Ali Karimi recently did an exclusive interview with Khabar Varzeshi where finally decided to break his silence.
Source: http://www.khabarsport.com/detail/41...-football-team
Here's a translated version of the interview for those members who can't read Farsi:
1. Ali, you haven’t said anything after you left TM, but today we’d like to ask you a lot of questions. Are you ok with that?
AK: first of all tell your readers that unlike other people, I have no issue to travel with economy or first class. I came to NT to help them in any way I can. I have no idea how some (referring to Shahram Dabiri) allow themselves to say such stuff about me to make themselves look better and be in Media by saying such things.
2. Are you referring to shahram Dabiri?
AK: I didn’t name anyone but ask the TM players of 2006 if I traveled back from the world cup with in First Class or Economy?
3. I was actually in that flight myself and I do remember that TM’s administrator came a couple of times and asked you to go to the first class but you preferred to stay next to others in Economy.
AK: I’m glad you remember that. They indeed came and requested a couple of times but I refused. I even flew to South Africa’s camp with an economy ticket and it amazes me that these people come and say stuff like that. However I do believe that they should respect everyone in team. The way some people look at our team in a way as if they came from another planet. We are all responsible for success or failure of our team.
4. Is it true that you left TM because of not getting any of the world cup’s reward?
AK: This is funny. I decided to keep quite while I was in TM and after I left but in Iran, if you keep quite they think you’re hiding something and that the rumors are actually true.
5. Perhaps your silent also helped the rumors even further...
AK: You guys in media can judge for yourself. You can get in touch with Hossein Hedayati right away and ask him what did I speak to him about while I was in South Africa? He’s a perfect witness.
6. What did you ask him about? If you don’t mind saving us the trouble.
AK: I asked him in order to boost the players spirit to give our players their world cup reward that they were suppose to get. I would never call anyone for myself but our TM and our players I did that. I had absolutely zero part in our qualification to the world cup so I had zero expectations to get any reward. Did I participate in the world cup? I just wanted to boost our team’s spirit before the asian cup and Hedayati immediately did that once we returned to Tehran.
7. We heard it was around 900 Million toman.
AK: Correct the receipts are there.
8. There’s has been a few times where they said that you left TM because of the reward and as I said earlier your silence also helped the rumors as well.
AK: This is quite funny my silence was only because of TM. If I would have said something and our team would have not qualified to the next round, they would have said it’s my fault and even while I kept my mouth shut, when we didn’t make it to the semi finals they said that if AK was there we would have gone further. What did exactly that has to do with me?
9. As a matter of fact CQ was praising your license and said that Karimi didn’t bite the hand the fed him.
AK: If CQ hasn’t said anything then he should have said something against the stuff that these guys are telling the press. I have no idea where these people are coming from? They had no place in our football’s map.
10. This past monday you were voted the most popular player of the past 2 decade and perhaps by saying these things against a popular player, they would become popular themselves
AK: Public’s opinion isn’t going to be affected even if they give 100 different interviews against me. I have no idea why they bring my name up? I didn’t become popular in one day that these guys can destroy it in one day. It’s really surprising. It would have not hurt me much if someone would have said something like this who was part of our football’s history but these guys just come out of no where where no one knows them and say stuff like that.
11. Well what can we really say when unfortunately our football is heading to a place where a young player (Sadeghian) stands up to someone like Karim Bagheri?
AK: It comes back to wrong people who are in the management. The issue is that they forgive the player so soon after he create a lots of issues for the clubs and themselves.
12. Khanzadeh has been suspended for 9 months though. Have you heard that?
AK: They suspend him for 9 months but I hope they’re not gonna reduce it to 3 or 4 months. There were incidents in past where they reduced the suspension period by half. This warrant was issued by IFF, where I believe that Perspolis should have stepped in and suspended the player themselves.
13. Now we’d like to know that have you ever gotten into an argument with a fan?
AK: No I haven’t. Well the fans get angry, they’re under pressure and they love their team. All the popular teams are experiencing a very similar situation.
14. We should also point out that Khanzadeh said that the fan started cussing at his family.
AK: There are sometimes where you just get out of control. But you should try and not hear or see some things. You have to also ask yourself why is this happening? Perhaps our own performance and behavior was the cause of such reaction from the fan.
15. If Bagheri wasn’t there perhaps worse things could have happened.
AK: I wish Karim would have come to Perspolis sooner.
16. We also heard that Bagheri was really upset after the game and started screaming at the players.
AK: I’m glad he did that. There should be someone in team who can control these type of situations.
17. Let’s change the subject, do you think your long silence was a good move?
AK: Maybe. As I said earlier, I thought it would be beneficial for TM to stay quite, however a lots of people started talking against me and started creating a fiction for people. There’s always time to talk but I preferred to keep quite. Now tell me what is it going to happen to our football?
18. We’d rather hear it from you...
AK: On Tuesday Dabiri called me when he realized the situation has gotten out of control and he took his word back. All I’m saying is that you should either keep quite or if you’re saying something then you shouldn’t take your word back. If I ever talk against someone, I’ll hold my head up high and I’m not gonna take my words back. It’s incredible that this guy changed his words in less than 24 hours.
19. He started talking really highly about you now...
AK: I don’t need praise from people like him. Why would you bring my name up? Do I have any position in football right now? I’m a retired player like so many others and I’m busy with my own personal life now. There are people who have worked with TM in the past and they no longer continue together and that’s the end of the story. Why should we continue and talk about them? Another thing, our parliament are publicly having meetings where it’s open to media and people are aware of their meetings, now why is it that IFF meetings are happening behind the closed doors? Why there’s no one from the media there to cover it?
20. Perhaps they’re saying stuff that you and I shouldn’t be aware of
AK: Are you telling me that IFF meeting is more important than the parliament? or perhaps they’re serving themselves tea, coffee and fruits and they like to keep you guys waiting outside.
21. The interesting part is that each person that gets out of the meeting is saying something completely different than the other one. Dabiri comes out and says something and then Kafashian denies it.
AK: It’s really embarrassing. They should choose one speaker for IFF who’s responsible for talking to the media, just like the ministry of foreign affairs, there’s only on speaker. The speaker is responsible to explain their plans to the media. I don’t understand what successful decisions have been made behind these closed doors that our football has benefited? You should allow at least 2 reporters to cover these meetings. What’s wrong with that?
22. Probably there’s something wrong that they don’t let that happen...
AK: When they’re making decisions for our football, why should our people and media be left in the dark? When you interview with each of those members who come out of the meeting say something completely different than the other one. When I was on the phone with Dabiri yesterday, he said that he’s not aware of a lots of things that it’s happening.... A member of the board of directors doesn’t know anything about our football. You can call the disciplinary committee and find out how many complaints have been filed by different players due to unpaid wages. Instead of talking about me you should help resolve the players issue and also figure out the issue of uhlsport’s contract.
23. How was the quality of uhlsport’s kits?
AK: I’m gonna say something. If you want to help our football I’d suggest you to work on this subject. It’s not really important who Ali Karimi has issue with or who he talks against. You see these type of situation in other parts of the world as well. Morinhou and Wenger are always going at each other and Iran we’re not suppose to be all friends with each other. I’d like to find out how was the contract with uhlsport was signed when no one can figure anything out about it and there’s only two signatures on it? You should focus on that subject since in every camp that we have we have to worry about supplying kits to our players.
24. We heard that in SA (South Africa) camp you guys even had issues with basic supplies....
AK: Things that weren’t even issues had become issues. Players were mostly upset about not getting their reward from the world cup and I kept hearing it so that’s why I decided to do something about it. Well done to Hedayati for not letting me down and managed to give them their rewards. I have no idea wether their reward from the world cup has been taken care of or not (referring to IFF situation with Fifa)
25. Apprently one day prior to flight to Sydney, Hedayati gave you a check as a reward. Is that true?
AK: Next morning after we arrived from the SA camp, his check was cashed and I gave everything that I cashed to the IFF.
26. Why did AK cashed this check?
AK: There were to separate check. One was written under my name for 500 Million Toman and 300 and something million written under another name
27. Interesting. If Ali Karimi’s had any intention to get a cut from the reward, he could have taken a part of the money for himself. Don’t you think so?
AK: I don’t want to say this but a lots of players in my time are aware that time and time again I have passed on my own rewards to others. I have even forgiven parts of my previous contracts and now this wasn’t even Ali Karimi’s reward and it just wasn’t right for me to want a part of it.
28. Now that we’re talking about this subject should we go back to the day where you left TM’s camp before the departure to Sydney. Do you still want to continue your silence on what exactly happened that made you do this?
AK: The reason wasn’t much a big deal. We came here to help the NT of our country. We came and said the situation is going to get better but it didn’t. There was issues from the first day with the kits, with drinking water with X and Y & Z and there was a lots of issues. I’m a kind of a person that I can’t see that there are stuff happening and no one is doing anything about it and still be able to continue. There are so many factors involved in a success of a team. Coach is one factor, selection of players is another factor but we also need proper facilities in order to become successful. It’s not my job to get up every morning to find out if the grass of the football field has been trimmed or been given water to it or not, or if the players kits have been washed or not. These things should be prepared already.
29. Some said that when AK found out that he couldn’t sit on the bench in the Asian Cup he was upset and decided to leave. Is that true?
AK: I wish those who said such things would have done a little research. I could have been on the bench as a technical advisor. Those uneducated people who start these rumors should at least do a bit of a research before starting to spread such lies. What is Dabiri position who’s sitting at Perspolis bench at the moment?
30. Media Manager. How come?
AK: Exactly that’s my whole point. I don’t have a coaching license. IFF gave me an honory B Coaching license. Even if they wouldn’t have given me the license I could have still sat on the bench. My ID card would have also been issued but it’s sad when such rumors are spread. What would have happened if I would have sat in the VIP section and not on the coaching bench? The important thing was TM’s success. How come when we won those 3 games everything was ok and as soon as we lost to Iraq it became my fault?
31. From what I remember no one blamed you for our loss against Iraq. Not the media and not even CQ
AK: Right now we have CQ now as our head coach. Even if we bring Joachim Loew as our head coach and we don’t give him the necessary things that any professional coach needs, he’s not going to be successful. So in order to get to success we should have certain things in place, however our IFF doesn’t have that potential to make that happen.
32. That day that you left, did you get into an argument with someone specific or did you make a sudden decision?
AK: I just couldn’t continue with the current situation and issues that I witnessed. Maybe there are others who can and will renew their contracts but the needed factors that should be placed for TM’s success isn’t really in place. So if I would have gone and TM would have done poorly they would have blamed me as well. So I decided to leave so I can help them with not being there. It’s really embarrassing to say this but every 4 camps they gave new kits to our players. Where does this happen today? Not even in Afghanistan. At the end of each camp they would have taken our kits from us in order to clean it and they would have given it back to us for the next camp. Now imagine in the next camp, new players are invited and the clothes are either big or small for the new players. It’s ridiculous.
I was lucky that I didn’t end up washing the players clothes as a coach. Perhaps if I would have continued this could have happened as well. You as a reporter have a responsibility to do and you should definetly do a bit of a research about the contract that is between ulshport. Why doesn’t Adel investigate about this contract? They should release the contract so everyone is aware of what’s exactly going on.
33. We heard that the kits were getting smaller after a wash.
AK: Even worse, they were even taking the kits from our players at the end of each camp. Our TM players are going back to their homes to their family and fans and they might ask him for a t-shirt as a souvenir and they don’t have anything to give them. As a retired player I still get asked by different people to give him some of my old kits and it’s embarrassing that our TM players don’t have any additional kits to give to their fans or family. Or maybe a player is not going to get invited to TM ever again, don’t you think he should have a TM kit to keep so whenever he has children or grand children to have something to show them?
34. If we had a official or a friendly match and the players of the other team would have asked for our players kit, what are our players suppose to do?
AK: They would have allowed them to do that. They had specifically told the players not to do that.
35. Why?
AK: They said that for the next game we don’t have any additional kits and we have to use the same kits. What I’m saying is when we can’t handle a small issue like our kits, we shouldn’t really expect them to do bigger things.
36. The fans who voted you as the most popular player, they are expecting you to go to coaching classes so you could come back to football again.
AK: I’m not really interested to come back until these guys are no longer in our football. Those people who take the first rewards or the first car that was given as a result of our player’s effort to qualify to the world cup, are not good for our football. I’ll come back whenever I know there are people in charge who are there to help our football not themselves.
37. Who do you think would be a suitable director or manager for our football.
AK: These people who just recently became a manager out of no where have an expiration date and they’ll be gone sooner or later. I’m sure we’re going to have managers like Safaie Farahani or Dadkan soon. Now you see how thankful people are that Safaie Farahani built our TM’s camp, otherwise they had to train in different files every time. We should have guys like them in our football who are ready to serve our football and not people who don’t even give our players rewards. Why is that some people in TM who are working exteremly hard to get paid only 3 million and these managers up the ladder to keep all the rewards for themselves.
38. There are some who would say that the managers and authorities of German football federation got rewards as well after winning the world cup!
AK: Rewards of a national team belongs to the players and coaching staff. German Federation has a huge budget. They have so much money in their bank accounts that you don’t have these issues that IFF is experiencing. They pay the people who work at IFF with 10-15 days delay.
39. Are you referring to Nabi?
AK: There are so many people got reward in this federation that they didn’t deserve a penny. There are people from TM’s staff that are working exteremly hard morning and night and they only get paid 3 million? Or Ashkan Dejagah wasn’t able to play the last 3 games due to injury and they don’t give him any reward because of his injury? Then you have players who joined TM late and they weren’t even in the list of 18 players and they get reward? How is that fair? Why they didn’t give Ashkan or Rahmati their rewards who helped TM?
40. We actually did an interview with Ashkan and he said the exact same things.
AK: Let me tell you a story that I just remembered from the time that Blazevic was our coach. It was a game against Thailand that I was injured. Blazevic came after that win with the other people from federation and gave me a reward for that game. I told them that I don’t want it since I didn’t play. Blazevic said you were my key player and I couldn’t use you because of your injury and you deserve this.
41. Did you return the reward?
No but what I’m trying to do here to compare the way of thinking of the previous people who worked at IFF in that time with ones who are in charge now. There’s a player who was present in 5 or 6 games and wasn’t able to play in 3 games and they are not getting a cut? That’s wrong. Who’s responsible for this? Where in the world do you see the captain of the team to give out the rewards to the TM players? If you know anyone let us know. Rewards should have been distributed by the authorities of IFF not the captain. This is not something new though it has happened before as well.
42. Let’s focus on something positive for now. A good thing happened past Monday. (Referring to 90 program where he was voted as the most popular player)
AK: It was an honor for me but I hope good things happen in our football so our fans could be happy. I hope whenever they go to stadiums they leave with a smile on their face not with tears. The guy from the board of director of IFF is saying that we came to make good changes if we can. Well if you can’t then why don’t you leave? If you guys from the media want our football to get better then focus on that subject. I was part of this football for a while and I got to a lots of things by playing football. Now I can no longer player and I’m on the side line but you (Media) have always been here and will continue to be here so you have to write and tell the truth to our people.
43. But your words are also effective and possibly more than ours....
AK: I know that as soon as my interview is published some people are gonna start saying oh my god Ali started it again and is creating much noise again. You know what let me create noise. At least it’s better if someone like me create some noise rather than someone who doesn’t know anything about football. At least someone like me has had way more experience than these guys.
44. Are we talking about Dabiri again?
AK: There are certain people who have no right to talk about this football. At least you should let one year to pass from your selection as a board of director before you coe and and talk about football and their people. I know that I can’t change our football with what I’m saying here but I have a lot to say and I will say more in over time. You should write that Ali Karimi’s career is over and he retired. I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again. I’m not looking for any position and thank god I have been blessed and became successful by playing football so I’m not going to keep my head down or do anything for position or money. This is the path that I chose even when I was a player and even if there’s more life for more to continue, I will proceed the same path and I’m really proud of myself because of this kinda attitude that I have.
45. Perhaps this is why people love you and you're popular...
AK: Exactly. I always try to be as humble as I can be and I apologize that I said all these things and I know it’s not going to change anything.
46. Well you were suppose to continue with your coaching classes. What happened?
You mentioned a good point. I’m not going to get a coaching license from this federation until these guys are in charge. I don’t want a coaching license from this federation otherwise I would have signed up. I’m not looking for any position otherwise I would have continued with TM. Why doesn’t our football take the same path that our volleyball is taking? You should focus on these subjects. Our media is so powerful and you should criticize and say that our football should only focus on Olympics and World Cup like our volleyball is doing. Our football should be so strong that they should no longer think about Asia anymore.
47. Ali, we thank you for your time if there’s anything else you would like to add please do so...
AK: No that’s all. Thank you and I hope you will publish everything that I said without editing a word of it so people can know about what exactly is going on today.
48. Don’t worry we’ll do.
AK: Take care and good bye
50. After 20 minutes Ali called the reported back and said:
AK: I just saw an article that was posted on another newspaper saying that Karimi left the camp because the players were mocking him and making fun of him. I respect all the players but no one has even dared mock me not even in Bayren let alone our own players. I have seen nothing but respect from our TM players and I hope the other writers in media would publish only truth and not fiction.
Source: http://www.khabarsport.com/detail/41...-football-team
Here's a translated version of the interview for those members who can't read Farsi:
1. Ali, you haven’t said anything after you left TM, but today we’d like to ask you a lot of questions. Are you ok with that?
AK: first of all tell your readers that unlike other people, I have no issue to travel with economy or first class. I came to NT to help them in any way I can. I have no idea how some (referring to Shahram Dabiri) allow themselves to say such stuff about me to make themselves look better and be in Media by saying such things.
2. Are you referring to shahram Dabiri?
AK: I didn’t name anyone but ask the TM players of 2006 if I traveled back from the world cup with in First Class or Economy?
3. I was actually in that flight myself and I do remember that TM’s administrator came a couple of times and asked you to go to the first class but you preferred to stay next to others in Economy.
AK: I’m glad you remember that. They indeed came and requested a couple of times but I refused. I even flew to South Africa’s camp with an economy ticket and it amazes me that these people come and say stuff like that. However I do believe that they should respect everyone in team. The way some people look at our team in a way as if they came from another planet. We are all responsible for success or failure of our team.
4. Is it true that you left TM because of not getting any of the world cup’s reward?
AK: This is funny. I decided to keep quite while I was in TM and after I left but in Iran, if you keep quite they think you’re hiding something and that the rumors are actually true.
5. Perhaps your silent also helped the rumors even further...
AK: You guys in media can judge for yourself. You can get in touch with Hossein Hedayati right away and ask him what did I speak to him about while I was in South Africa? He’s a perfect witness.
6. What did you ask him about? If you don’t mind saving us the trouble.
AK: I asked him in order to boost the players spirit to give our players their world cup reward that they were suppose to get. I would never call anyone for myself but our TM and our players I did that. I had absolutely zero part in our qualification to the world cup so I had zero expectations to get any reward. Did I participate in the world cup? I just wanted to boost our team’s spirit before the asian cup and Hedayati immediately did that once we returned to Tehran.
7. We heard it was around 900 Million toman.
AK: Correct the receipts are there.
8. There’s has been a few times where they said that you left TM because of the reward and as I said earlier your silence also helped the rumors as well.
AK: This is quite funny my silence was only because of TM. If I would have said something and our team would have not qualified to the next round, they would have said it’s my fault and even while I kept my mouth shut, when we didn’t make it to the semi finals they said that if AK was there we would have gone further. What did exactly that has to do with me?
9. As a matter of fact CQ was praising your license and said that Karimi didn’t bite the hand the fed him.
AK: If CQ hasn’t said anything then he should have said something against the stuff that these guys are telling the press. I have no idea where these people are coming from? They had no place in our football’s map.
10. This past monday you were voted the most popular player of the past 2 decade and perhaps by saying these things against a popular player, they would become popular themselves
AK: Public’s opinion isn’t going to be affected even if they give 100 different interviews against me. I have no idea why they bring my name up? I didn’t become popular in one day that these guys can destroy it in one day. It’s really surprising. It would have not hurt me much if someone would have said something like this who was part of our football’s history but these guys just come out of no where where no one knows them and say stuff like that.
11. Well what can we really say when unfortunately our football is heading to a place where a young player (Sadeghian) stands up to someone like Karim Bagheri?
AK: It comes back to wrong people who are in the management. The issue is that they forgive the player so soon after he create a lots of issues for the clubs and themselves.
12. Khanzadeh has been suspended for 9 months though. Have you heard that?
AK: They suspend him for 9 months but I hope they’re not gonna reduce it to 3 or 4 months. There were incidents in past where they reduced the suspension period by half. This warrant was issued by IFF, where I believe that Perspolis should have stepped in and suspended the player themselves.
13. Now we’d like to know that have you ever gotten into an argument with a fan?
AK: No I haven’t. Well the fans get angry, they’re under pressure and they love their team. All the popular teams are experiencing a very similar situation.
14. We should also point out that Khanzadeh said that the fan started cussing at his family.
AK: There are sometimes where you just get out of control. But you should try and not hear or see some things. You have to also ask yourself why is this happening? Perhaps our own performance and behavior was the cause of such reaction from the fan.
15. If Bagheri wasn’t there perhaps worse things could have happened.
AK: I wish Karim would have come to Perspolis sooner.
16. We also heard that Bagheri was really upset after the game and started screaming at the players.
AK: I’m glad he did that. There should be someone in team who can control these type of situations.
17. Let’s change the subject, do you think your long silence was a good move?
AK: Maybe. As I said earlier, I thought it would be beneficial for TM to stay quite, however a lots of people started talking against me and started creating a fiction for people. There’s always time to talk but I preferred to keep quite. Now tell me what is it going to happen to our football?
18. We’d rather hear it from you...
AK: On Tuesday Dabiri called me when he realized the situation has gotten out of control and he took his word back. All I’m saying is that you should either keep quite or if you’re saying something then you shouldn’t take your word back. If I ever talk against someone, I’ll hold my head up high and I’m not gonna take my words back. It’s incredible that this guy changed his words in less than 24 hours.
19. He started talking really highly about you now...
AK: I don’t need praise from people like him. Why would you bring my name up? Do I have any position in football right now? I’m a retired player like so many others and I’m busy with my own personal life now. There are people who have worked with TM in the past and they no longer continue together and that’s the end of the story. Why should we continue and talk about them? Another thing, our parliament are publicly having meetings where it’s open to media and people are aware of their meetings, now why is it that IFF meetings are happening behind the closed doors? Why there’s no one from the media there to cover it?
20. Perhaps they’re saying stuff that you and I shouldn’t be aware of
AK: Are you telling me that IFF meeting is more important than the parliament? or perhaps they’re serving themselves tea, coffee and fruits and they like to keep you guys waiting outside.
21. The interesting part is that each person that gets out of the meeting is saying something completely different than the other one. Dabiri comes out and says something and then Kafashian denies it.
AK: It’s really embarrassing. They should choose one speaker for IFF who’s responsible for talking to the media, just like the ministry of foreign affairs, there’s only on speaker. The speaker is responsible to explain their plans to the media. I don’t understand what successful decisions have been made behind these closed doors that our football has benefited? You should allow at least 2 reporters to cover these meetings. What’s wrong with that?
22. Probably there’s something wrong that they don’t let that happen...
AK: When they’re making decisions for our football, why should our people and media be left in the dark? When you interview with each of those members who come out of the meeting say something completely different than the other one. When I was on the phone with Dabiri yesterday, he said that he’s not aware of a lots of things that it’s happening.... A member of the board of directors doesn’t know anything about our football. You can call the disciplinary committee and find out how many complaints have been filed by different players due to unpaid wages. Instead of talking about me you should help resolve the players issue and also figure out the issue of uhlsport’s contract.
23. How was the quality of uhlsport’s kits?
AK: I’m gonna say something. If you want to help our football I’d suggest you to work on this subject. It’s not really important who Ali Karimi has issue with or who he talks against. You see these type of situation in other parts of the world as well. Morinhou and Wenger are always going at each other and Iran we’re not suppose to be all friends with each other. I’d like to find out how was the contract with uhlsport was signed when no one can figure anything out about it and there’s only two signatures on it? You should focus on that subject since in every camp that we have we have to worry about supplying kits to our players.
24. We heard that in SA (South Africa) camp you guys even had issues with basic supplies....
AK: Things that weren’t even issues had become issues. Players were mostly upset about not getting their reward from the world cup and I kept hearing it so that’s why I decided to do something about it. Well done to Hedayati for not letting me down and managed to give them their rewards. I have no idea wether their reward from the world cup has been taken care of or not (referring to IFF situation with Fifa)
25. Apprently one day prior to flight to Sydney, Hedayati gave you a check as a reward. Is that true?
AK: Next morning after we arrived from the SA camp, his check was cashed and I gave everything that I cashed to the IFF.
26. Why did AK cashed this check?
AK: There were to separate check. One was written under my name for 500 Million Toman and 300 and something million written under another name
27. Interesting. If Ali Karimi’s had any intention to get a cut from the reward, he could have taken a part of the money for himself. Don’t you think so?
AK: I don’t want to say this but a lots of players in my time are aware that time and time again I have passed on my own rewards to others. I have even forgiven parts of my previous contracts and now this wasn’t even Ali Karimi’s reward and it just wasn’t right for me to want a part of it.
28. Now that we’re talking about this subject should we go back to the day where you left TM’s camp before the departure to Sydney. Do you still want to continue your silence on what exactly happened that made you do this?
AK: The reason wasn’t much a big deal. We came here to help the NT of our country. We came and said the situation is going to get better but it didn’t. There was issues from the first day with the kits, with drinking water with X and Y & Z and there was a lots of issues. I’m a kind of a person that I can’t see that there are stuff happening and no one is doing anything about it and still be able to continue. There are so many factors involved in a success of a team. Coach is one factor, selection of players is another factor but we also need proper facilities in order to become successful. It’s not my job to get up every morning to find out if the grass of the football field has been trimmed or been given water to it or not, or if the players kits have been washed or not. These things should be prepared already.
29. Some said that when AK found out that he couldn’t sit on the bench in the Asian Cup he was upset and decided to leave. Is that true?
AK: I wish those who said such things would have done a little research. I could have been on the bench as a technical advisor. Those uneducated people who start these rumors should at least do a bit of a research before starting to spread such lies. What is Dabiri position who’s sitting at Perspolis bench at the moment?
30. Media Manager. How come?
AK: Exactly that’s my whole point. I don’t have a coaching license. IFF gave me an honory B Coaching license. Even if they wouldn’t have given me the license I could have still sat on the bench. My ID card would have also been issued but it’s sad when such rumors are spread. What would have happened if I would have sat in the VIP section and not on the coaching bench? The important thing was TM’s success. How come when we won those 3 games everything was ok and as soon as we lost to Iraq it became my fault?
31. From what I remember no one blamed you for our loss against Iraq. Not the media and not even CQ
AK: Right now we have CQ now as our head coach. Even if we bring Joachim Loew as our head coach and we don’t give him the necessary things that any professional coach needs, he’s not going to be successful. So in order to get to success we should have certain things in place, however our IFF doesn’t have that potential to make that happen.
32. That day that you left, did you get into an argument with someone specific or did you make a sudden decision?
AK: I just couldn’t continue with the current situation and issues that I witnessed. Maybe there are others who can and will renew their contracts but the needed factors that should be placed for TM’s success isn’t really in place. So if I would have gone and TM would have done poorly they would have blamed me as well. So I decided to leave so I can help them with not being there. It’s really embarrassing to say this but every 4 camps they gave new kits to our players. Where does this happen today? Not even in Afghanistan. At the end of each camp they would have taken our kits from us in order to clean it and they would have given it back to us for the next camp. Now imagine in the next camp, new players are invited and the clothes are either big or small for the new players. It’s ridiculous.
I was lucky that I didn’t end up washing the players clothes as a coach. Perhaps if I would have continued this could have happened as well. You as a reporter have a responsibility to do and you should definetly do a bit of a research about the contract that is between ulshport. Why doesn’t Adel investigate about this contract? They should release the contract so everyone is aware of what’s exactly going on.
33. We heard that the kits were getting smaller after a wash.
AK: Even worse, they were even taking the kits from our players at the end of each camp. Our TM players are going back to their homes to their family and fans and they might ask him for a t-shirt as a souvenir and they don’t have anything to give them. As a retired player I still get asked by different people to give him some of my old kits and it’s embarrassing that our TM players don’t have any additional kits to give to their fans or family. Or maybe a player is not going to get invited to TM ever again, don’t you think he should have a TM kit to keep so whenever he has children or grand children to have something to show them?
34. If we had a official or a friendly match and the players of the other team would have asked for our players kit, what are our players suppose to do?
AK: They would have allowed them to do that. They had specifically told the players not to do that.
35. Why?
AK: They said that for the next game we don’t have any additional kits and we have to use the same kits. What I’m saying is when we can’t handle a small issue like our kits, we shouldn’t really expect them to do bigger things.
36. The fans who voted you as the most popular player, they are expecting you to go to coaching classes so you could come back to football again.
AK: I’m not really interested to come back until these guys are no longer in our football. Those people who take the first rewards or the first car that was given as a result of our player’s effort to qualify to the world cup, are not good for our football. I’ll come back whenever I know there are people in charge who are there to help our football not themselves.
37. Who do you think would be a suitable director or manager for our football.
AK: These people who just recently became a manager out of no where have an expiration date and they’ll be gone sooner or later. I’m sure we’re going to have managers like Safaie Farahani or Dadkan soon. Now you see how thankful people are that Safaie Farahani built our TM’s camp, otherwise they had to train in different files every time. We should have guys like them in our football who are ready to serve our football and not people who don’t even give our players rewards. Why is that some people in TM who are working exteremly hard to get paid only 3 million and these managers up the ladder to keep all the rewards for themselves.
38. There are some who would say that the managers and authorities of German football federation got rewards as well after winning the world cup!
AK: Rewards of a national team belongs to the players and coaching staff. German Federation has a huge budget. They have so much money in their bank accounts that you don’t have these issues that IFF is experiencing. They pay the people who work at IFF with 10-15 days delay.
39. Are you referring to Nabi?
AK: There are so many people got reward in this federation that they didn’t deserve a penny. There are people from TM’s staff that are working exteremly hard morning and night and they only get paid 3 million? Or Ashkan Dejagah wasn’t able to play the last 3 games due to injury and they don’t give him any reward because of his injury? Then you have players who joined TM late and they weren’t even in the list of 18 players and they get reward? How is that fair? Why they didn’t give Ashkan or Rahmati their rewards who helped TM?
40. We actually did an interview with Ashkan and he said the exact same things.
AK: Let me tell you a story that I just remembered from the time that Blazevic was our coach. It was a game against Thailand that I was injured. Blazevic came after that win with the other people from federation and gave me a reward for that game. I told them that I don’t want it since I didn’t play. Blazevic said you were my key player and I couldn’t use you because of your injury and you deserve this.
41. Did you return the reward?
No but what I’m trying to do here to compare the way of thinking of the previous people who worked at IFF in that time with ones who are in charge now. There’s a player who was present in 5 or 6 games and wasn’t able to play in 3 games and they are not getting a cut? That’s wrong. Who’s responsible for this? Where in the world do you see the captain of the team to give out the rewards to the TM players? If you know anyone let us know. Rewards should have been distributed by the authorities of IFF not the captain. This is not something new though it has happened before as well.
42. Let’s focus on something positive for now. A good thing happened past Monday. (Referring to 90 program where he was voted as the most popular player)
AK: It was an honor for me but I hope good things happen in our football so our fans could be happy. I hope whenever they go to stadiums they leave with a smile on their face not with tears. The guy from the board of director of IFF is saying that we came to make good changes if we can. Well if you can’t then why don’t you leave? If you guys from the media want our football to get better then focus on that subject. I was part of this football for a while and I got to a lots of things by playing football. Now I can no longer player and I’m on the side line but you (Media) have always been here and will continue to be here so you have to write and tell the truth to our people.
43. But your words are also effective and possibly more than ours....
AK: I know that as soon as my interview is published some people are gonna start saying oh my god Ali started it again and is creating much noise again. You know what let me create noise. At least it’s better if someone like me create some noise rather than someone who doesn’t know anything about football. At least someone like me has had way more experience than these guys.
44. Are we talking about Dabiri again?
AK: There are certain people who have no right to talk about this football. At least you should let one year to pass from your selection as a board of director before you coe and and talk about football and their people. I know that I can’t change our football with what I’m saying here but I have a lot to say and I will say more in over time. You should write that Ali Karimi’s career is over and he retired. I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again. I’m not looking for any position and thank god I have been blessed and became successful by playing football so I’m not going to keep my head down or do anything for position or money. This is the path that I chose even when I was a player and even if there’s more life for more to continue, I will proceed the same path and I’m really proud of myself because of this kinda attitude that I have.
45. Perhaps this is why people love you and you're popular...
AK: Exactly. I always try to be as humble as I can be and I apologize that I said all these things and I know it’s not going to change anything.
46. Well you were suppose to continue with your coaching classes. What happened?
You mentioned a good point. I’m not going to get a coaching license from this federation until these guys are in charge. I don’t want a coaching license from this federation otherwise I would have signed up. I’m not looking for any position otherwise I would have continued with TM. Why doesn’t our football take the same path that our volleyball is taking? You should focus on these subjects. Our media is so powerful and you should criticize and say that our football should only focus on Olympics and World Cup like our volleyball is doing. Our football should be so strong that they should no longer think about Asia anymore.
47. Ali, we thank you for your time if there’s anything else you would like to add please do so...
AK: No that’s all. Thank you and I hope you will publish everything that I said without editing a word of it so people can know about what exactly is going on today.
48. Don’t worry we’ll do.
AK: Take care and good bye
50. After 20 minutes Ali called the reported back and said:
AK: I just saw an article that was posted on another newspaper saying that Karimi left the camp because the players were mocking him and making fun of him. I respect all the players but no one has even dared mock me not even in Bayren let alone our own players. I have seen nothing but respect from our TM players and I hope the other writers in media would publish only truth and not fiction.
Anytime brother
Glad to hear everything from him. And thank you for the translation, if I was going to read this in farsi my self it would have taken me until tomorrow :P
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