QUEIROZ vs BRANCO Discussion!

[teammelli91]

I love Persepolis and I respect Branko.

That being said, I don’t think Carlos would have started any drama unless he felt threatened that his legacy was at stake. 8 years as head coach of Team Melli, 2 back to back World Cups, ranked #1 for 4 years, the longest undefeated TeamMelli has been in a long time..

If Carlos even becomes 2nd place in this tournament, he should bring back a box of pacifiers for Branko.

I mean no offense Professor, but there’s no reason for Carlos to feel threatened, insecure and to start drama lol. That 3rd place AC 2004 is the only thing holding Branko’s name up there next to Mohajerani and Queiroz. But soon he’ll drop a little further down.

[Martin-Reza]

I value your opinions (after all, you were one of the people who picked out Nekounam's importance all the way back in 2001-2002 when some didn't understand what he gave the team).
But I think you are wrong about this and affected by nostalgia, he captured our hearts between 2004-2005 especially with the laissez-faire approach to our tactics for the asian cup (which simultaneously almost got us out in the group stage but gave us some exciting and rewarding Kia-Karimi-Kaabi interplays against South Korea).... His little humble celebrations on the side made us warm to him.
But after that he just made so many decisions which were damaging to Iran's long term development in a way which is the polar opposite to Queiroz and perhaps his lack of experience and confidence let him get over-riden by others but the net result was that by the time he finished, we had a fractured, non-meritocratic, slightly toxic (player agents constantly in camps) team and it would take years for the atmosphere to improve and finally a professional coach to start building a European club-style setup which is largely future-proof .
His club achievements for PP have been great so I have no criticism there, but I don't think that relates to national team.

I think you have a point, that he started great (we must not forget he finally was the one to successful introduce Iranian football to a four-back defense finally, getting rid of the sweeper in 2002!), but then kind of stagnated. I still think he made a lot of right but unpopular decisions, may it have been playing Daei, going for a good first team rather then trying to find a good bench or trusting strange left-backs. Even letting agents into the camp somehow made sense theoretically, as we needed more players in Europe to succeed in the long-term.

He just wasn't outspoken so much and in the end was killed by overexpectation for the World Cup - something CQ is fighting against day and night - and by not being strict enough on divas like Karimi.

[persian-eagle-13]

if i have done my research correctly, if CQ stays with team melli til 114 games ( he has 92-93 games with tm right now), he will become the only coach in Asia to have that many games!! a record that will probably not be broken for a very long time in this day and age of change over!! I think there is only a chines coach who have coached more games in Asia then CQ.

[Abedzadeh]

Although we had 4 Bundesliga and 1 Seire A player in the 2006 squad, we got unlucky that three of those guys got inured towards the end of the season.
Ali Karimi got injured on March 4, 2006 and missed the rest of the season (3 months)
Hashemian got injured on April 8, 2006 and missed the rest of the season (~2 months)
Zandi got injured in the middle of April and missed the rest of the season (~2 months)
That team was not 100% fit and players were either just recovering or playing with injuries. Either case, it was unfortunate that we got hit with all those injuries.
Couple of pointers here.
-In the 2004 Asian cup we only had 2 players in European Leagues (Mahdavikia and Rezaei)
-We didn't just barely quality from a 90th minute goal. Our last match was v. Japan which we got through with a 0-0. And we actually got a little screwed by the ref too. There was a Red Card PK scenario on Mahdavikia which the ref wrongfully called offside.
-we didn't draw China 11v.11. It was 10v11. Zare got sent off in the 48th minute (BS red card). And we were still the better after.
That's not how that works.
Besides Shojaei went to Osasuna in 2008.

In the group stages of the Asian Cup, we couldn't even score on Thailand until Ali Karimi literally dribbled 3-4 players, and laid the ball of to Enayati for a tap in; after conceding the first goal, they fell apart. In the second group stage match against Oman, TM was completely outplayed, and was the beneficiary of a very generous officiating error on the part of a half-Iranian referee, who did not give Mohammad Nosrati the red-card that he absolutely deserved for stomping an Omani player. The referee even did not take any action against Baadavi and Rezaei for their despicable physical alteration later in the match. Had the referee given Nosrati the red-card that he deserved in the first-half, he wouldn't have been on the field to score an injury time equalizer off a Mahdavikia FK to tie the game at 2-2. In other words, we should have lost that match, but for an egregious officiating mistake. That would have made our match against Japan a must-win game, and given the problems against a team like Oman, it is questionable we could have defeated Japan.

Anyhow, since we ultimately drew 2-2 with Oman, a draw between Iran and Japan in their match on the final day of the group phase would have been enough to see both teams through to the knockout round, and it was very obvious that when they played one another, there was a tacit understanding between both teams to not approach the match with a sense of urgency, and compete with all-out vigor. I remember very distinctly that players of both teams would just pass the ball laterally to one another for long stretches of time, without any ferocity or attempt to move forward. While we did ultimately go on to defeat S. Korea. 4-3, and get screwed by the referee in the match against China ..... it is a misrepresentation of our Asian Cup performance to only talk about getting screwed by the referee against China, because the bottom line is that we barely made it out of the group stage, thanks to the officiating blunder of a half-Iranian referee. Lol, Amir Ghalenoi was able to advance out of the group phase of AC '07 without needing to rely upon an officiating error. Also, the fact that Karimi, or Nekounam had not begun playing in Europe at the time of the Asian Cup does not in any way diminish their prowess, or the amount of firepower at the disposal of the then head-coach.

As for the World Cup injuries ..... this isn't really an excuse. branko had been coaching in Iran since 2002, and again from late '03-'06, not to mention his stint as assistant TM coach in 2001. After having coached in Iran for all those years, he failed to bring forward any suitable replacements for key players. Sure, it is difficult to find replacements for players like Kia, but given the amount of time he was in Iran as a coach, coupled with the fact that he never fostered a sense of competition within Iran by essentially playing the same players/lineup over and over again, he essentially failed to anticipate, and prepare for the possibility of losing key player(s) on the squad through injury. Also, when he had a fit and in-form Hashemian at his disposal in 2004, he refused to play him in his natural position as the Nokeh Hamleh in order to accommodate the presence of an overweight and useless daei!! Also, the nature and extent of the injuries to the players were not that serious, comparatively speaking. Kia was treated for his injury by the same team physicians on the German national team, and Karimi was treated by Bayern doctors. As an example, Luis Suarez tore his menicus, and had to have a knee operation 3 weeks before the World Cup 2014, and he returned and played very well, so I don't buy this excuse.

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/wor...-of-world-cup/

Also, in the 2014 WCQS, we had to win our final three matches (Qatar in Qatar, Lebanon at home, and Korea in Korea), in order to qualify for Brasil. On top of this already difficult feat, we were missing our two best players due to injury, Dejagha and Pooladi. And on top of that, CQ kicked out Rahmati (the then best keeper in Iran), and Aghili to bring back Sadeghi, who hadn't played for TM in more than 5 years ..... and we all know what happened, qualification for the WC as group leaders for the first time since the revolution, and defeating SK in Korea in a competitive match for the first time since the revolution .... so I don't find the fact that Karimi/Vahid/Kia weren't at their absolute peak to be an excuse.

If anything, by referring to the injuries sustained by those players, it actually damages branko's reputation, because it only reinforces the beliefs that many people always had about him, which is that any accomplishments he attained as Iran's head coach were only because of the individual brilliance of the star players that he had at his disposal, rather than any tactical/coaching acumen on his part. In contrast, CQ doesn't need a team of superstars who can dribble 7-8 players, because he has the tactical prowess which allows him to put together a cohesive unit, which can compete as a team, rather than depend upon 1-2 particular players to carry the entire team on their shoulders ..... this is why we defeated SK in Tehran with 10 men in the '14 WCQs, and why South Korea failed to defeat us in Korea, again, when we played with ten men in the '18 WCQs. Under branko, we need Ali Karimi to dribble 3-4 players just to score on Thailand.

[Futbaldoost]

I value your opinions (after all, you were one of the people who picked out Nekounam's importance all the way back in 2001-2002 when some didn't understand what he gave the team).

But I think you are wrong about this and affected by nostalgia, he captured our hearts between 2004-2005 especially with the laissez-faire approach to our tactics for the asian cup (which simultaneously almost got us out in the group stage but gave us some exciting and rewarding Kia-Karimi-Kaabi interplays against South Korea).... His little humble celebrations on the side made us warm to him.

But after that he just made so many decisions which were damaging to Iran's long term development in a way which is the polar opposite to Queiroz and perhaps his lack of experience and confidence let him get over-riden by others but the net result was that by the time he finished, we had a fractured, non-meritocratic, slightly toxic (player agents constantly in camps) team and it would take years for the atmosphere to improve and finally a professional coach to start building a European club-style setup which is largely future-proof .

His club achievements for PP have been great so I have no criticism there, but I don't think that relates to national team.

Well said. I would add lack of Branko's recovery management for our players and a disregard for a rotation strategy to avoid overplaying team members both of which caused many injuries. Examples of key player injuries are Navidkia and Jabbari that haunted them and changed their careers forever. He also played Ali Karimi in 2006 when he was not yet ready to play after the major injury he sustained playing for Bayern earlier that year. Unfortunately, that has happened with PP this season. Of course, Branko's hands were tied with the one year transfer ban imposed by FIFA, yet I still think Brakno cared more about results than the risk of substantial injury to key players (Mahini and Ansari both ended up with major ones). I have been a PP fan since childhood and I am happy for PP, yet I save my right to be critical when major aspects of professional coaching go missing. On the other hand, CQ has done a phenomenal job when it comes to recovery and rotation over the years. He has the courage to make hard and sometimes unpopular decisions to move the team forward and keep the long term interest of the players in mind. Creating that balance is an art and CQ definitely masters it.

[Tehranto]

That treacherous traitor Branko praised Iraq and their coach.

[DR Strangemoosh]

I'm just hoping CQ can shut this guy (and his cronies) down forever... We'll need some luck, no in-fighting and most importantly non-bribed referees.

[teammelli91]

That treacherous traitor Branko praised Iraq and their coach.

With his goalkeeper in Iran’s goal.

[diz]

With his goalkeeper in Iran’s goal.

Branko's lizard brain can only see CQ as the enemy, no matter how important TM/Beiro's success are to PP, SS, and all Iranian football and non-football emotional and psychological growth/well-being.

[Saam]

In the group stages of the Asian Cup, we couldn't even score on Thailand until Ali Karimi literally dribbled 3-4 players, and laid the ball of to Enayati for a tap in; after conceding the first goal, they fell apart. In the second group stage match against Oman, TM was completely outplayed, and was the beneficiary of a very generous officiating error on the part of a half-Iranian referee, who did not give Mohammad Nosrati the red-card that he absolutely deserved for stomping an Omani player. The referee even did not take any action against Baadavi and Rezaei for their despicable physical alteration later in the match. Had the referee given Nosrati the red-card that he deserved in the first-half, he wouldn't have been on the field to score an injury time equalizer off a Mahdavikia FK to tie the game at 2-2. In other words, we should have lost that match, but for an egregious officiating mistake. That would have made our match against Japan a must-win game, and given the problems against a team like Oman, it is questionable we could have defeated Japan.

Anyhow, since we ultimately drew 2-2 with Oman, a draw between Iran and Japan in their match on the final day of the group phase would have been enough to see both teams through to the knockout round, and it was very obvious that when they played one another, there was a tacit understanding between both teams to not approach the match with a sense of urgency, and compete with all-out vigor. I remember very distinctly that players of both teams would just pass the ball laterally to one another for long stretches of time, without any ferocity or attempt to move forward. While we did ultimately go on to defeat S. Korea. 4-3, and get screwed by the referee in the match against China ..... it is a misrepresentation of our Asian Cup performance to only talk about getting screwed by the referee against China, because the bottom line is that we barely made it out of the group stage, thanks to the officiating blunder of a half-Iranian referee. Lol, Amir Ghalenoi was able to advance out of the group phase of AC '07 without needing to rely upon an officiating error. Also, the fact that Karimi, or Nekounam had not begun playing in Europe at the time of the Asian Cup does not in any way diminish their prowess, or the amount of firepower at the disposal of the then head-coach.

As for the World Cup injuries ..... this isn't really an excuse. branko had been coaching in Iran since 2002, and again from late '03-'06, not to mention his stint as assistant TM coach in 2001. After having coached in Iran for all those years, he failed to bring forward any suitable replacements for key players. Sure, it is difficult to find replacements for players like Kia, but given the amount of time he was in Iran as a coach, coupled with the fact that he never fostered a sense of competition within Iran by essentially playing the same players/lineup over and over again, he essentially failed to anticipate, and prepare for the possibility of losing key player(s) on the squad through injury. Also, when he had a fit and in-form Hashemian at his disposal in 2004, he refused to play him in his natural position as the Nokeh Hamleh in order to accommodate the presence of an overweight and useless daei!! Also, the nature and extent of the injuries to the players were not that serious, comparatively speaking. Kia was treated for his injury by the same team physicians on the German national team, and Karimi was treated by Bayern doctors. As an example, Luis Suarez tore his menicus, and had to have a knee operation 3 weeks before the World Cup 2014, and he returned and played very well, so I don't buy this excuse.

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/wor...-of-world-cup/

Also, in the 2014 WCQS, we had to win our final three matches (Qatar in Qatar, Lebanon at home, and Korea in Korea), in order to qualify for Brasil. On top of this already difficult feat, we were missing our two best players due to injury, Dejagha and Pooladi. And on top of that, CQ kicked out Rahmati (the then best keeper in Iran), and Aghili to bring back Sadeghi, who hadn't played for TM in more than 5 years ..... and we all know what happened, qualification for the WC as group leaders for the first time since the revolution, and defeating SK in Korea in a competitive match for the first time since the revolution .... so I don't find the fact that Karimi/Vahid/Kia weren't at their absolute peak to be an excuse.

If anything, by referring to the injuries sustained by those players, it actually damages branko's reputation, because it only reinforces the beliefs that many people always had about him, which is that any accomplishments he attained as Iran's head coach were only because of the individual brilliance of the star players that he had at his disposal, rather than any tactical/coaching acumen on his part. In contrast, CQ doesn't need a team of superstars who can dribble 7-8 players, because he has the tactical prowess which allows him to put together a cohesive unit, which can compete as a team, rather than depend upon 1-2 particular players to carry the entire team on their shoulders ..... this is why we defeated SK in Tehran with 10 men in the '14 WCQs, and why South Korea failed to defeat us in Korea, again, when we played with ten men in the '18 WCQs. Under branko, we need Ali Karimi to dribble 3-4 players just to score on Thailand.

This. Nail on the head.

[Los Tehranos]

bayad rango velkard va manteghi bud. Branko ye adame kamelan muzi hast ke tamame vaght va dar in chandin
sal hey zirakane be Team Melli latme mizane. hala be bazi az tarafdarane Perspolis bar bokhore vali Branko un shakhsi nist
ke zaheran mibinid. ishun az zamane Team Melli ta dar hale hazer va dar dorane morabigari dar alman va croatie ba dalal ha kar mikardan.
vazehtarin mesal un bazi kon haye Ukraini budan.
Carlos Qeuiroz kheili bozorgtar va behtar az Branko hast va harki az maha jaye Qeuiroz bud diwune mishod ba in khar tu khari ke tu footballe aloodeye ma.
bayad azash tashakor konim ke hanuz hast va ba ghodrat dar world cup va dar hale hazer dar Asian Cup hazer shod. damesh garm

[teammelli91]

Branko has 15 million mentally disabled followers who support Persepolis.

“Persepolis Team Mellie mane”

Lol shut the **** up with that. These guys are the most closed minded backwards thinking fans I know.

“Persepolis Team Mellie mane”

Really? So you weren’t cheering for Team Melli when we qualified to the World Cup or when we were at the World Cup? You were sitting next to a poster of your Professor and saying “Persepolis Team Mellie mane”

Aghab oftadeh tarin havadaraye Irani.

[Adesor Vafaseya]

LOL Carlos hitting back at Branco for supporting Iraq and Iraqi coach:

In the moment there are 65/70 million people praying for Team Melli, comes one genious praising Iraq team and it's coach... Well, nobody will disturbe us! Congratulation boys, good victory against Yemen. Now, total focus on Vietnam!

#allforteammelli

its on his facebook page...

[AliCarbon]

Lol, why is this even a discussion. Branko is not comparable with CQ. Branko has always been the zaloo / moocher of the system he is part of. He might keep you alive for a while for his own good but eventually you're fucked.

[teammelli91]

I’m a Persepolisi and I commend Branko for all that he’s done for Persepolis. He’s our coach.

That being said, Branko is a joke. And he lost so much respect after his support for Iraq and their national team. Gomsho.