CURRENT STATE of TEAM MELLI

[naderb94]

I have a few thoughts from Team Melli and anyone is free to comment and/or criticize my takes.
We're becoming an old, slow team as the years go by. We're basically playing the same core group of players from 2017/18 until now. The same core of Azmoun, Taremi, Beiranvand, Jahanbakhsh, Ezatollahi, Ghoddos, etc. but those players are washed up and slower compared to their 2018-2021 versions.
I've noticed these players don't have that fiery passion to play for Team Melli like they once did. This is the result of losing CQ and having a manager like GN.
CQ, although not perfect, truly knew how to motivate the team and bring the best out of them. I can't say the same for GN. It's basically Skokic all over again, just sneak out of games 1-0 when we could win them by 3 or 4 goals. Players are becoming lazier and don't have ambition.

Secondly, our youth is simply not good. I've noticed every few camps, they try to incorporate several youngsters but they all seem to disappoint to where they're not showcased anymore for months or possibly a year. I can see the same happening to guys like Aria Yousefi and Hazbavi. Guys like Yasin Salmani and Reza Shekari were supposed to be the future of TM, but now rotting in Iran Pro League and wasting on whatever potential they have. It's bad when a 35 year old Ramin is still the best option we have at RB.

My fear is after the 2026 WC, the likes of Taremi, Azmoun, Beiro, JB, Saeid could possibly ALL retire from retire. If and once these guys retire, do we have a plan on bringing up the youth to replace these guys? I fear for some really dark days ahead after the 2026 WC similar to the 2007-2012 days before CQ came in and brought energy into TM. With the amount of spending being used on foreign players this year in IPL, I would assume that same money can be used to bring a top foreign manager to steer the ship of TM and bring energy to the national team. As much as I like CQ, we do need to look ahead and look elsewhere since he's aging. I've always said we need to target Herve Renard and bring energy into the team like he did for Morocco and Saudi. Morocco's recent years of success can all be credited to Renard.

Enjoy the next two years of Team Melli because it can get really bad soon after that if action isn't taken.

[persian-eagle-13]

This has been the state of affairs for Iran since the revolution by these occupiers. Nothing will change for good til we get rid of these fcukers

[naderb94]

This has been the state of affairs for Iran since the revolution by these occupiers. Nothing will change for good til we get rid of these fcukers

Bigger picture, you're correct, but Team Melli was in good shape back in 2018/19 holding their own against the likes of Portugal, Spain, and beating Morocco. We had a quality manager who put together a TEAM that wanted to play together and be there for one another as a brotherhood. I just don't see that anymore.

[Nokhodi]

There is no need to fear.
Unfortunately we only replace when it's absolutely required.
So yes, at the end of the 2026 cycle, there will be big changes in TM main players.
They'll go through a trial by fire in Asia Cup 2027 and if they're a decent bunch they'll be ready for WC 2030 qualifiers.

That's about it.

[Pluto2000]

Let me tell you what will happen. These group of players will dwindle away like the smoke of a candle light being blown out in AC 2027. Then we will probably drop 10-15 places in FIFA rankings as we receive a few shocks for not having a proper-vision plan. Then we will have a few dark years akin to 2008-2014 when we had all these old players who instead of retiring kept wanting to stay in TM over the younger players to stroke their own ego. Be prepared for 35 year old Taremi and 33 year old Azmoun to lead us in WC 2027.

The only proper way of going forward is to integrate youth with a plan....starting...NEXT camp. And I don't mean picking a random Arya Yousefi who is LW as RB to cover for Moharrami's injury. I mean like starting extremely talented players like Hosseinejad consistently, subbing in Saharkhizan for Taremi when we need to, invite players like Ghandipour to try for Azmoun, starting Allahyar, giving more chances to Fallah and Hazbavi duo, inviting Nima Andarz to camp after he caps for CD Leganes, etc.

One more thing: we need to be comfortable with struggling a bit. ITS OKAY to lose a game or two now so that we can win later and make a deep World Cup run. Even people on this forum are too reactive sometimes, who trash youth on their first few caps. Look at Japan, in the 2022 cycle they lost to Oman and Vietnam after starting all their youth. Thats okay. They still qualified and ended up making a deep run against Germany and other Euro giants. ITS OKAY TO LOSE IF YOU HAVE A LONG TERM PLAN. Even CQ lost to Turkey and Uzbekistan. Not many remember but people were talking mad shit about Beiranvand 3 months before the 2018 WC for CQ giving him a chance.

[Artaxerxes]

This has been the state of affairs for Iran since the revolution by these occupiers. Nothing will change for good til we get rid of these fcukers

I know about 80% of the people wants get rid of them but we all know that the same forces poshte parde that installed them are and will keep them there occupying Iran for their own greedy inrerest

[naderb94]

There is no need to fear.
Unfortunately we only replace when it's absolutely required.
So yes, at the end of the 2026 cycle, there will be big changes in TM main players.
They'll go through a trial by fire in Asia Cup 2027 and if they're a decent bunch they'll be ready for WC 2030 qualifiers.

That's about it.

Do we really want to have the same group of players for the WC 2030 qualifiers when they're in their mid 30s?

[Nokhodi]

Do we really want to have the same group of players for the WC 2030 qualifiers when they're in their mid 30s?

I'm saying the 2030 qualifiers will have a completely new set of players (relatively younger).
However, I don't care about age. Whoever plays better.
National teams are not academies.

[Ali Doust]

The core won't be going anywhere as long as they keep getting results.

[naderb94]

The core won't be going anywhere as long as they keep getting results.

I hope we have a plan ready for when that core is washed up and done.
I don't want to see Team Melli end up like the Chicago Bulls or New England after Jordan/Brady left with no plan ready.

[Super Shojaei]

Let me tell you what will happen. These group of players will dwindle away like the smoke of a candle light being blown out in AC 2027. Then we will probably drop 10-15 places in FIFA rankings as we receive a few shocks for not having a proper-vision plan. Then we will have a few dark years akin to 2008-2014 when we had all these old players who instead of retiring kept wanting to stay in TM over the younger players to stroke their own ego. Be prepared for 35 year old Taremi and 33 year old Azmoun to lead us in WC 2027.

The only proper way of going forward is to integrate youth with a plan....starting...NEXT camp. And I don't mean picking a random Arya Yousefi who is LW as RB to cover for Moharrami's injury. I mean like starting extremely talented players like Hosseinejad consistently, subbing in Saharkhizan for Taremi when we need to, invite players like Ghandipour to try for Azmoun, starting Allahyar, giving more chances to Fallah and Hazbavi duo, inviting Nima Andarz to camp after he caps for CD Leganes, etc.

One more thing: we need to be comfortable with struggling a bit. ITS OKAY to lose a game or two now so that we can win later and make a deep World Cup run. Even people on this forum are too reactive sometimes, who trash youth on their first few caps. Look at Japan, in the 2022 cycle they lost to Oman and Vietnam after starting all their youth. Thats okay. They still qualified and ended up making a deep run against Germany and other Euro giants. ITS OKAY TO LOSE IF YOU HAVE A LONG TERM PLAN. Even CQ lost to Turkey and Uzbekistan. Not many remember but people were talking mad shit about Beiranvand 3 months before the 2018 WC for CQ giving him a chance.

Cq lost to Lebanon too and tied to Turkmenistan away in qualification if those results had happened under skokic and GN this forum would crash now

[Hosseini]

Problem with GN is that he is under so much pressure to get results, that he starts these old washed players because he only really trusts them. He doesn't want to lose his job, and the lack of a long term plan is making him function day by day just to get by. Unfortunately I don't see much of an out for him because people expect him to deliver now. The team as it is also doesn't have any proper defensive shape or structure. I don't even know what is going on now watching our defending. Like you said, we are relying on Ghoddos, Taremi, Azmoun, JB for random offensive creativity - an aging core that soon will burn out into flames. Two of those four don't even have a club now!

The only way out this situation is a coaching replacement. Renard, first option, or Morais second option are the best and most realistic options at our disposal. They will bring a vision, but they MUST be allowed to work on a long term 2-3 year contract. We will qualify, it just about creating the future.

Great thread, everything you said is nailed on correct. We have some smart folks in here

[Keano]

Agreed! Here is my version of your post:

You said it! We once again find ourselves in a situation eerily similar to 2005-2007 era, when TM's 2006 World Cup squad was filled with stars approaching the end of their careers. Our forwards, once known for their precision, struggled to find the back of the net. Right after the World Cup, we endured several years without top-tier talents.

However, by 2011-2012, Team Melli began its improvement, reclaiming the brilliance it was once known for.

Anyway let's hope we see a similar turnaround in the coming years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Arman2]

Fully agree with you!

Enviado desde mi SM-S916B mediante Tapatalk

[Super Shojaei]

Here's an improved version of your post:

You said it! We once again find ourselves in a situation eerily similar to 2005-2007 era, when TM's 2006 World Cup squad was filled with stars approaching the end of their careers. Our forwards, once known for their precision, struggled to find the back of the net. Right after the World Cup, we endured several years without top-tier talents.

However, by 2011-2012, Team Melli began its improvement, reclaiming the brilliance it was once known for.

Anyway let's hope we see a similar turnaround in the coming years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

only thing is qualification has gotten a lot easier- and the quality of teams in our group haven't improved enough to pose us a threat

id argue the UAE of today are a lot weaker than 2015-2019
Qatar have lost star players due to retirement have no good young players coming through so have major gaps in their squad wouldn't be surprised to see the likes of Al-Haydos to come out of retirement.
Krgyz republic will probably get points against the UAE and Qatar at home - they still pose a threat

for qualification to fail we need UAE ,Qatar or North Korea to go on a major winning run which I think these sides are simply incapable of long term- Qatar without the bribed match officials and experience are nothing- UAE just don't have the strength in depth .

even the bottom seeds of the other two groups have gotten points off the big sides - both Kuwait and Indonesia started strong -North Korea will probably do some damage to UAE's campaign too and maybe Uzbekistan- playing in Laos is tough for any team now