Discuss Group B here

[The]

I have said this before and say it again.

Although the entire Iranian football community is fixated at the moment on arranging friendlies as the key for preparing the team, I say our number one priority must be player fitness! Friendlies come second!

That is as simple as designing a fitness program under a fitness specialist from Europe or North America for each and every one of our call ups or potentials and ensuring every player understands achieving target fitness as the passing criteria for inclusion in the team.

This does not require millions and millions of dollars that the federation claims it doesn't have and or requiring sanctions to be lifted.

In France we had good fitness, in Brazil and Russia we had better (not great but better) fitness but we sucked under Branko in Germany!!

Fitness for Iran team in Qatar is nine tenth of the law, specially against the teams that we will be playing!

I don't understand why the coaching staff are not talking about fitness at all. We need CQ style focus and attention to details here!

Unfortunately with the limited time before the world Cup, it will be difficult for the national team coach to implement such system.
Fitness is not something you can improve in a week or two. You need at least a month if not much more.

Unless we end the domestic league like a month before the world Cup and the players are taken for some high altitude training or running through a field everyday while Ali Daei chases them on horseback.

As for Europe based players, fitness should not be an issue since.most of them play/train in a high intensity environment.

[bozghaleh]

Article showing who can play RB for US with injury of Robinson. One thing for sure, US team has a lot of depth, whether they can gel into a team is a different story:

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/what-now-assessing-the-usmnt-s-choices-for-world-cup-after-miles-robinson-s-inju

[BacheLot]

I have said this before and say it again.

Although the entire Iranian football community is fixated at the moment on arranging friendlies as the key for preparing the team, I say our number one priority must be player fitness! Friendlies come second!

That is as simple as designing a fitness program under a fitness specialist from Europe or North America for each and every one of our call ups or potentials and ensuring every player understands achieving target fitness as the passing criteria for inclusion in the team.

This does not require millions and millions of dollars that the federation claims it doesn't have and or requiring sanctions to be lifted.

In France we had good fitness, in Brazil and Russia we had better (not great but better) fitness but we sucked under Branko in Germany!!

Fitness for Iran team in Qatar is nine tenth of the law, specially against the teams that we will be playing!

I don't understand why the coaching staff are not talking about fitness at all. We need CQ style focus and attention to details here!

word..! we got the footballing talent to upend any team in our group... the question is will we have the Team Fitness required to achieve it come Nov. 21 or not..!!

our players in Europe have the support system in their clubs in order to achieve Peak Fitness and Form come November and must take it up on themselves to ensure they Reach Optimal personal fitness just pre-tourney and if possible avoid late exhaustion and injuries ... just pre-WC...!!
I would certainly recommend PGL league suspension at Least 2-3 weeks prior to our WC .... so that the domestic and gutter based TM players participate in a 2-3 weeks of feshordeh Fitness and Stamina and possibly some tactical training in Kish island..!! and any EU based TM regular who could join the camp as early as possible would be fantastic ...!!

[Kavian]

Unfortunately with the limited time before the world Cup, it will be difficult for the national team coach to implement such system.
Fitness is not something you can improve in a week or two. You need at least a month if not much more.
Unless we end the domestic league like a month before the world Cup and the players are taken for some high altitude training or running through a field everyday while Ali Daei chases them on horseback.
As for Europe based players, fitness should not be an issue since.most of them play/train in a high intensity environment.

Sorry to say this but there is no "Unfortunatly can't do" in this. Everything is possible and there is enough time. We are 5-6 months away from world cup.

There are so many ways that this can be achieved. One needs to get creative and forget traditional methods.

For example, It does not require closure of the league or gathering everyone in one place or a gym!! . this can be a fitness program that players can follow on their own and be monitored remotely/virtually. Coach needs to get creative here.

None of our players including those in europe have great fitness. Just a Irani thing to be always out of breath after 30 minutes.

[peiman92]

You guys make it sound like european club-teams have 0 focus on fitness lol.

They have professional fitness coaches hired just to keep players in top shape.
What do you think the fitness coaches are doing all day? Playing with their balls?

Most of our main players are playing in european clubs, so i’m not too worried.

[tooleh khers]

I have said this before and say it again.
Although the entire Iranian football community is fixated at the moment on arranging friendlies as the key for preparing the team, I say our number one priority must be player fitness! Friendlies come second!
That is as simple as designing a fitness program under a fitness specialist from Europe or North America for each and every one of our call ups or potentials and ensuring every player understands achieving target fitness as the passing criteria for inclusion in the team.
This does not require millions and millions of dollars that the federation claims it doesn't have and or requiring sanctions to be lifted.
In France we had good fitness, in Brazil and Russia we had better (not great but better) fitness but we sucked under Branko in Germany!!
Fitness for Iran team in Qatar is nine tenth of the law, specially against the teams that we will be playing!
I don't understand why the coaching staff are not talking about fitness at all. We need CQ style focus and attention to details here!

Great post. I would add timing too. We need to be extremely fit and be at the peak of our fitness around the end of November. After this it is just to run drills and play together as much as possible and not just 3 games against 3 other national teams. Great point about players getting plans to also work on their own. I do disagree about CQ thinking of this though as you are aware we did run out of gas against Bosnia and Japan. In fact the only time in a world cup we were out of gas was under CQ. Against Japan he even confirmed it by saying he was not happy with the job the physical trainer had done. Under Branko fitness was not an issue. We were unlucky to have many injuries. Mahdavikia, Karimi, Zandi were all injured. I believe Hashemian was as well.

[Roozbeh-G2006]

Sorry to say this but there is no "Unfortunatly can't do" in this. Everything is possible and there is enough time. We are 5-6 months away from world cup.

There are so many ways that this can be achieved. One needs to get creative and forget traditional methods.

For example, It does not require closure of the league or gathering everyone in one place or a gym!! . this can be a fitness program that players can follow on their own and be monitored remotely/virtually. Coach needs to get creative here.

None of our players including those in europe have great fitness. Just a Irani thing to be always out of breath after 30 minutes.

Absolutely totally with you on that. Every player that is a potential candidate to be called up say a 50 or so players must be on this programme. I am sure all the other teams do this. I really hope we do it too.

[ParthianDE]

Good point about fitness, especially against England and USA, since fitness is relatively speaking a bigger part of their football culture than in some other leagues.

[diz]

Good point about fitness, especially against England and USA, since fitness is relatively speaking a bigger part of their football culture than in some other leagues.

Our Euro legionnaires will be fit (their clubs will make sure of that). But our other plays need personal trainers for at least a month before the WC to get them even minimally ready for the WC.

[perspolis#1]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/ukraine-ukr/story/4663768/ukraine-national-team-returns-to-field-for-first-time-since-russian-invasion

The Ukraine men's national team returned to action Wednesday for the first time since the invasion of their country by Russia, beating Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 in a charity fundraiser.

The friendly was a chance for the Ukrainians to get back into form ahead of a World Cup qualifying playoff game against Scotland next month, but also just to show their team is still playing despite everything happening off the pitch.

"We thank you all for your great help," former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, whose brother Vitali is mayor of Kyiv, said in a video message to the German club and fans. It felt as if "both [teams] are playing for us."

The squad for the unusual club-versus-country friendly was assembled from Ukrainian clubs whose league seasons were frozen Feb. 24 on the morning Russian troops invaded.

Ukraine has banned men of fighting age from leaving the country during the war, so the players needed special permission to travel. Some have been touring Europe for weeks, first with the Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk clubs playing fundraising games, then at a national-team training camp in Slovenia.

Coach Oleksandr Petrakov said when the Ukrainian anthem was sung before the game, "I had tears in my eyes."

"Thank you to the Ukrainians who came and supported us," he said, "and thank you to the Germans."

Petrakov said he had spent the early stages of the war in his apartment in the capital, Kyiv. At that time, when Russian forces were closing on the city, "you sit in the apartment and you don't know where a projectile is going to land," he said. "I don't wish for anyone to go through that."

The were many Ukrainians in the crowd of 20,000 at the game -- given free tickets to attend their team's return to the field -- and they roared in appreciation when winger Mykhailo Mudryk rounded the goalkeeper and scored in the ninth minute to give Ukraine the lead.

Gladbach responded five minutes later with a powerful shot from Ireland youth international Conor Noss to level the score.

Mudryk had another good chance midway through the second half, but could only tap the ball into the keeper's arms. Substitute Oleksandr Pikhalonok gave Ukraine the win in the 82nd with a low shot from just outside the box. Both of Ukraine's scorers were representing the national team for the first time.

Ukraine hadn't played since beating Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 on Nov. 16, and had to reschedule games because of the war. Petrakov said he was pleased with the performance after such a long time without playing, but the team still needed to work on its mistakes.

If Ukraine beats Scotland in the playoff in Glasgow on June 1, it will face Wales four days later in Cardiff for a place at this year's World Cup in Qatar.

Ukraine's highest-profile players, including Manchester City left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, West Ham United forward Andriy Yarmolenko and Benfica striker Roman Yaremchuk, are expected to join up with the squad in time for the World Cup qualifying playoffs once their club seasons finish.

Before that, the the national team will play friendlies against Italian club Empoli and Croatian club Rijeka next week, the Ukrainian Football Association said.

[Ghermez Agha]

USA announced the roster for the upcoming friendlies in June - very strong additions they have made with younger new comers like Haji Wright (scored lots of goals for antalyaspor in super lig), Malik Tillman (young Bayern fwd), and Joe Scally (played great for gladbach)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/world-cup-bound-usmnt-name-27-player-roster-for-june-friendlies-nations-league-g

[Nokhodi]

Haji Safi will make Haji Wright look like Haji Wrong.

[Keshwardoost]

Haji Safi will make Haji Wright look like Haji Wrong.

According to google his full name is Haji Amir Wright - could almost go for irani with that name lol

but he will be outshined by the real Haji (Safi)

[armen]

Former US national team coach Steve Sampson, who led the US team against TM at the 1998 World Cup, says he has "no doubt" the US will defeat Iran this time around...

[Nokhodi]

Aside from Group A, this is the easiest group.

Disagree.
One really good team. The other 3 are all relatively the same level.

Much better than other groups where the 2 advancing are very obvious.