Steven Beitashour @ Los Angeles FC | 2018/19

[BacheLot]

He needs to make an effort and try to befriend a few of the players this time. Last time he and Davari kept to themselves and didn't step out of their comfort zone.

he also had a pretty cocky attitude in general back then, from his recent comment it seems that the wc benching and no call up in 4 years has humbled him and brought him back to earth..!!
he shouldnt have too much a challenge trying to beat Aghaei but highly doubt he can cut the 23 traveling team as a Rwb..!

[diz]

LAFC's Steven Beitashour ready for his 2018 World Cup opportunity with Iran

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/...portunity-iran

LOS ANGELES – As the football world waited for federations to post the much-anticipated preliminary rosters for the 2018 World Cup before the May 15 deadline, LAFC defender Steven Beitashour knew he had more than a decent shot of being called up.

“I’ve talked to them before and it sounded like I will be on that list,” the Iranian-American player smiled and told reporters in the locker room following the club’s 2-2 draw with NYCFC Sunday night. “But obviously you have to wait until its officially announced [before you can say anything].”

Even as few pundits expected Beitashour would get the nod for this World Cup, the club confirmed his preliminary Iran call-up on Monday morning along with Egyptian Omar Gaber, Mexican Carlos Vela and Costa Rica’s Marco Ureña with a call for Belgium’s Laurent Ciman expected to follow.

“I’ve been working my tail off for four years to get called back in,” said Beitashour, who last suited up for Iran during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The California native is the son of immigrant parents who came to the United States in the 1960s from Iran and told reporters during preseason that he has remained in close contact with the Iranian FA throughout his moves from Vancouver to Toronto to Los Angeles.

“I know they were watching the whole time because they’ve been keeping in contact with me,” the defender said of his communication with the FFIRI. “[Iran’s national team said] ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, we’re watching every game, you’re doing really well.’”

Beitashour’s well-known defensive acumen, first at Vancouver and then Toronto, was what originally caught the attention of Iran coach Carlos Queiroz but the player who began his career with his hometown San Jose feels what he provides going forward doesn’t hurt.

“I think that people realize how much I attack if you just look at my assist record,” he said. “You gotta be smart and then when you do go forward, you’ve got to be productive.”

The outside back earned a point for the Black-and-Gold against FC Dallas last week with a first-half strike and has 33 career assists in his nine seasons in MLS and has already notched three in just 10 games this year for LAFC, where he’s started all of the expansion club’s matches.

“I’m very excited and thrilled to be on that 35-man roster but I know there is still a lot of work to be done,” said Beitashour, who is well aware that having his name on the preliminary roster does not guarantee a trip to Russia, to say nothing of game time in the tournament.

Like their teammate in the Iran squad, LAFC other World Cup candidates will look to impress during camp for their chance at what their manager Bob Bradley considers to be peak experience for players.

“When that happens, for guys to get opportunities with their national team, it’s important,” said Bradley, who along with GM John Thorrington have repeatedly expressed their support for LAFC players called into international duty. “It shows that things are going in the right direction and there is no bigger deal for a player than getting a chance to play in a World Cup.”

More than anything, that’s what Beitashour is hoping to experience for himself. The defender was an unused substitute during Iran’s three 2014 World Cup matches in Brazil but remains optimistic his two MLS Cup appearances in 2016 and 2017, along with a strong start to 2018, can do a lot to resolve that.

“They haven’t seen me up close and personal in four years, so I have to show them how I’ve changed and evolved and gotten better,” said Beitashour. “Hopefully you get onto that 23-man roster and then ideally you’re playing and not just there.”

[teammelli91]

I think CQ invited him as a backup for Milad...

Oh my God, I completely missed that he plays LB now! Then this is fantastic news!

Initially I thought CQ picked him to actually compete for the RB spot, or to push Ghafouri get in better shape than League Bartar. I haven't been following Beitashour, but after reading this I'm content. I now have little worries for the backup LB spot

[teammelli91]

Welcome back Mehrdad Beitashour!

You are no longer Esteev.. For the time being that is

[PrinceAli]

Wow LAFC apparently has 4 players selected on provisional World Cup squads. Iran, Egypt, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

[O-ZoNe]

The recent comments on Beita suggest he has been on CQs radar all along. Prob travel distance has been the main reason he hasn't been called up. His performance and recent history suggest he is a top 2 option as a LB.

Sent from my ME173X using Tapatalk

[Ghermez Agha]

he also had a pretty cocky attitude in general back then, from his recent comment it seems that the wc benching and no call up in 4 years has humbled him and brought him back to earth..!!
he shouldnt have too much a challenge trying to beat Aghaei but highly doubt he can cut the 23 traveling team as a Rwb..!

What??? Cocky??? What r u forming this opinion off of? I thought he showed an extremely professional attitude from day 1 saying how happy he was to play for Iran and he came in to the team knowing we had good players I remember specifically on navad he said he knew of Hossein Mahini and thought he was a great player....of all players in the team he chose to compliment his competition! I think that’s the exact opposite of cocky

[pdot]

The recent comments on Beita suggest he has been on CQs radar all along. Prob travel distance has been the main reason he hasn't been called up. His performance and recent history suggest he is a top 2 option as a LB.

Sent from my ME173X using Tapatalk

Beitashour is a right back, with a very lackluster left foot. Not a LB at all.

[Iranianarsenal11]

Beitashour is a right back, with a very lackluster left foot. Not a LB at all.

He's been playing left back since Gaber, Egyptian International, has taken over the RB position.

Idk man stats suggest otherwise lol.. He's been playing really well at the LB spot. He even scored his goal in that position.

Lets not forget LAFC has 4 players being called up to the WC with Gaber (Egypt), Ciman (Belgium), and Vela (Mexico) being the other three.. Those are household named players!

Good on Beitashour and I hope he's selected as Milad's backup

[kidmo]

Beitashour is a right back, with a very lackluster left foot. Not a LB at all.

Better than Hajsafi or Aghaii for sure btw

[Martin-Reza]

According to Transfermarkt he only played the last match as left-back, and all matches before as right-back...

[BacheLot]

What??? Cocky??? What r u forming this opinion off of? I thought he showed an extremely professional attitude from day 1 saying how happy he was to play for Iran and he came in to the team knowing we had good players I remember specifically on navad he said he knew of Hossein Mahini and thought he was a great player....of all players in the team he chose to compliment his competition! I think that’s the exact opposite of cocky

Oh great
Are we going to have to go though this again..!?
Whoever is still curious to see for themselves who right in this case !?
Just go dig back up the Old Beira thread from 2014 when he was under consideration for repping TM & USMNT..! Hopefully some of those links to the interviews he was giving in US media in that thread are still valid ..!
I just call it as I saw it develop & I hardy ever suger quote anything

[BacheLot]

According to Transfermarkt he only played the last match as left-back, and all matches before as right-back...

Well even back in 2014 he had played on LWB on a very limited basis & Cq pretty much only tested him on Right side. His test trial as RWB was a failure by enlarge back then & highly doubtful it’ll much different this time around...!?
He made the WC list back then due to Cq’s over Infatuation with defensive cover for last WC ... so I suppose he may pull it off yet again in lue of another more MF or offensive candidate ..!? But it’s highly unlikely he can replace either Ramin nor ghafoori as RWB !?which is definitely the position he is most comfortable playing.
Personally, even with all his shortcomings as a player , I’d still rate him as the most formidable back up for Milmo , out on the LWB position, & have a strong suspicion that is the biggest reason he was brought back in the mix, as CQ has certainly tried but hasn’t found a more reliable back up for Milad yet

[Ghermez Agha]

Oh great
Are we going to have to go though this again..!?
Whoever is still curious to see for themselves who right in this case !?
Just go dig back up the Old Beira thread from 2014 when he was under consideration for repping TM & USMNT..! Hopefully some of those links to the interviews he was giving in US media in that thread are still valid ..!
I just call it as I saw it develop & I hardy ever suger quote anything

Hey man I’m just trying to see what made you think that way because almost 100% of the time I’m in agreement with you on things in this forum so that being said I was hoping you’d point out one or two examples because I did follow him closely from the time he was just rumored to be in talks with TM/CQ and I don’t recall him being cocky. The controversy that some hard core TM fans (wrongfully) created was making a big deal about the fact that he wanted to play for Iran bc he knew it was his best chance to play in the WC at that time....which I don’t see as cocky at all.

[ideannakhjavani]

From yesterday's MLS article:

“I think that people now realize how much I attack if you just look at my assist record,” he said. “You gotta be smart and then when you do go forward, you’ve got to be productive.”

He currently is tied for defenders with the most assists (in the 2018 MLS season so far) with 3 assists in the young 10–game season as of now.

Also here's one of the key saves he made this season from the goal line:

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/...?autoplay=true