Carlos Queiroz sees QATAR & UAE as FAVORITES but NOT IRAN!!

[xerexes]

What CQ did was present us as underdogs without casting doubt on the ability of the players themselves. Of course he's also telling the truth about the poor preparation, but by highlighting that as the reason for our 'underdog' status he's accomplishing the goal without "bashing team melli" like some are suggesting.

He's presenting us as the team hampered by poor support, having to rely on our own talent and effort to make it through against spoiled teams enjoying superior backing. That shifts the narrative from what the coaches in our group want, which is 'arrogant Persians who almost beat Argentina are back from the world cup...let's teach them a lesson'.

[Bi-honar]

The point is what are you (all) disagreeing about it? Are you disagreeing with CQ's assessment of the state of our football? Or are you disagreeing with something CQ didn't say or do?

It just seems that you all are just disagreeing with other people and this has nothing to do with CQ.

LOL. Tell me about it bro. Some people even disagree with themselves from one post to the next! One second they're saying this is mind games, the next second they're saying Qatar and UAE are better prepared and therefore CQ's comments make total sense!

Look, I don't disagree with CQ's assessment of the state of our football. I'm pretty sure most of us, if not all, agree with him.

I also think that he genuinely believes that our chances have been severely dented because of that and our poor preparations. I think almost all of us also agree with that even if we may have different opinions about the extent of damage.

Because of that, I have a hard time understanding how this could be mind games when a coach is honestly and genuinely expressing his assessment of the situation. Not to mention, that there's also nothing to be gained by playing mind games at this point - none of the 3 teams in our group will suddenly look at us as underdogs just because of this.

What I disagree with and find very frustrating is the amount and frequency of negativity coming from the TM cadre this close to the tournament. Yes, we all know the limitations, they're the same limitations we have known about for the past 3 months, 3 years, 3 decades - we don't need to be constantly reminded of them.

We just gotta try and work around them at this point and do our very best with what we have instead of dwelling in them in every single interview or blowing issues completely out of proportion on top of it. IMHO that's not appropriate at this junction - that's all I'm saying.

[Camran khan]

I personally love CQ. Iran will most likely never see as good of a coach as him (under IR), but, sometimes he makes statements which are IMO very wrong. I'm not talking about the current statements, if they are mind games, I don't mind them at all, I just might not understand them, or as someone posted, they were taken out of context, which screwed up what they really meant, which was that we are not prepared well compared to Qatar and UAE.

However, statements like after the Bosnia game didn't sit well with me at all. Our players gave everything and fought like lions, we slipped badly during our Bosnia game, and afterwards, when the Bosnian head coach questioned CQ's tactics, CQ stated something like "look at his players, look at mine, lets see how I would do with his starting 11 and how we would do with mine". I mean come on, at least sugarcoat it

[Bi-honar]

I personally love CQ. Iran will most likely never see as good of a coach as him (under IR), but, sometimes he makes statements which are IMO very wrong. I'm not talking about the current statements, if they are mind games, I don't mind them at all, I just might not understand them, or as someone posted, they were taken out of context, which screwed up what they really meant, which was that we are not prepared well compared to Qatar and UAE.

However, statements like after the Bosnia game didn't sit well with me at all. Our players gave everything and fought like lions, we slipped badly during our Bosnia game, and afterwards, when the Bosnian head coach questioned CQ's tactics, CQ stated something like "look at his players, look at mine, lets see how I would do with his starting 11 and how we would do with mine". I mean come on, at least sugarcoat it

Before the WC I also loved CQ bro. I actually believed so much in what he was doing that I spent all that money to go watch TM make history with him. The Bosnia game and more specifically the comments that you mentioned after the game made me lose a lot of respect for him.

Even so, I still like the guy and hope from the bottom of my heart that he will make the history that he didn't make in the WC in the Asian Cup. But I don't think he's perfect, I do think he has made mistakes, is making some mistakes and will likely be making some more, like any other coach or person in the history of mankind, including some of the greatest people who have ever walked this planet.

On that note, I don't think acknowledging those mistakes makes anyone anti-CQ. If anything it shows intelligence and objectivity in one's analysis and flexibility in his or her opinion. Ultimately, CQ like anyone else, has to be judged on the merit of his work and his accomplishments.

If he accomplishes something extra-ordinary with Iran in the Asian Cup, then we will have to overlook those mistakes and love him for the great man that he is. If he doesn't, we can't just keep insisting that he's infallible and we just have to hope and pray that he's going to accomplish something later, without considering all our options.

And since those options are VERY limited, we better do all our praying now that not only CQ won't believe Qatar and UAE are the favorites to go through from the group by the time the tournament starts, but that he truly believes we are the favorites to win it.

[Camran khan]

^I agree, even the likes of Mourinho do mistakes and fans criticize them for it.

[xerexes]

Some people even disagree with themselves from one post to the next! One second they're saying this is mind games, the next second they're saying Qatar and UAE are better prepared and therefore CQ's comments make total sense!

Agha, all of those are true.

It's true that our preparation sucks and that UAE and Qatar have much better financial backing.

It's also true that we're a team that those sides have always had a complex against, always looking to show us up and prove a point. This is definitely more the case now that we're coming off a World Cup where we almost beat Argentina and were hailed as the best Asian team. By changing the narrative from 'arrogant Persians needing to be put in their place' to 'Persian underdogs pulling together to overcome minimal support and poor preparation', he's taking that motivational weapon away from the other 3 coaches without blaming or undermining the players themselves. He's even motivating our players in a way by sending the message, "It's down to us again! Us against spoiled assholes. We only have each other to pull through now. Let's show them their money can't beat our heart."

[eerooni]

The fact that we had the same top class coach for the last 4 years and most of these arabs have not, goes to show we are the better team!!

[kiarashzk]

well I guess were not the only ones trying this tactics apparently Chinese coach is trying the same method..

http://www.afcasiancup.com/news/en/p...j1o6kv497too08

[Nariman]

[Abedzadeh]

^Did you miss the second paragraph of my post?

[ali alipour]

Its also possible he is bringing the opponents up so people dont criticize him as much if he plays defensively

[Kavian]

I don't believe CQ is talking crap nor he is playing any mind game here! . He has never done it before and doesn't need to do it now!

He knows what he is talking about and is absolutely, 100% correct in characterizing Qatar and UAE as the favorites from our group on least on the paper. CQ knows he is behind in preparation.

You would probably do the same if you take a good look at how much preparations these two teams had done so far. Tournaments, Friendlies, training camps, you name it they have done it! .. They are ready for Asian Cup for sure!

But remember, even though CQ is calling Qatar and UAE as favorites, he is not ruling out Iran's chances.

[Siavash]

It is true that they had better preparation than TM, but we all know we have the better team and they are afraid of us anyway. And CQ knows it and he is just trying to motivate TM players so that they will not take the Arab teams for granted. He just want to make sure our boys will be there to kick ars just like they did in Korea and Qatar.

[Adesor Vafaseya]

now with this lack of preparation, the only decent freindly vs S Korea at Azadi and one more (if it doesnt get cancelled) vs a weak Iraqi team from a country still in war, I think its a sure thing that we will play with a safe and conservative approach i.e. defensive game plan based on counter attacks.
I know, the vast majority of people here find it regretable, but It think thats what is goping to happen knowing CQs strategies...


I am going to watch some old Italy and Inter Milan games to get mentally used to it...

[kami_kakashi]

Carlos Queiroz sees QATAR & UAE as FAVORITES but NOT IRAN!!

Our results at youth levels and ACL should be a clear indication of our current footballing strength and grade in Asia. The rest of Asia has improved while we have sat on our asses. All foreign coaching educators visiting Iran will tell you about low attendance by IPL and Azadegan coaches. For some reason though some of the members seem to think because we had a good team a decade ago we are still a top ranking team which is held back by CQ. In their eyes all can be fixed by adding Sharifi and Khalatbari. Removing Ansarifard and Shojaei and playing attacking football. We do that and all the Asian teams will just crumble at the feet of world class players like Sharifi and Khalatbari.