Would you play for Iran?

[Ali.Karimi79]

What was the green movement?

Sorry this is not ignorance but just a genuine question.

I remember the stories on the news, but I was too young to understand any of it.

It was a glimpse of hope after the rigged election of Ahmadinejad. People, mostly young people, sparked out and went to the streets.
With brutal violence the movement was chopped and choked by gouvernment and its thugs.
IR saw their power in danger.

In my books, the problem back then were the leaders, they were part of the IR system anyways, and no plan actually how to overthrow and overcome the gouvernment.
It wasn't orchestered from the outside that's why there was no support for our people.
That's why it failed imho.

[Gucci10]

What was the green movement?

Sorry this is not ignorance but just a genuine question.

I remember the stories on the news, but I was too young to understand any of it.

Also at during the protests a woman took off her hijab in the streets and was killed.

[Shah Abbas]

To all those saying, I won't play for Iran because it represents IR, I have a question:
Then why do you watch TM games and support them if they represent IR? You shouldn't watch the games until we get a secular state...

TM has nothing to do with politics. Most of those who played for Iran pre-revolution, also played and managed TM after it. Regimes come and go, but Iran will always stay.

[04041374]

Before our game against Sweden, some MKO traitors demanded the match to be cancelled and claimed :"The players who represent the Iranian national team are a product of the regime. If you are not on their side and regime-friendly, you cannot represent the Iranian nation. And this product is now being welcomed by Sweden. This is an unbelievably huge problem. Through welcoming the national team they have legitimised the regime." (Translation by Catapract)

http://www.expressen.se/sport/fotboll/landslaget/kravet-pa-landslaget-stoppa-iran-matchen/

So, are Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Vahid Hashemian, Javad Nekounam, Masoud Shojaei, Hossein Kaebi a product of IR and IR-friendly?

[PersianLegion]

To all those saying, I won't play for Iran because it represents IR, I have a question:
Then why do you watch TM games and support them if they represent IR? You shouldn't watch the games until we get a secular state...
TM has nothing to do with politics. Most of those who played for Iran pre-revolution, also played and managed TM after it. Regimes come and go, but Iran will always stay.

Although I don't say TM represents IR entirely but I will answer you. IR has and had control over the team selection, staff, how to organize, and etc... There have been times that many people who had connections to the IR organizations could get call up for NT which has reduced but not ended until this very day. IR won't lose its power over our football and it is as clear as day light for everyone.

For me Team Melli partially represents my nation and that is the reason I watch it. Karimi, Daei, Mahdavikia or many more come from our nation but their situation and choices are different from every single one of us. It is a personal decision that if you like to play for Team Melli or not. For me I love to watch NT because of that partial representation of my countrymen/countrywomen, but If I am asked by IR to play for them, I will deny it, unless Iran is ruled by a regime which represents my people better based on their merits not IR connection.

[Hormozgan]

TM has nothing to do with politics.

Sorry, but that was the most ridiculous statement in this thread.

Also, the green movement statement that TM did was such a beautiful gesture. I infact did a story about it on the sports channel on Swedish National Radio, BUT people seem to forget that a large portion of the green movement supported the so called opposition in Mousavi and Karroubi, which is crazy. They're a part of the same system. People tend to forget what Mousavi and Karroubi did earlier in their political careers. To actually cause change you need to overthrow this regime, not choose between bad o badtar.

[KC McElroy]

Before our game against Sweden, some MKO traitors demanded the match to be cancelled and claimed :"The players who represent the Iranian national team are a product of the regime. If you are not on their side and regime-friendly, you cannot represent the Iranian nation. And this product is now being welcomed by Sweden. This is an unbelievably huge problem. Through welcoming the national team they have legitimised the regime." (Translation by Catapract)

http://www.expressen.se/sport/fotboll/landslaget/kravet-pa-landslaget-stoppa-iran-matchen/

So, are Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Vahid Hashemian, Javad Nekounam, Masoud Shojaei, Hossein Kaebi a product of IR and IR-friendly?

Don't forget our TM players are also considered bi sharaf by some for choosing to play for TM.
It would be one thing to say I will play for some other country because of the money or fame or my personal feelings of belonging to them. To blame IR though is just laughable and an insult to all of our players. Going through the posts in this thread we truly have some idiots on this forum.

[Ardalan]

Bastegi dare, agar miyoone Team Melli o Qatar bood, baraaye Qatarak baazi mikardam.

[Team Melli Fan]

Before our game against Sweden, some MKO traitors demanded the match to be cancelled and claimed :"The players who represent the Iranian national team are a product of the regime. If you are not on their side and regime-friendly, you cannot represent the Iranian nation. And this product is now being welcomed by Sweden. This is an unbelievably huge problem. Through welcoming the national team they have legitimised the regime." (Translation by Catapract)

http://www.expressen.se/sport/fotboll/landslaget/kravet-pa-landslaget-stoppa-iran-matchen/

So, are Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Vahid Hashemian, Javad Nekounam, Masoud Shojaei, Hossein Kaebi a product of IR and IR-friendly?

Lots of people protested outside the stadium and they had nothing to do with MKO.

To all those saying, I won't play for Iran because it represents IR, I have a question:
Then why do you watch TM games and support them if they represent IR? You shouldn't watch the games until we get a secular state...

TM has nothing to do with politics. Most of those who played for Iran pre-revolution, also played and managed TM after it. Regimes come and go, but Iran will always stay.

lol...good one. Our players have never had to dress like basijis...





They've never taken a political picture



or vise versa



& Ahmadinejad never played with our team



Ghoochannejhad can play with his tattoos showing



Our women's national team is not a laughing stock & they're free to dress as they please



They're even allowed in our stadiums!



& no one's ever protested against this











Yup. No politics whatsoever.

[rugs]

^lol, I don't think you know how Basijis dress if that is your example...

[rugs]

I would play for Iran and at the height of my TM career I would talk about the present political issues and problems in the country and expose the corruption that exists.

[Zamboor]

You're not playing for the regime you're playing for the country

Its not that simple azizam. If life would only be that simple

[Shah Abbas]

Although I don't say TM represents IR entirely but I will answer you. IR has and had control over the team selection, staff, how to organize, and etc... There have been times that many people who had connections to the IR organizations could get call up for NT which has reduced but not ended until this very day. IR won't lose its power over our football and it is as clear as day light for everyone.

For me Team Melli partially represent my nation and that is the reason I watch it. Karimi, Daei, Mahdavikia or many more come from our nation but their situation and choices are different from every single one of us. It is a personal decision that if you like to play for Team Melli or not. For me I love to watch NT because of that partial representation of my countrymen/countrywomen and I am happy to watch them, but If I am asked by IR to play for them, I will deny it unless Iran is ruled by a regime which represent better my people based on their merits not IR connection.

Firstly, I don't care about your decision. You and everyone else are free to make whatever choice you want and no one can stop you from doing that.
My point was against the weak argument presented here.

You say "IR has control over team selection and the staff" - Ofcourse CQ who wears a tie and has spoken a million times against the federation and the poor management system in our country was chosen by Khamenei himself. Obviously, the IFF (which is an institution within IR) is going to be the decision maker.

My problem is with this contradicting argument: I support team meli because it represents my nation - but won't play for it because it represents IR? If someone says, Team Meli = TM of Islamic Republic of Iran / I don't stand for them and I won't support/play for them, I'm fine with that.

Sorry, but that was the most ridiculous statement in this thread.

What I meant by 'TM does not have anything to do with politics' - is that those who play for TM or work with TM are not doing so because of Political reasons, rather it's because of their love for their country (or of course personal reasons).

[pajamNL]

Faghat Iran!

This!

my sons play a little bit of football and karate. IF their ever good enough to represent , it can only be Iran

[mahestan]

^lol, I don't think you know how Basijis dress if that is your example...

I was going to say the same exact thing... I don't recall ever seeing a Basiji dressed like that...ever.