Breaking: Nekounam might come back from retirement to help TM and CQ

[PersianLegion]

Experimenting with a very young squad has its own price for us. We should have our key players on the bench ready just in case the opponent goes bunker (Park the bus) or if our youngesters are not playing good. We did not do that in Turkmenistan match so we did not use our potential in our benefit while our opponents used whatever they could to get their desired result. We should not drop point so easy and later be so desperate and tense about it.

Guam can go to Park the Bus mode even better than Turkmenistan. If you watch their squad closely you will see their players are usually physically strong since they are majority from US. I am not saying they are good at scoring but they will be definitely parking the bus and if we use the same squad we may end up just like Japan vs Singapore, which is very likely.

I am all for making our team younger but when they can play accordingly or get some experienced in more friendly matches. Lumping bunch of young and inexperienced players does not do magic for us.

Here is what I say about CQ. He is a great manager and Agent for finding young talents but he is not a great strategist and can not do magic without enough camps and friendly matches. If we had enough money the best way was to have CQ as our Olympic team manager and young talent agent and a new national team coach whose tactics and plans are more diverse and effective than CQ, someone like Simeone.

[K. Nader]

In my previous post, I mentioned that the next 1-1.5 years will be critical for the development of the next generation of Team Melli. Nekounam's return for the short-term will be beneficial on a few conditions:

1. Removal of unnecessary veterans for younger players. If Nekounam returns, the following will be our over-30 players: Nekounam, Teymourian, Montazeri, Hosseini, Beikzadeh, Heydari, and Masoud. Neither Beikzadeh or Heydari are needed at this stage going forward nor have they put in the performances at club level to justify their inclusion. Their biggest assets are being familiar with CQ's system but there are enough alternatives (provided we have a fully fit squad). I know many don't like Masoud but realistically, it's easier to accept that he will be invited to future lists.

2. Integration of younger players into the starting XI. This goes hand-in-hand with my first point. If Nekounam is going to be the on-field leader, he needs to be surrounded by those who he can influence. As some of you have mentioned, Ando is not a leader nor are any of the other veterans. Personally, I see Ando as someone that functions best as a 'right-hand-man'. Nekounam is not only a veteran, he also is a calm and collected figure and a strategist on the field. These youngsters need someone to keep the order when things aren't going to plan (i.e. Turkmenistan match, Iraq match, S. Korea WCQ in Tehran, etc.). The sooner this mindset is instilled in them, the sooner it will become commonplace. However, this has to happen with the youngster being on the field, not on the bench.

3. Return of critical players. Although this is independent of Nekounam, it's critical in establishing our starting XI going forward. This means fixing the sarbazi issue of some players and getting them back into Team Melli. Like it or not, Pouladi is the most secure LB we have and we need him. Others like Rahmani, Abdollahzadeh, and Rafiei are needed to add to our attacking prowess. The sooner this is sorted out, the sooner we can establish our starting XI.

4. Olympics 2016. If Nekounam returns, I figure it will be for roughly a year. We now have several Team Melli players that are also candidates for the Olympic team (Azmoun, Ezatolahi, Jahanbakhsh, Akhbari, Torabi, Mohammadi, and Kanaani). If they can qualify - I think Nekounam's presence can be extremely advantageous. Not only are the Olympics a fine send-off for him, it gives him the chance to watch over the team in an official, high-pressure tournament.

All this being said, even if we establish team cohesion within the next generation, we're still lacking an on-field leader. Nekounam is a well spoken and charismatic figure whose words carry a great deal of weight. If we're to have such a leader going forward, some players have to mature greatly going forward. In Nekounam's absence - and this will be against popular opinion - I believe the player most suited to be captain and embodies the necessary characteristics is Ghoochannejhad.

[Shah Abbas]

We don't need Javad to win against Guam, Turkmenistan, India...

[Bi-honar]

I wouldn't put much value in some random dude's tweet not siting any sources, which neither does ISP's tweet. I haven't seen anything on V3 or Footbalitarin who regularly report from ISNA, IRNA and Mehr.

But aside from that, Nekou gave V3 an exclusive interview yesterday after CQ had left Iran and it was pretty clear from the interview that he had not talked to CQ. I highly doubt if there was such urgency to get him back on the team, CQ would have left before talking to him in person and instead deciding to do it by phone.

Our midfield was pretty lost without Nekou in the last two games, but as I said before we can't just keep kicking the can down the road - everyone has to be replaced by someone sooner or later.

Ideally PAG should have been the player that replaced Nekou, because Ando was used to playing in front of him, so expecting him to fit into a completely new role in a couple of games was even more unrealistic than taking a defensive minded player like PAG and nurturing him into the position.

[BacheLot]

Has the draw against Turkmenistan shaken CQ that much?

probably not
but the miserably failed " Khosro as CM ", "Ando as Captain, with HajSafi waiting in wing " Experiments could have been the main culprit..!!??

to me, Javaad's Leadership/Captaincy has been missed much more than his football contribution on the pitch..!!

overall i think its not too necessary of a upgrade for TM and especially a risky move for Javaad's Legacy..!! I totally agree with Persian Eagle 13 below, that this mostly new and much rejuvenated TM squad needs to left to fight their own way outa this relatively easy early WCQualifing round..!!


Ps
those Tweets could have well been interpreted Wrong by iranian Media..!! the Actual tweets werent very conclusive about his return as a player, it coulda well referred to him officially taking on the Asst. Coaching role..!!

[PersianLegion]

In my previous post, I mentioned that the next 1-1.5 years will be critical for the development of the next generation of Team Melli. Nekounam's return for the short-term will be beneficial on a few conditions:

1. Removal of unnecessary veterans for younger players. If Nekounam returns, the following will be our over-30 players: Nekounam, Teymourian, Montazeri, Hosseini, Beikzadeh, Heydari, and Masoud. Neither Beikzadeh or Heydari are needed at this stage going forward nor have they put in the performances at club level to justify their inclusion. Their biggest assets are being familiar with CQ's system but there are enough alternatives (provided we have a fully fit squad). I know many don't like Masoud but realistically, it's easier to accept that he will be invited to future lists.

2. Integration of younger players into the starting XI. This goes hand-in-hand with my first point. If Nekounam is going to be the on-field leader, he needs to be surrounded by those who he can influence. As some of you have mentioned, Ando is not a leader nor are any of the other veterans. Personally, I see Ando as someone that functions best as a 'right-hand-man'. Nekounam is not only a veteran, he also is a calm and collected figure and a strategist on the field. These youngsters need someone to keep the order when things aren't going to plan (i.e. Turkmenistan match, Iraq match, S. Korea WCQ in Tehran, etc.). The sooner this mindset is instilled in them, the sooner it will become commonplace. However, this has to happen with the youngster being on the field, not on the bench.

3. Return of critical players. Although this is independent of Nekounam, it's critical in establishing our starting XI going forward. This means fixing the sarbazi issue of some players and getting them back into Team Melli. Like it or not, Pouladi is the most secure LB we have and we need him. Others like Rahmani, Abdollahzadeh, and Rafiei are needed to add to our attacking prowess. The sooner this is sorted out, the sooner we can establish our starting XI.

4. Olympics 2016. If Nekounam returns, I figure it will be for roughly a year. We now have several Team Melli players that are also candidates for the Olympic team (Azmoun, Ezatolahi, Jahanbakhsh, Akhbari, Torabi, Mohammadi, and Kanaani). If they can qualify - I think Nekounam's presence can be extremely advantageous. Not only are the Olympics a fine send-off for him, it gives him the chance to watch over the team in an official, high-pressure tournament.

All this being said, even if we establish team cohesion within the next generation, we're still lacking an on-field leader. Nekounam is a well spoken and charismatic figure whose words carry a great deal of weight. If we're to have such a leader going forward, some players have to mature greatly going forward. In Nekounam's absence - and this will be against popular opinion - I believe the player most suited to be captain and embodies the necessary characteristics is Ghoochannejhad.

Gucci will not last in TM with his current fitness. He should just get out of Qatar for god sake. He is a shrewd striker but got lazy and out of form in Qatar. He needs a tough team to burn his fat and then maybe he has a chance. At current condition I don't see him to have a chance.

A leader figure should have some qualities like this
1. Have enough international experience (many caps) ==>Husseini
2. Preferably played outside IPL ==>JB/Azmoun/Ando/Dejagah/Gucci
3. Be a hard working warrior ==> Dejagah/Ando
4. Motivates the team ==>JB, Ando,
5. Plays a central role in team ==> Husseini in defense but a MF is a better position
6. Be calm and collective ==> Montazeri

Neko has all those qualities as Daei(arguably up to a certain point) and Bagheri did. Karimi had many except his temper.

[PersianLegion]

I watched Neko Interview (the one with many background noises). I got this intuition from Neko that he has this tingling come back feeling in his mind. I may be wrong but I read it spot on before this story came along.

[persepolisfan]

How embarrassing

[kia]

Please no.

[persian_pooya]

^^^ How is it embarrassing? Scholes and Giggs both did it in Manchester United after the team started struggling when they "retired"

[shahname]

BS news. :bs:

[ali alipour]

Probably will die down and not happen like the report of Hasegawa being called up

[Nokhodi]

Karimi did the same 3 times.
I don't like it though.
I'd rather the team learn to transition then rely on someone who isn't going to be able to make the whole campaign.

[diz]

as much as I like Nekounam (always "Shireh"), him coming back is looking backward...TM needs to look forward.

[persepolisfan]

^this