TM-News-Vol. 6

[Nokhodi]

I feel sorry for the likes of Mansour Pourheidari who still performed admirably with a team which was built around mediocre sorkhabi players like Fekri, Halali, Navazi etc... (Karimi suspended for a year, Kavianpour injured, Mahdavikia injured for a lot of his tenure etc...)

I still think the 1-1 result against Denmark in Copenhagen was impressive... Hadi tabatabaei was on great form


Denmark: Peter Schmeichel [c], Søren Colding, René Henriksen, Jes Høgh, Jan Heintze
(Michael Schjønberg 46'), Thomas Helveg, Allan Nielsen, Stig Tøfting
(Morten Wieghorst 73'), Bjarne Goldbæk (Per Frandsen 87'),
Jon Dahl Tomasson, Ebbe Sand (Søren Andersen 73').
Iran: Hadi Tabatabaei, Ismael Halali (Mohammad Navazi 54'), Mehdi Hashemi-Nasab,
Javad Zarincheh, Behrouz Rahbarifar, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Dariush Yazdani,
Hamid Reza Estili (Majid Basirat 83'), Ali Reza Emamifar, Ali Daei,
Ali Mousavi (Farhad Majidi 83').


(I really liked Basirat in his cameos for TM, he should have played more)

Imagine all the previous coaches of TM (whether good or bad) seeing a team which has two almost world class players in it and thinking "imagine what I could do with this"....

Disagree strongly about the tactics and style.
This qualification I have seen numerous long phases in games where TM passes the ball around beautifully and with purpose.

What has really hit TM hard is a massive drop in form for almost all the major players. Azmoun, JB, Ezatollahi, Mohammadi, Moharrami, ... look at how all of them are playing compared to their peak?
Look at the South Korea game, Mohammadi could't make a single healthy pass up the line and he was driving Amiri and Azmoun nuts.

Now that might be a selection issue that we should rightfully criticize Skocic for - but to say we don't have tactics and a style is quite frankly wrong in my opinion.

tldr; have plans, can't execute.

[O-ZoNe]

People were saying exactly the same in 2006.

His results have been great, I don't doubt that, he will move comfortably above Ali Daei here:
https://www.teammelli.com/coaches/

But wins against (currently) very under-par Persian Gulf and a draw+loss against South Korea don't necessarily give a marker for the WC itself so much in comparison with the performances and watching how the team is structured.

I guess you're right, a miracle could happen and this guy could provide a tactical masterclass. I just prefer to be more realistic, give the guy a fantastic pay-off for his great results in qualifiers and move on.

Look, the way things are standing he is very likely to stay (Federation and Sports Ministry are happy, he is cheap, he is a yes man, rats like Misaghi and Khiabani give him an easier ride) and you will be happy. It's just eerily reminiscent of the discussions we were having on iranian forums in 2006....

I'm happy as long as we get results consistently. My loyalty is not to a foreign coach but TM and anyone who serves it with honour and courage. Once coach leaves not my issue and I cannot support them particularly if they coach another national team. I wish them no malice unless facing TM!

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[Dreamer]

People were saying exactly the same in 2006.

His results have been great, I don't doubt that, he will move comfortably above Ali Daei here:
https://www.teammelli.com/coaches/

But wins against (currently) very under-par Persian Gulf and a draw+loss against South Korea don't necessarily give a marker for the WC itself so much in comparison with the performances and watching how the team is structured.

I guess you're right, a miracle could happen and this guy could provide a tactical masterclass. I just prefer to be more realistic, give the guy a fantastic pay-off for his great results in qualifiers and move on.

Look, the way things are standing he is very likely to stay (Federation and Sports Ministry are happy, he is cheap, he is a yes man, rats like Misaghi and Khiabani give him an easier ride) and you will be happy. It's just eerily reminiscent of the discussions we were having on iranian forums in 2006....

I haven't seen you around lately, finally someone who agrees with me!

To add to your points, I think a misconception that happens here is that those critical of Skocic don't deny any of the results that he got. However, it's very clear that we don't really have a tactical plan. We keep saying "parking the bus" this and "parking the bus" that, but what we got with CQ was clear and consistent pressing all over the pitch.

That's why we performed so well in the last World Cup, and that's also why we played very well against Argentina before that. All players had a role to play, and even players that everyone loves to bash like Shojaei performed well under him. He didn't set the world on fire by dribbling past 3 players, but he organized the team well.

Above all, we actually played like a team, not a collection of individuals. Unfortunately with Skocic we're back to the 'everyone for themselves' mentality. After this World Cup, I really hope that we hire a coach who'll take no shit from any players, agents, federation, etc. Our next coach needs to make every player understand that they're serving the team, instill tactical discipline, and anyone who likes to talk shit gets kicked out. That's why Korea hadn't won in I don't know how many years against us.

[DR Strangemoosh]

I haven't seen you around lately, finally someone who agrees with me!
To add to your points, I think a misconception that happens here is that those critical of Skocic don't deny any of the results that he got. However, it's very clear that we don't really have a tactical plan. We keep saying "parking the bus" this and "parking the bus" that, but what we got with CQ was clear and consistent pressing all over the pitch.

That's why we performed so well in the last World Cup, and that's also why we played very well against Argentina before that. All players had a role to play, and even players that everyone loves to bash like Shojaei performed well under him. He didn't set the world on fire by dribbling past 3 players, but he organized the team well.
Above all, we actually played like a team, not a collection of individuals. Unfortunately with Skocic we're back to the 'everyone for themselves' mentality. After this World Cup, I really hope that we hire a coach who'll take no shit from any players, agents, federation, etc. Our next coach needs to make every player understand that they're serving the team, instill tactical discipline, and anyone who likes to talk shit gets kicked out. That's why Korea hadn't won in I don't know how many years against us.

Exactly! O-Zone is constantly saying "parking the bus". Azmoun and Taremi pressing high up or a full team press is not "parking the bus". I think people need to learn what parking the bus means....

. I have been around btw Just exhausting having these conversations...

[O-ZoNe]

Exactly! O-Zone is constantly saying "parking the bus". Azmoun and Taremi pressing high up or a full team press is not "parking the bus". I think people need to learn what parking the bus means....

. I have been around btw Just exhausting having these conversations...

1 striker often in our half is parking the bus. Rarely did CQ play 2 up front. Just look at our WC games. We agree on one point...these conversations are exhausting. As the expression goes "denial" is not just a river in Egypt.

The Skocic hate is unreal!

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[nisfejahan]

Let me get something straight...All you guys who claim he does not know tactics, that he is clueless, etc, etc, Can you share what makes you an expert, more knowledgeable than the guy who has played professional soccer, and has coached for ~20 years? Is he just stupid that even with his background of playing and coaching pro football, he has not learned as much as you guys whose main qualification is watching football on TV?!!

Do you think he is using the wrong tactics, or no tactics on purpose, or is he just too stupid that after coaching 20 years he has not picked up as much as you guys have just watching TV?

And how is it that he has the best record of any coach in Iranian history beating the very same teams that sent us home from WCQ (Bahrain), AFC (Iraq), and almost caused us to be eliminated from previous WCQ (syria, Lebanon).

I mean, if you guys are so smart and knowledgeable that you see his hidden flaws so well, why aren't you coaching at a big club somewhere?!! I mean if this idiot (as you claim) can coach pro teams in Iran and Croatia, you smart guys surely can coach at least in Bundesliga or something. Go for it.

#TRUST THE RESULTS

[Dreamer]

Let me get something straight...All you guys who claim he does not know tactics, that he is clueless, etc, etc, Can you share what makes you an expert, more knowledgeable than the guy who has played professional soccer, and has coached for ~20 years? Is he just stupid that even with his background of playing and coaching pro football, he has not learned as much as you guys whose main qualification is watching football on TV?!!

Do you think he is using the wrong tactics, or no tactics on purpose, or is he just too stupid that after coaching 20 years he has not picked up as much as you guys have just watching TV?

And how is it that he has the best record of any coach in Iranian history beating the very same teams that sent us home from WCQ (Bahrain), AFC (Iraq), and almost caused us to be eliminated from previous WCQ (syria, Lebanon).

I mean, if you guys are so smart and knowledgeable that you see his hidden flaws so well, why aren't you coaching at a big club somewhere?!! I mean if this idiot (as you claim) can coach pro teams in Iran and Croatia, you smart guys surely can coach at least in Bundesliga or something. Go for it.

#TRUST THE RESULTS

I don't think any one of us are claiming that we could do a better job, we're just saying that the way his team plays has no tactics. I'm not gonna get into the whole "how can you know better than a professional" argument, I don't think that would be fruitful, but here's a different way of describing my perspective that might help.

Unai Emery, current Villareal coach, has won 3 back-to-back Europa League titles with Sevilla, later on became runners-up with Arsenal, 2 seasons later won it with again with Villareal, and last night beat Bayern Munich in the CL. If you judged him by these values alone, it'd be hard to argue against him being the best or second-best manager on the planet.

Now if you set aside his cup victories, he became 5th, 5th, and then 7th in La Liga with Sevilla, 5th with Arsenal, and 7th with Villareal last season. Oh he also coached PSG and despite making them champions, got knocked out of the CL in the Round of 16. Suddenly he doesn't look so good.


With Skocic it's the same. If you care about playing the WC qualifiers 'league', then he's done fantastic and is brilliant. But others and I argue that his style of play isn't going to translate to good results in the World Cup, and we base that largely on what we've seen from other coaches and the team's performance. That's all. Hopefully we're all wrong and we'll qualify to the next round, but everything we observe says otherwise.

[PSGman#19]

I don't think any one of us are claiming that we could do a better job, we're just saying that the way his team plays has no tactics. I'm not gonna get into the whole "how can you know better than a professional" argument, I don't think that would be fruitful, but here's a different way of describing my perspective that might help.

Unai Emery, current Villareal coach, has won 3 back-to-back Europa League titles with Sevilla, later on became runners-up with Arsenal, 2 seasons later won it with again with Villareal, and last night beat Bayern Munich in the CL. If you judged him by these values alone, it'd be hard to argue against him being the best or second-best manager on the planet.

Now if you set aside his cup victories, he became 5th, 5th, and then 7th in La Liga with Sevilla, 5th with Arsenal, and 7th with Villareal last season. Oh he also coached PSG and despite making them champions, got knocked out of the CL in the Round of 16. Suddenly he doesn't look so good.


With Skocic it's the same. If you care about playing the WC qualifiers 'league', then he's done fantastic and is brilliant. But others and I argue that his style of play isn't going to translate to good results in the World Cup, and we base that largely on what we've seen from other coaches and the team's performance. That's all. Hopefully we're all wrong and we'll qualify to the next round, but everything we observe says otherwise.

Could you predict iran performance in wc14 with the games we had in wcq one year before? Same question for wc18, even if he has a sample before

[armen]

IFF and the sports ministry are reportedly fighting over who gets to control the over $10 million awarded to Iran for qualifying into the World Cup:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/i...e-press-review

[koorosh]

Unai Emery for TM!!!

[ABalls]

Things are getting super weird about TM in the UK

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CcD5X77...dium=copy_link

[Farzadfarhangni]

I've seen enough in 16 games to realise that we have no tactical discipline and the team's shape has gone back to ~ 2009 period. We finally had become able to string together passes and our players know where each other are on the pitch, that's disappeared. Just moments of magic within the bezan ziresh football, similar to what we had for years whether the coach was Mayeli Kohan or Amir Ghalenoi.

I see the same signs as I saw in early 2006 so if you excuse me, this is the last 32-team format for us to get to second round and I hope that we can either get CQ back or Carvalhal, Espirito Santo, even Jardim - good assistant coaches (bye Estili, bye Karim), even better fitness and psychological coaches, friendlies, no yes-manning, no agents around TM camp. This is the last chance and I trust my instincts.

This bekesh ziresh and not being able to string a few passes did not match my perception of what Skocic ball looks like, particularly compared to CQ ball. And the number of people that thanked you for your post really made me question my belief. So I went through the stats of CQ's third round 10 game qualification in 2018 and Skocic's third round 10 game qualification for 2022. Hope you are all sitting down

CQ's performance:

Average number of passes per game: 339.0
% of passes completed: 68.4
% possession: 49.7


Skocic's performance:

Average number of passes per game: 448.6
% of passes completed: 80.4
% possession: 56.8


I welcome whatever BS is coming my way...

[Farzadfarhangni]

BTW, I ran the numbers one more time with the first Iran-Syria mud bowl game out because that game I think each team completed two passes... It improved CQ's performance slightly, but nothing major:

CQ's performance ex mud bowl:

Average number of passes per game: 347.1
% of passes completed: 70.9
% possession: 49.0


Skocic's performance:

Average number of passes per game: 448.6
% of passes completed: 80.4
% possession: 56.8

In that game, Iran had 56% possession, so by dropping it, CQ's possession average dropped from 49.7 to 49.0.

[Karimi 8]

He did change his tactics though based on the opponent - and the degree of assertive play was different. Did you not watch the qualifiers, or the friendlies?

Does Iran have the depth to play free-flowing attacking football or even balanced football against teams which have 5 times more players in Europe? He set up the gameplan to maximise the chances of getting a result based on what he had at his disposal.

I feel us discussing this is a waste of both of our time, just tired of this "park the bus" stuff.... You should see Simeone's Atleti (and their cumulative results:investment since he took over).

Don't waste your time man, unfortunately people who think Carlos just "parked the bus" will never understand. I also don't get what they wanted us to do, play all out attacking football against Messi & Ronaldo? I bet you the same people are going to wish Dragan "parked the bus" versus England when we play them. Our defense currently is being split open by Lebanon & S. Korea lol...

[rdwrrr]

Don't waste your time man, unfortunately people who think Carlos just "parked the bus" will never understand. I also don't get what they wanted us to do, play all out attacking football against Messi & Ronaldo? I bet you the same people are going to wish Dragan "parked the bus" versus England when we play them. Our defense currently is being split open by Lebanon & S. Korea lol...

Iran parking the bus will be 3 and out shit show.

Unlike last world cup we actually have a couple guys that will keep their defenders busy.

We should play a tight defensive game, but we got Taremi and Azmoun that need to step it up and score goals.

I expect to score at least one in each game.