Iran and his ex wife? And blame my poor reading?!!! You are a very capable man and accomplished writer. I am sure words don't just pop up out of the blue.
Since it was implicitly claimed "others are doing the same thing", can I ask how come so much energy is focused on "Ghotbi". As for your suggestion moral standard, I find it amazing about double standard in judgment, but hey, we are human and all have bias.

No point in going back and forth, your former posts in this regard clearly shows your bias against Ghotbi. This letter claims certain things, without having proof. I just questioned that in light of your bias.

Ghotbi ain't a saint, I am sure, and no one else is. So this is not about Ghotbi at all. In summary, let me say it "sarbastah". It seems Ghotbi was a potential threat to certain folks in Iranian football. Now they don't need to worry about a potential successor. Well guess they won, good luck to them. We saw three games from the TM in WC qualification and the master piece was just less than a week ago against UAE. So far lady of luck has been on our side, I wish the same "ZEAL" and "DUE DILIGENCE" was applied toward performance of the TM.

[Mansoor]

Well, I have many short coming, but never heard of the so called " poor Reading". ....
Since it was implicitly claimed "others are doing the same thing", can I ask how come so much energy is focused on "Ghotbi"...[/B]

You see Ali agha, it is not my fault that you don't pay good attention when you read. Yet again you have comeback with question due to yet again another poor reading: What I said was YOUR post was implicitly claiming "others are doing the same thing so it is ok for him to do so and you approve it", and not mine. Please pay attention more closely as that is the meaning of poor reading.

Same with the strange objection about girlfriend/wife that is being repeated again. Dear, I don't write to satisfy your need, I write the way I like to and that was my preference.

I have just finished the other post and dead tired. I will post something further clarifying the matter regarding your objections but as I said it won't be in form of back and forth exchange. I am certainly not trying to change your mind as my past experience advise me otherwise but rather clarifying the subject to those who have read your attempt to divert the subject matter, perhaps in part unintentionally due to poor reading.

shab be kheir