Do we have the worst preparations for the World Cup?

[Hadi]

So I was going through the list of friendlies of almost all participating world cup teams and we have by far the weakest and worst friendly fixtures.

We will only play 1 world cup participant (Tunisia) and we have zero friendlies versus a top 30 FIFA ranked team.

How do you think this will impact our performance in the WC? How can us fans expect so much, when all signs point toward the fact that our team is under-prepared for the mammoth task we have in Russia?

[FF187]

So I was going through the list of friendlies of almost all participating world cup teams and we have by far the weakest and worst friendly fixtures.

We will only play 1 world cup participant (Tunisia) and we have zero friendlies versus a top 30 FIFA ranked team.

How do you think this will impact our performance in the WC? How can us fans expect so much, when all signs point toward the fact that our team is under-prepared for the mammoth task we have in Russia?

I agree the lack of really challenging friendlies worried me as well. I wanted to at least have one real powerhouse to prepare for Spain now we go into that game like a lottery. either we pull a Argentina type of performance or not but it's like playing a lottery. not to say that we also lost that one game against a WC participant

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[Homa]

So I was going through the list of friendlies of almost all participating world cup teams and we have by far the weakest and worst friendly fixtures.

We will only play 1 world cup participant (Tunisia) and we have zero friendlies versus a top 30 FIFA ranked team.

How do you think this will impact our performance in the WC? How can us fans expect so much, when all signs point toward the fact that our team is under-prepared for the mammoth task we have in Russia?

It would be interesting to see with which countries you compare us.
For example, I doubt that Tunisia, Morocco and Panama have better friendlies.

[Roozbeh-G2006]

Playing strong teams exposes your weaknesses which you then work on. Sometimes you can't sort them out due to whatever reason then you are really screwed as your opponents also get to know them. There are some we all already know which we should work on. As always we will be relying on sheer Iranian gheyrat and resolve. Lol

[Shayan_M]

Not only do we have the worst world cup preparation, but the worst planning in anything that u can imagine. IR Iranis at work = incompetence at its finest by a bunch of uneducated, uncivilized, corrupt and lazy donkeys who just got into their position because of some sighe f*cking haj aghas.

[ABalls]

It's actually one friendly against a WC team and 1 friendly against the top 30 team, they just happen to be the same team. While preparations are certainly better than in past years, and I can't imagine that we are the worst, the friendlies lined up are still not that good. Replace Syria with at least a decent European team however, and I'm willing to say otherwise. Uzbek, Turkey, Greece on the heels of this month's games and the games against Russia Panama Venezuela and Togo at the end of last year are decent. Tough defend the Lithuania match along with Syria, even if it is just a warm-up, that's like a backyard team.

[Kiarash]

Do we have the most pessimist fans at the World Cup?

[Rooyintan]

At least this time, Team Melli played 3 teams from World Cup: Russia, Panama and Tunisia. Last time no World Cup teams.
For 2006 played 3 World Cup teams: Togo, Costa Rica & Croatia.
For 1998 played 4 World Cup teams: Jamaica, Croatia, Nigeria & Chile.
For 1978 played 1 World Cup team: France [although year before that had played Argentina].

Quality of opponents this time is better than 2014 and 2006 World Cup preparation, but worse than 1998 & 1978 World Cups. As for 78 had also played non-world cup strong teams like Wales, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. This time reasonably strong non-World Cup teams like Venezuela, Algeria, Greece and Turkey.

[Ghomarbaaz]

Our preparation may have been okay if we didn't have 2 teams that are on the top 6 in the world, but considering Spain and Portugal are eyeing to win the Cup, our preparation was not enough... We have really only prepared to play against Morocco by playing some north African teams.... We needed at least 3 prep games against European teams to be somewhat prepared for Spain and Portugal.

[Leicester City]

Do we have the worst fans for the World Cup?

[eerooni]

Its not CQs fault we dont have friendlies, its IFFs fault for not being able to arrange a friendly with top 10 teams!....

[fostovar]

IMO yes Clearly IR cant find a quality friendly.. Lets stop comparing IRAN with poop countries like Panama. For how long are we going to downplay the reality? Iran #1 team in Asia cant get a friendly with a western European teams. Dont expect Iran vs Argentina performance again. Those type of things happen once in a life time. Just like at other Asian nations friendly that are going to WC. Saudi playing Germany, Belgium, Italy while we are suppose to be proud to be playing Sire Leon, Syria and Uzbakistan?? LOL

[ehsan singapore]

i am not sure we have the worst preperation, however with iran conditions , we got some good friendlies, we got russia, panama, tunasia, algeria, we have turkey, and greece also. we got most of the friendlies because of CQ, lets not kid our self , for preparation i would TM 7/10 and give IFF 2/10. however our local league is the key, to us having a good preperation or not, if the iran league dont let the players go early we might have issue, since they are not in the same league as european players

[mahestan]

IMO yes Clearly IR cant find a quality friendly.. Lets stop comparing IRAN with poop countries like Panama. For how long are we going to downplay the reality? Iran #1 team in Asia cant get a friendly with a western European teams. Dont expect Iran vs Argentina performance again. Those type of things happen once in a life time. Just like at other Asian nations friendly that are going to WC. Saudi playing Germany, Belgium, Italy while we are suppose to be proud to be playing Sire Leon, Syria and Uzbakistan?? LOL

No one is downplaying the reality. Iran is a pariah state. Starting from Ahmadinejad era onward, Iran's reputation took a dive (not that the reputation was that great to begin with) and is pretty much alongside North Korea and the likes. IFF couldn't even get the 2014 WC money without having to jump through hoops based on the sanctions and being disconnected from the international banking system, so rest assured no big federation is going to bother having to go through the headaches when they can set up friendlies with other countries like KSA or SK and get paid immediately and legally.

On top of that, I am willing to bet that some individuals in IFF and governing body are already counting Iran out and don't see any ROI on funding friendlies when they expect TM not to make it past the group stage.

[inarsenewetrust]

No one is downplaying the reality. Iran is a pariah state. Starting from Ahmadinejad era onward, Iran's reputation took a dive (not that the reputation was that great to begin with) and is pretty much alongside North Korea and the likes. IFF couldn't even get the 2014 WC money without having to jump through hoops based on the sanctions and being disconnected from the international banking system, so rest assured no big federation is going to bother having to go through the headaches when they can set up friendlies with other countries like KSA or SK and get paid immediately and legally.

On top of that, I am willing to bet that some individuals in IFF and governing body are already counting Iran out and don't see any ROI on funding friendlies when they expect TM not to make it past the group stage.

Given this reality, I think our friendlies have been acceptable. Algeria and Tunisia are the best possible prep for Morocco game, so we cant act as if we arent prepared for that match. We prepared well for smaller South American, Latin American teams with matches vs Venezuela and Panama ( Who will be in WC), but it just so happened we werent in a group with any of these type of teams. And I think we will be fairly well prepared for Portugal match with the Greece and Turkey friendlies. Greece have very strong defensive personnel (all playing in top clubs). Turkey have top quality players in Cengiz ünder (Roma), Calhonoglu(AC Milan), Tosun (Everton), and top prospects like Yazici, Unal, and Soyuncu, all being chased by top clubs. If they play all those guys it can be excellent prep for Portugal. Spain match is the one we have no prep for. If IFF had gotten matches with Croatia, Uruguay, Colombia, maybe that would have slightly prepared us for spain, but I doubt it. They are just a different animal

So yes I think overall our friendlies are okay.