Players Deserving of a World Cup Roster

[KC McElroy]

I'm not talking about the ones who were playing when we didn't qualify for the World Cup. Not even those who were playing but either weren't part of TM or had insignificant roles. I'm talking about the ones that played a major part in qualifying TM for the World Cup but yet were excluded from the final roster. I'm sure there are more but two come to my mind: Khalatbari in 2014 and Modirroosta in 1998. I wanna include Mazloomi for 1978 although as lethal as he was for TM, he only played in 2 qualifiers, both in the first round of qualification.

[Nokhodi]

I'm not talking about the ones who were playing when we didn't qualify for the World Cup. Not even those who were playing but either weren't part of TM or had insignificant roles. I'm talking about the ones that played a major part in qualifying TM for the World Cup but yet were excluded from the final roster. I'm sure there are more but two come to my mind: Khalatbari in 2014 and Modirroosta in 1998. I wanna include Mazloomi for 1978 although as lethal as he was for TM, he only played in 2 qualifiers, both in the first round of qualification.

Jalal Hosseini in 2018.

Also was Ghelichkhani involved in the 78 qualifiers?

[KC McElroy]

Jalal Hosseini in 2018.

Also was Ghelichkhani involved in the 78 qualifiers?

Jalal was too old and slow by then. You could make a case for him based on his participation in those qualifiers but I think even for the qualifiers he shouldn't have been included.
Ghelichkhani wasn't in any of the 78 qualifiers which is why I excluded him.

[perspolis#1]

This is maybe in 20/20 hindsight but we should have taken Ali Karimi(young one) instead of Shojaei to the WC. Playing Shojaei at CM in that first half was terrible. I know he was a "lockerroom" leader but we needed more decisiveness in the midfield. Since CQ even played Dejagah in the midfield during the AC months later.. he could have played that part and Ali Karimi could have been on the bench.

[_Navid_]

The 2 you mentioned are the main ones I think. Maybe also Vouria Ghafouri for 2018.

[KC McElroy]

The 2 you mentioned are the main ones I think. Maybe also Vouria Ghafouri for 2018.

Actually yes, that's a deserving one.

[Ghermez Agha]

Ali Karimi in 2014 - he was in great form for tractor and there was no CQ beef. He would have been a HUGE help in both the Nigeria game where we couldn’t create any chances and vs Argentina would have been a nice addition late in the second half.

Kaveh Rezaei in 2018 - would have been an ideal sub in all 3 matches his pressing abilities and work rate and just top class pedigree would all be things we needed in those situations

[KC McElroy]

Ali Karimi in 2014 - he was in great form for tractor and there was no CQ beef. He would have been a HUGE help in both the Nigeria game where we couldn’t create any chances and vs Argentina would have been a nice addition late in the second half.

Kaveh Rezaei in 2018 - would have been an ideal sub in all 3 matches his pressing abilities and work rate and just top class pedigree would all be things we needed in those situations

Regardless of their ability and level of play, neither one really played in role in qualification. I was leaning more towards players who helped get Iran qualified and yet were left out of the World Cup.

[ehsan_REAL1]

Nikbakht Vahedi but he was probably doping he MIA in every major tournament because he got "injured"

We qualified 2006 because of him.

[CHaMiLLionaire]

Rahmati?

[KC McElroy]

Rahmati?

Performance wise yes, but his own hashiehsazi got him removed. He had no one to blame but himself.

[KasraKhan]

Nikbakht Vahedi but he was probably doping he MIA in every major tournament because he got "injured"

We qualified 2006 because of him.

Although his goal against Jordan helped us advance from the second round of WCQ, Nikbakht was out of shape, and past his peak years of 2001-2002.

[KC McElroy]

Nikbakht Vahedi but he was probably doping he MIA in every major tournament because he got "injured"

We qualified 2006 because of him.

The goal that he scored against Jordan doesn't mean as much as it seems given that we scored a second one after that. He did participate in a good number of qualifiers although mostly as a super sub so perhaps he deserved to make the roster.

[inarsenewetrust]

khalatbari and ghafouri.

Ghafouri one was pretty bad I think. Did khanzadeh even play a minute in qualifiers? And he was terrible in the prep friendlies, vs tunisia he was really shocking. Ghafouri was solid in the matches he played for TM during AC, WCQ (I think he played a couple could be mistaken), very good vs Russia in Kazan freindly. Additionally he was in great shape for esteghlal. I actually thought CQ was considering benching ramin for him given how much he was playing in the friendlies. At any rate I think he would have been a far more useful too than khanzadeh, who never played a minute and brought nothing to the table, wasnt having a standout year for his club team either.

Khalatbari was also annoying one. He was involved in qualifiers and could have been a real weapon vs bosnia, nigeria. I doubt he would have fit argentina match gameplan at all, but certainly when we needed a spark to get three points vs nigeria off the bench he could have made the difference, even if it meant sacrificing our complete defensive shape for 15 mins.

[IranPowned]

Jalal was too old and slow by then. You could make a case for him based on his participation in those qualifiers but I think even for the qualifiers he shouldn't have been included.
Ghelichkhani wasn't in any of the 78 qualifiers which is why I excluded him.

Hosseini did score a header against Uzbekistan in the away game.