AFC CHAMPION LEAGUE- QUARTER FINAL (PERSEPOLIS-AL DUHAIL / ESTEGHLAL VS AL SADD)

[diz]

Is the semifinal date determined? I can't find it on "the-AFC.com" (ie the worst sports/league website EVER).

[soniq]

I hate to be a person making something out of nothing, but after Mensha's goal did he do the jerking off motion?

If so ban incoming

@ 4:52 here:
http://footballitarin.com/video_page.php?id=56614

[Leicester City]

It sickens me when people discredit Branko. FFS the guy took Persepolis to 2 ACL Semifinals what else do you want from the man? Not to mention he wins the league yearly. If you want him out name a better manager (and be realistic) that can bring what he has achieved today with a weaker squad!

[NFL]

gotta give Persepolis and specifically Branko a lot of credit.
job well done and hopefully it will continue. this team had no business being here, but yet here we are.
Branko and his staff doing a great job with a pretty average roster.
this team has no superstars, but they have plenty of heart and character.

[ferdowsi]

It sickens me when people discredit Branko. FFS the guy took Persepolis to 2 ACL Semifinals what else do you want from the man? Not to mention he wins the league yearly. If you want him out name a better manager (and be realistic) that can bring what he has achieved today with a weaker squad!

I don't think anyone discredits his coaching ability or tactics, just his behavior and arrogance toward TM

[Leicester City]

I don't think anyone discredits his coaching ability or tactics, just his behavior and arrogance toward TM

Well it’s 50/50, but you shouldn’t judge someone managerial skills with their attitude or arrogance.

[diz]

I don't think anyone discredits his coaching ability or tactics, just his behavior and arrogance toward TM

Actually, I also discredit his coaching ability (or inability to motivate and unite a team): case in point WC 2006 in Germany (No way AK8 would have acted that way with CQ around, way too much respect for the king).

[diz]

BTW, looks like Xavi will be returning to Azadi at least one more time...hoping that this trip is even more awe-inspiring and earth-shaking for him. Here's hoping PP fans give him the most memorable away match defeat in his lifetime.

[ferdowsi]

Actually, I also discredit his coaching ability (or inability to motivate and unite a team): case in point WC 2006 in Germany (No way AK8 would have acted that way with CQ around, way too much respect for the king).

He is definitely not a national team level coach nor does he have the spine of CQ to stand up to anyone higher than him and make necessary demands. Branko is good where he is at as PP coach and should know his place there

[TM4LIFE]

It's pretty ridiculous how they keep East/West separate until the final, there should be a draw for the semis. Tired of us only playing arab teams.

[St_Mark]

It's pretty ridiculous how they keep East/West separate until the final, there should be a draw for the semis. Tired of us only playing arab teams.

Format about to change next year.

[Ando Teymourian]

It sickens me when people discredit Branko. FFS the guy took Persepolis to 2 ACL Semifinals what else do you want from the man? Not to mention he wins the league yearly. If you want him out name a better manager (and be realistic) that can bring what he has achieved today with a weaker squad!

Respect where it is due - I'm not the biggest fan of Branko, but him and his team got the job done today.


What bothers me about Branko is his BS regarding TM - and it was him who started the trouble. He agreed to a schedule for TM and then broke that schedule because he was trying to save his own backside 2 years go.

Now let's look at his flip flopping whenever it suits him (and even Iranian fan flip flopping). When CQ used to invite many PP players to TM, people would complain and say he was not watching the league. Branko would complain and say his players would go to TM and then come back out of shape.

CQ invites less PP players to TM (really the same amount, it just so happens those players moved to different teams) and everyone complains about why no PP players made TM. Branko complains and throws sarcastic remarks about how playing for PP will jeopardize a player's TM career.

So which is it? Are you unhappy when lots of your players get invited to TM? Or unhappy when few get invited?


In regards to his coaching - this is about his level. Fair play to him, he is winning at this level, but I don't see him doing well any higher than this. He had the most talented TM ever at his disposal and we botched WC 2006 so hard. One in part to tactics, and one in part to him being so lenient with his players that Mr Ali Karimi basically only did what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it (no wonder Karimi now likes Branko - he is not a fan of any one who actually calls him out and stops his nonsense ie CQ and Daei).

Now to be fair to Branko, we were also robbed in AC 2004. But then again we were robbed in 2015 as well.


So like all coaches, Branko has positives and negatives - but he should keep quiet about TM, because he had his chance and we saw what he did with it, with FAR more than Daei, Ghalenoei, Ghotbi, or CQ ever had.


And in terms of his "weaker" squad - he has had and still has on paper the best Iranian team since maybe Ghalenoei's Sepahan from 2008 year.

[diz]

Format about to change next year.

Tanx God!

[Ando Teymourian]

Speaking of Ali Karimi - the man is selfishly making this win about himself and his feud with Ferdosipour, Navad, CQ, and anyone else he can.

Seriously I need to get rid of Instagram. I was much better off when I was ignorant of these fools and what they were spewing on their pages.

[Abtin]

WHAT A COMEBACK, Azadi was Buzzling!!!!