As many of you guys know I make this thread prior to each IPL season (I believe this is my 3rd or 4th year in a row doing this). To those who don't, this is just my list of top 20 players I think will emerge in some way, shape or form this season.....be it possibly going from a bench player to a potential starting XI player in TM or someone that could make a good case for them self to get called up.
Previously I had a list of top 10 but seeing how we have a whole new generation of players that are emerging or begining to make a name for themselves, I have a hard time narrowing it down to 10 so thats why im bumping it up to 20.
If anyone who follows the IPL even closer than I do like Zjoon, St Mark, or anyone else at all has any input or thinks I missed someone plz feel free to share!
I will do my best to keep this thread updated so we can monitor the progress of these guys throughout the season.
#20 - Mohammad Daneshgar
Age: 22
Position: CB
Club: Naft Tehran
- Daneshgar was one of Masourian's several young signings this summer. He is able to play both as CB/CD which we all know is something CQ loves...versatility is one of the key things he looks at when making his rosters. I will admit, I have not seen him play which is why I am putting him at the bottom of my list, but I can definitely say this guy has a decent amount of hype/promise to him and he is in the best environment to progress being that he has the best iranian coach and CB to mentor him in Mansourian and Hosseini. Carlos who just came from ZA and Ezzati are good guys to learn a thing or two from as well. We all should keep a close tab on this guy.....I highly doubt he will get an opportunity to play in the ACL but in the league he will definitely get his chances under masourian.
#19 - Arash Afshin
Age: 26
Position: Winger/Striker
Club: Malavan
- I know some may laugh at his inclusion but I have high hopes. He has been healthy, training, and getting back into shape for a few months now and with the group he will have around him in Malavan I dont see why he cannot rejuvinate his career. He is only 26 years old.....don't forget this guy was the most skilled and promising player a few years back but injuries/sarbazi issues got in the way of his progress if im not mistaken. He has a lot to work with and I dont see why he can't make a comeback. When he is in form, we all know how dangerous he is. The only thing against him is that the winger/forward line for TM is as competitive as its been in the last 10-15 years which is a good enough argument to end his case, as he would need to prove a lot this season but I am pretty hopeful given his potential and ability is definitely more impressive than almost anyone. In case anyone forgot:
#18 - Ali Alipour
Age: 19
Position: Striker
Club: Persepolis
- At first, I was not a huge fan when I saw Alipour play for Persepolis. Man was my first impression wrong.....this kid is 19 years old and was able to impress in the biggest club in Iran. A lot of guys crack when moving to bigger clubs so whenever you see a young guy, especially a teenagaer play as well as he has in his short time with Persepolis thats definitely a good sign. His finishing is great, his headers are very impressive, and he RUNS. I see him as the type of player CQ likes, if he can manage to keep up the good work I expect to see a call up pretty soon.
#17 - Iman Sadeghi
Age: 23
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Malavan
- Sadeghi was fantastic last season for Malavan and when they were struggling in the first half of the season, he was a key part of keeping them alive when they were scrapping for just 1 point. His reflexes are top notch and he's an overall fundamentally sound GK. Good physqiue on him as he is 6 feet 3 inches tall (1.91M). Given there is no lock up 3rd choice keeper for TM, he can easily make a good case if he can repeat such impressive performances. He has played for TM at various youht levels so there is no doubt that he is one of the better GKs of his generation. He will have competition with another young GK on loan from esteghlal who was a part of the last TM camp in Tehran, Hossein Hosseini, so he will have his work cut out for him and I anticipate the competition will bring out the best in both of them...whoever is better will play. I think/hope we will see more of Iman.
#16 - Amir Arsalan Motahari
Age: 22
Position: Striker
Club: Naft Tehran
- Most of you are probably already familiar with him. He is a good player who emerged last season with Naft and scored some beautiful/clutch goals for Naft in the league and ACL. He repeated his scoring run with TM Omid, proving himself yet again. Like Alipour, a very solid finisher and also great off the ball movement. In a league full of lazy forwards (one major reason I think our league top scorers doesn't have such high number of goals) this guy is full of energy up front. I expect him to be somewhere in the top 5 goal scorers this season, if he does so we will make his current case of a call up even stronger.
#15 - Ali Karimi
Age: 21
Position: CM/CAM/RM
Club: Sepahan
- Karimi has been called up to TM several times under CQ and has been in the youth ranks of TM as well. Karimi's best attributes are his awareness, touch, and passing abilities. He reminds me a lot of Fabregas....can move up and down the field very well and start up good counters. He has proven himself both in Sepahan and in Omid. If he can manage to elevate his game from his previous season he can become a regular IMO. I ranked him pretty high last season and I think he did pretty well.....if I'm not mistaken he was not a consistent starter but he was a regular....sometimes starting and sometimes featuring off the bench. He is definitely learning from the best in Moharam which again will help him a lot.
#14 - Saeed Lotfi
Age: 23
Position: RB/LB
Club: Naft Tehran
- I first saw saeed play for Mansourian in team OMid 2-3 years ago when the likes of JB, mosalman, etc. were still with the team. At the time Pooladi was still emerging and all i remember was thinking to myself how good this guy could be in 2-3 years from now. Now when I look at him play, he has developed into a fine fullback. Full of energy, strength, and staminia, saeed is one of the top candidates for me to be tested at the LB spot for TM. Currently he is being used as a RB, im fairly certain thats where he was used most of the time but when I remember how well he played on the left flank in TM Omid, i can't help but think he should be tried out. If he can manage to impress the same way he did last season he will be a top candidate to replace Pooladi.
#13 - Behnam Bazray
Age: 22
Position: Striker/Winger
Club: Esteghlal
- One of the better younger players in Iran ATM. A true shame he wont be able to go to Spain to try out with Getafe but he will stand out this year in Iran. Prior to moving to esteghlal he was a great player @ Rah Ahan and TM Omid (Pretty sure he was the TM Omid captain as well). He reminds me of Meydavoudi in his prime....a really strong/nice shot on him with good movement up front, a real headache for defenders with his quickness. Another reason he can cause a lot of headaches for defenders is his technical abilities...he is really gifted in that department again. I think the meydavoudi comparison is perfect for him, but like i said I believe he has a bit more potential. His success in club and TM youth ranks is encouraging, if he does well on the big stage with esteghlal I definitely think he should be a consideration going forward.
#12 - Hojat Haghverdi
Age: 22
Position: CB
Club: Zob Ahan
- One of the more under rated players in Iran. I feel like I am not doing him justice by not ranking him higher but he isn't very experienced so I wont try to hype him. When everyone is worried about who our next Sadeghi/Hosseini/Montazeri will be, you don't need to look much further than this guy. He is a strong and high IQ guy player which are two of the more important things you need as a CB. He will likely be a consistent starter for ZA this coming season and I am willing to bet he will be one of their better players. Watch out for this dude.
#11 - Rouzbeh Cheshmi
Age: 24
Position: CDM/CB
Club: Esteghlal
- Rouzbeh has been a consistent call up to TM Omid the last couple of yhears and was a stand out player in Saba. His physqiue is impressive (6'3/1.91m) and for me is one of the top candidates to be nekounam's successor in TM. His versatility again, is something I expect to give him an edge.....I could definitely see CQ using him at either CDM or CB....either way he will shine. Physically very strong and great in the air. He is dangerous on set pieces and holds the backline very well. Hope he succeeds in a bigger club, I definitely expect him to get a call up if he succeeds.
#- 10 Saman Narimanjahan
Age: 22
Position: CAM/Winger/CF
Club: Tractor Sazi
- This guy has proven himself in various different levels (TM Omid, ACL, IPL) and is a consistent performer in a top IPL team. One of the young talents that I feel isn't given enough credit. I think this year he can really impress with a better squad around him. Given that we are looking for a CAM he is a great candidate to fill that spot. I think we will see more of him as I expect another strong season from him.
#9 - Ahmad Nourollahi
Age: 22
Position: CDM/CM
Club: Persepolis
- Like cheshmi, he is a top candidate for me to be tested as a replacement for nekounam. He was one of Persepolis' better players last season and he was brought in by daie to slowly become the new CM of the team. He did a fantastic job in that area....he is strong, technically gifted (most people dont realize that about him, but he is. watch him in tight spaces and you'll see what I mean), and has an extremely hard shot so he can score from long distances. I remember mansoor opened up a thread about him in the very begining of last season and compared him to Bagheri......I think thats a perfect comparison. Hope/expect him to turn out to be a fine player.
#8 - Mehdi Torabi
Age: 20
Position: RB/RM/LM/RW/LW
Club: Saipa
- Again, another one of those extremely cersatile utility guys that CQ will definitely make use of going forward. He has the hussle of pejman nouri in his prime and the explosiveness we see in guys like ghafouri. His team Saipa has gotten a lot stronger this season and he will have a lot of room to grow and become the great player he has the potential to be in that club. I definitely think we will see him in future TM games. Also a sidenote, this kid is an extremely nice and humble kid, this is the type of guy we can expect to see in europe one day. Most of you probably already saw his goal vs Uzbekistan but for those who didnt here ya go:
#7 - Omid Alisha
Age: 23
Position: RM/LM/Winger
Club: Persepolis
- Alishah was dubbed by many a few years ago as the best young talent in Iran. I think this past season with Persepolis he clearly showed that as he was one of the major reasons for the team's success in the ACL and was one of the few consistent players in a mediocre IPL team. He rose to the occasion time and time again, creating chances for his team mates and scoring some here and there too. Along with sharifi, I'd say he is one of the fastest players in Iran. His athleticsm is rare, watch what this guy does next time he gets the ball on the flank because 9 times out of 10 he will blow by his defender. I am extremely happy he stayed with Persepolis for another season and I have a good feeling he will be one of the better players in our league this year. Keep a close eye on him friends.....CQ really needs to call this guy up if he plays the way he did last year.
#6 - Kaveh Rezaie
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Club: Zob Ahan
- Some will agree with this rank while others may argue he shouldn't be in the list because he has been hyped up since he was 17 years old and has never managed to do anything that blows you away. To me, that argument is BS because the kid is only 23 years old and he is NOW in an environement where he can stand out and excel, which he was not able to do at saipa or foolad. Expectations were high and his experience wasn't significant either (on a senior level that is). After making the move from saipa to ZA we all some him explode ion the second half of the season, scoring some beauties and playing well week in, week out for ZA. His physique is great for a farward, he is IMO one of the best finishers, if not the best finisher in the league and is a smart player. Everything about his game is solid, there really isn't much that he lacks. I expect him to be a top 4-5 scorer this year and I will bet anything that this is his year. He will prove to his doubters this year that the hype early on in his career was not just a myth.
#5 - Sasan Ansari
Age: 24
Position: Winger/CF/CAM
Club: Foolad Khuzestan
- Ansari has been one of the better players in foolad over the last 2 seasons that I have been following him. Very quick, technically gifted, and knows how to create space for himself to cause trouble for the opposition. Very agile/quick player from who worked his way up from the foolad academy to the senior team. I think He could do big things this season, I think he will be one of foolads most important, if not THE most important player on their team.
#4 - Mehdi Sharifi
Age: 22
Position: Striker
Club: Sepahan
- This is mehdi's year to be aghaye goal. He has everything set up for him.....he now has a decent amount of experience, the same group of talented players he had last season, and has the ability to be the top scorer if he is healthy. If I have to make a pick right now on who would be aghaye goal at this moment, I would bet sharifi. WHy? because unlike most forwards in Iran, he doesn't rely heavily on his midfielders to score goals.....this guys agility, pace, quickness, hunger, and energy up front allows him to create chances on his own. He has been brilliant for Sepahan and IMO was one of the ibggest reasons for the clubs success in the second half of last season. Ixpect him to make a great push to be a starter in TM if he can live up to his potential which I am confident he will this season. I picked him to be aghaye goal last year but If im not mistaken I believe he missed a few games due to injury or suspension, not to mention his team struggled for a good period in the beginning of the season, but this year he has everything he needs. If healthy, I am willing to bet he will be aghaye goal.
#3 - Hossein Kanaani
Age: 21
Position: CB
Club: Malavan
- Call him the Iranian puyol/kompany if you want because this guy is a total boss in the back line. He is as physically strong as any Iranian footballer you will see. His only downside is he has trouble keeping up with agile wingers and gets beaten to balls sometimes but I am sure CQ can improve him in that department. He has all the intangibles and skills a CB needs.....him and PAG are TM's future CB's. Hope he continues to impress at Malvan.
#2 - Ramin Rezaeian
Age: 25
Position: RB/RM/RW/LB/LM
Club: Persepolis
- Most of you are probably already familiar with Rezaeian, this guy is a total stud. He has played RB, RM, and RW for Rah Ahan and is one of those guys that has an engine that only has 1 mode which is full throttle energy/running for 90 minutes. In his first TM outing in a friendly vs Iraq, he was the stand out player for us in the first half along with PAG....he is great at reading the opposition and just as good as ghafouri in making runs. He is a physical player as well and I wouldn't be surprised to one day see CQ test him at CB. He is the epitome of a versatile player and I hope CQ will try him out as LB. This guy single handedly kept Rah Ahan alive last season (although it seems they are relegated now due to using an ineligible player?) with many clutch goals and performances for Rah Ahan. Hopefully he proves himself in Persepolis and doesn't flop/ruin like some upcoming guys have in the past.....this guys level of potential is huge.
#1 - Alireza Beiranvand
Age: 22
Position: GK
Club: Naft Tehran
- Like I just said about sharifi, this is Beiranvand's year to really shine. With haghighi still at Rubin and his team making a push in the ACL and most likely the league this year.....he has a recipe for success and exposure that he didn't have before. If this Naft team goes on to do damage in the ACL, which mark my words they will, Beiranvand's name will get even bigger than it already is. I have no doubt he is being watched by foreign clubs and if he can win some titles it will only make his case to be the TM #1 even stronger. He has everything he a GK needs....height, quick reactions, a strong and accurate arm and kick, and a smart guy to have in between the pipes. Everything about this guy is awesome.....he has the right attiude and an incredible amount of potential. Hopefully he will be able to maximize it this year as he can do some serious stuff this season to really make himself the new TM #1
Also keep tabs on: ghanbari, esmaelifar, ghaedifar, bakhtiar rahmani, ahmad abollahzadeh, amin hajmohammadi, danial emailifar
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Input & feedback would be appreciated, would love to hear what others think.
Again, this isn't for necessarily who the best players will be or who the standouts are.....but more who will emerge in a way that will warrant a call up to TM or a starting role rather so just please keep that in mind.
Previously I had a list of top 10 but seeing how we have a whole new generation of players that are emerging or begining to make a name for themselves, I have a hard time narrowing it down to 10 so thats why im bumping it up to 20.
If anyone who follows the IPL even closer than I do like Zjoon, St Mark, or anyone else at all has any input or thinks I missed someone plz feel free to share!
I will do my best to keep this thread updated so we can monitor the progress of these guys throughout the season.
#20 - Mohammad Daneshgar
Age: 22
Position: CB
Club: Naft Tehran
- Daneshgar was one of Masourian's several young signings this summer. He is able to play both as CB/CD which we all know is something CQ loves...versatility is one of the key things he looks at when making his rosters. I will admit, I have not seen him play which is why I am putting him at the bottom of my list, but I can definitely say this guy has a decent amount of hype/promise to him and he is in the best environment to progress being that he has the best iranian coach and CB to mentor him in Mansourian and Hosseini. Carlos who just came from ZA and Ezzati are good guys to learn a thing or two from as well. We all should keep a close tab on this guy.....I highly doubt he will get an opportunity to play in the ACL but in the league he will definitely get his chances under masourian.
#19 - Arash Afshin
Age: 26
Position: Winger/Striker
Club: Malavan
- I know some may laugh at his inclusion but I have high hopes. He has been healthy, training, and getting back into shape for a few months now and with the group he will have around him in Malavan I dont see why he cannot rejuvinate his career. He is only 26 years old.....don't forget this guy was the most skilled and promising player a few years back but injuries/sarbazi issues got in the way of his progress if im not mistaken. He has a lot to work with and I dont see why he can't make a comeback. When he is in form, we all know how dangerous he is. The only thing against him is that the winger/forward line for TM is as competitive as its been in the last 10-15 years which is a good enough argument to end his case, as he would need to prove a lot this season but I am pretty hopeful given his potential and ability is definitely more impressive than almost anyone. In case anyone forgot:
#18 - Ali Alipour
Age: 19
Position: Striker
Club: Persepolis
- At first, I was not a huge fan when I saw Alipour play for Persepolis. Man was my first impression wrong.....this kid is 19 years old and was able to impress in the biggest club in Iran. A lot of guys crack when moving to bigger clubs so whenever you see a young guy, especially a teenagaer play as well as he has in his short time with Persepolis thats definitely a good sign. His finishing is great, his headers are very impressive, and he RUNS. I see him as the type of player CQ likes, if he can manage to keep up the good work I expect to see a call up pretty soon.
#17 - Iman Sadeghi
Age: 23
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Malavan
- Sadeghi was fantastic last season for Malavan and when they were struggling in the first half of the season, he was a key part of keeping them alive when they were scrapping for just 1 point. His reflexes are top notch and he's an overall fundamentally sound GK. Good physqiue on him as he is 6 feet 3 inches tall (1.91M). Given there is no lock up 3rd choice keeper for TM, he can easily make a good case if he can repeat such impressive performances. He has played for TM at various youht levels so there is no doubt that he is one of the better GKs of his generation. He will have competition with another young GK on loan from esteghlal who was a part of the last TM camp in Tehran, Hossein Hosseini, so he will have his work cut out for him and I anticipate the competition will bring out the best in both of them...whoever is better will play. I think/hope we will see more of Iman.
#16 - Amir Arsalan Motahari
Age: 22
Position: Striker
Club: Naft Tehran
- Most of you are probably already familiar with him. He is a good player who emerged last season with Naft and scored some beautiful/clutch goals for Naft in the league and ACL. He repeated his scoring run with TM Omid, proving himself yet again. Like Alipour, a very solid finisher and also great off the ball movement. In a league full of lazy forwards (one major reason I think our league top scorers doesn't have such high number of goals) this guy is full of energy up front. I expect him to be somewhere in the top 5 goal scorers this season, if he does so we will make his current case of a call up even stronger.
#15 - Ali Karimi
Age: 21
Position: CM/CAM/RM
Club: Sepahan
- Karimi has been called up to TM several times under CQ and has been in the youth ranks of TM as well. Karimi's best attributes are his awareness, touch, and passing abilities. He reminds me a lot of Fabregas....can move up and down the field very well and start up good counters. He has proven himself both in Sepahan and in Omid. If he can manage to elevate his game from his previous season he can become a regular IMO. I ranked him pretty high last season and I think he did pretty well.....if I'm not mistaken he was not a consistent starter but he was a regular....sometimes starting and sometimes featuring off the bench. He is definitely learning from the best in Moharam which again will help him a lot.
#14 - Saeed Lotfi
Age: 23
Position: RB/LB
Club: Naft Tehran
- I first saw saeed play for Mansourian in team OMid 2-3 years ago when the likes of JB, mosalman, etc. were still with the team. At the time Pooladi was still emerging and all i remember was thinking to myself how good this guy could be in 2-3 years from now. Now when I look at him play, he has developed into a fine fullback. Full of energy, strength, and staminia, saeed is one of the top candidates for me to be tested at the LB spot for TM. Currently he is being used as a RB, im fairly certain thats where he was used most of the time but when I remember how well he played on the left flank in TM Omid, i can't help but think he should be tried out. If he can manage to impress the same way he did last season he will be a top candidate to replace Pooladi.
#13 - Behnam Bazray
Age: 22
Position: Striker/Winger
Club: Esteghlal
- One of the better younger players in Iran ATM. A true shame he wont be able to go to Spain to try out with Getafe but he will stand out this year in Iran. Prior to moving to esteghlal he was a great player @ Rah Ahan and TM Omid (Pretty sure he was the TM Omid captain as well). He reminds me of Meydavoudi in his prime....a really strong/nice shot on him with good movement up front, a real headache for defenders with his quickness. Another reason he can cause a lot of headaches for defenders is his technical abilities...he is really gifted in that department again. I think the meydavoudi comparison is perfect for him, but like i said I believe he has a bit more potential. His success in club and TM youth ranks is encouraging, if he does well on the big stage with esteghlal I definitely think he should be a consideration going forward.
#12 - Hojat Haghverdi
Age: 22
Position: CB
Club: Zob Ahan
- One of the more under rated players in Iran. I feel like I am not doing him justice by not ranking him higher but he isn't very experienced so I wont try to hype him. When everyone is worried about who our next Sadeghi/Hosseini/Montazeri will be, you don't need to look much further than this guy. He is a strong and high IQ guy player which are two of the more important things you need as a CB. He will likely be a consistent starter for ZA this coming season and I am willing to bet he will be one of their better players. Watch out for this dude.
#11 - Rouzbeh Cheshmi
Age: 24
Position: CDM/CB
Club: Esteghlal
- Rouzbeh has been a consistent call up to TM Omid the last couple of yhears and was a stand out player in Saba. His physqiue is impressive (6'3/1.91m) and for me is one of the top candidates to be nekounam's successor in TM. His versatility again, is something I expect to give him an edge.....I could definitely see CQ using him at either CDM or CB....either way he will shine. Physically very strong and great in the air. He is dangerous on set pieces and holds the backline very well. Hope he succeeds in a bigger club, I definitely expect him to get a call up if he succeeds.
#- 10 Saman Narimanjahan
Age: 22
Position: CAM/Winger/CF
Club: Tractor Sazi
- This guy has proven himself in various different levels (TM Omid, ACL, IPL) and is a consistent performer in a top IPL team. One of the young talents that I feel isn't given enough credit. I think this year he can really impress with a better squad around him. Given that we are looking for a CAM he is a great candidate to fill that spot. I think we will see more of him as I expect another strong season from him.
#9 - Ahmad Nourollahi
Age: 22
Position: CDM/CM
Club: Persepolis
- Like cheshmi, he is a top candidate for me to be tested as a replacement for nekounam. He was one of Persepolis' better players last season and he was brought in by daie to slowly become the new CM of the team. He did a fantastic job in that area....he is strong, technically gifted (most people dont realize that about him, but he is. watch him in tight spaces and you'll see what I mean), and has an extremely hard shot so he can score from long distances. I remember mansoor opened up a thread about him in the very begining of last season and compared him to Bagheri......I think thats a perfect comparison. Hope/expect him to turn out to be a fine player.
#8 - Mehdi Torabi
Age: 20
Position: RB/RM/LM/RW/LW
Club: Saipa
- Again, another one of those extremely cersatile utility guys that CQ will definitely make use of going forward. He has the hussle of pejman nouri in his prime and the explosiveness we see in guys like ghafouri. His team Saipa has gotten a lot stronger this season and he will have a lot of room to grow and become the great player he has the potential to be in that club. I definitely think we will see him in future TM games. Also a sidenote, this kid is an extremely nice and humble kid, this is the type of guy we can expect to see in europe one day. Most of you probably already saw his goal vs Uzbekistan but for those who didnt here ya go:
#7 - Omid Alisha
Age: 23
Position: RM/LM/Winger
Club: Persepolis
- Alishah was dubbed by many a few years ago as the best young talent in Iran. I think this past season with Persepolis he clearly showed that as he was one of the major reasons for the team's success in the ACL and was one of the few consistent players in a mediocre IPL team. He rose to the occasion time and time again, creating chances for his team mates and scoring some here and there too. Along with sharifi, I'd say he is one of the fastest players in Iran. His athleticsm is rare, watch what this guy does next time he gets the ball on the flank because 9 times out of 10 he will blow by his defender. I am extremely happy he stayed with Persepolis for another season and I have a good feeling he will be one of the better players in our league this year. Keep a close eye on him friends.....CQ really needs to call this guy up if he plays the way he did last year.
#6 - Kaveh Rezaie
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Club: Zob Ahan
- Some will agree with this rank while others may argue he shouldn't be in the list because he has been hyped up since he was 17 years old and has never managed to do anything that blows you away. To me, that argument is BS because the kid is only 23 years old and he is NOW in an environement where he can stand out and excel, which he was not able to do at saipa or foolad. Expectations were high and his experience wasn't significant either (on a senior level that is). After making the move from saipa to ZA we all some him explode ion the second half of the season, scoring some beauties and playing well week in, week out for ZA. His physique is great for a farward, he is IMO one of the best finishers, if not the best finisher in the league and is a smart player. Everything about his game is solid, there really isn't much that he lacks. I expect him to be a top 4-5 scorer this year and I will bet anything that this is his year. He will prove to his doubters this year that the hype early on in his career was not just a myth.
#5 - Sasan Ansari
Age: 24
Position: Winger/CF/CAM
Club: Foolad Khuzestan
- Ansari has been one of the better players in foolad over the last 2 seasons that I have been following him. Very quick, technically gifted, and knows how to create space for himself to cause trouble for the opposition. Very agile/quick player from who worked his way up from the foolad academy to the senior team. I think He could do big things this season, I think he will be one of foolads most important, if not THE most important player on their team.
#4 - Mehdi Sharifi
Age: 22
Position: Striker
Club: Sepahan
- This is mehdi's year to be aghaye goal. He has everything set up for him.....he now has a decent amount of experience, the same group of talented players he had last season, and has the ability to be the top scorer if he is healthy. If I have to make a pick right now on who would be aghaye goal at this moment, I would bet sharifi. WHy? because unlike most forwards in Iran, he doesn't rely heavily on his midfielders to score goals.....this guys agility, pace, quickness, hunger, and energy up front allows him to create chances on his own. He has been brilliant for Sepahan and IMO was one of the ibggest reasons for the clubs success in the second half of last season. Ixpect him to make a great push to be a starter in TM if he can live up to his potential which I am confident he will this season. I picked him to be aghaye goal last year but If im not mistaken I believe he missed a few games due to injury or suspension, not to mention his team struggled for a good period in the beginning of the season, but this year he has everything he needs. If healthy, I am willing to bet he will be aghaye goal.
#3 - Hossein Kanaani
Age: 21
Position: CB
Club: Malavan
- Call him the Iranian puyol/kompany if you want because this guy is a total boss in the back line. He is as physically strong as any Iranian footballer you will see. His only downside is he has trouble keeping up with agile wingers and gets beaten to balls sometimes but I am sure CQ can improve him in that department. He has all the intangibles and skills a CB needs.....him and PAG are TM's future CB's. Hope he continues to impress at Malvan.
#2 - Ramin Rezaeian
Age: 25
Position: RB/RM/RW/LB/LM
Club: Persepolis
- Most of you are probably already familiar with Rezaeian, this guy is a total stud. He has played RB, RM, and RW for Rah Ahan and is one of those guys that has an engine that only has 1 mode which is full throttle energy/running for 90 minutes. In his first TM outing in a friendly vs Iraq, he was the stand out player for us in the first half along with PAG....he is great at reading the opposition and just as good as ghafouri in making runs. He is a physical player as well and I wouldn't be surprised to one day see CQ test him at CB. He is the epitome of a versatile player and I hope CQ will try him out as LB. This guy single handedly kept Rah Ahan alive last season (although it seems they are relegated now due to using an ineligible player?) with many clutch goals and performances for Rah Ahan. Hopefully he proves himself in Persepolis and doesn't flop/ruin like some upcoming guys have in the past.....this guys level of potential is huge.
#1 - Alireza Beiranvand
Age: 22
Position: GK
Club: Naft Tehran
- Like I just said about sharifi, this is Beiranvand's year to really shine. With haghighi still at Rubin and his team making a push in the ACL and most likely the league this year.....he has a recipe for success and exposure that he didn't have before. If this Naft team goes on to do damage in the ACL, which mark my words they will, Beiranvand's name will get even bigger than it already is. I have no doubt he is being watched by foreign clubs and if he can win some titles it will only make his case to be the TM #1 even stronger. He has everything he a GK needs....height, quick reactions, a strong and accurate arm and kick, and a smart guy to have in between the pipes. Everything about this guy is awesome.....he has the right attiude and an incredible amount of potential. Hopefully he will be able to maximize it this year as he can do some serious stuff this season to really make himself the new TM #1
Also keep tabs on: ghanbari, esmaelifar, ghaedifar, bakhtiar rahmani, ahmad abollahzadeh, amin hajmohammadi, danial emailifar
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Input & feedback would be appreciated, would love to hear what others think.
Again, this isn't for necessarily who the best players will be or who the standouts are.....but more who will emerge in a way that will warrant a call up to TM or a starting role rather so just please keep that in mind.
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