WC22 TM's preparation and friendlies

[inarsenewetrust]

Quantity over quality at this point - I’d easily take Cameron and DPR Congo over just Uruguay (as great of a team as they may be).

Both options are 2 friendlies. Either 2 in qatar, or 1 in qatar + uruguay.

[Abtin]

Both options are 2 friendlies. Either 2 in qatar, or 1 in qatar + uruguay.

Uruguay in Uruguay, and 1 good African side in Qatar. Not even debatable, best solution.

[Abtin]

Rofl I just checked the main international airport in Uruguay, none of the big airlines who operates out of Iran flyes there (Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa), it will take at least 3 flights and via Madrid, the entire caravan will be done when they reach their destination 😂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carras...d_destinations

[inarsenewetrust]

Rofl I just checked the main international airport in Uruguay, none of the big airlines who operates out of Iran flyes there (Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa), it will take at least 3 flights and via Madrid, the entire caravan will be done when they reach their destination 😂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carras...d_destinations

ofc it will have to be a charter flight

[orbicular]

AP just repoted that Iran will play Panama in Vancouver on Sunday.

[Kian Persepolis]

AP just repoted that Iran will play Panama in Vancouver on Sunday.

Canda will play Panama to replace Iran, you got it a bit mixed up lol

[eerooni]

Initially, there were the following teams who were interested to play Team Melli.

1. Japan invited Team Melli to play them in Kirin Challenge (FFIRI refused due to sponsor being Alcohol Brewing Company, quite Ironic since Kirin also had Kirin %0 which is sold in Iran as well. Also Iran participated in Kirin Challenge in 1999 and Iran U23 participated in 2004. Also many Muslim countries national teams had participated in the past and this year's Kirin Cup has Tunisia.

2. Canada (Despite Iranian traitors from Canada pushing for the game to be canceled, the match agreement is so solid that if it gets canceled, Canada has to pay FFIRI compensation, hence this agreement was the best FFIRI has done. Iranian traitors from Canada are now burned. The best they achieved as maximum damage to Team Melli was ensuring matches with El Salvador and Ecuador don't go ahead in Toronto or elsewhere in Canada)

3. Mexico + Ecuador wanted Team Melli to play them in USA. However this was problematic for Iran due to visa issues so Mexico replaced Iran with Nigeria.

4. Uruguay (not sure what happend with negotiations)

5. Honduras (had a busy schedule so did not continue with negotiations)

6. Costa Rica (had a busy schedule so they decided not play any friendly games)

7. Peru (only wanted to play one friendly and the condition was to be played in Spain, so Iran refused to travel there hence Peru replaced Iran with New Zealand)

8. New Zealand (FFIRI was happy for TM to play them, however fans, football veterans and Iranian media were against such friendly, so negotiations were stopped)
FFIRI also approached Russia (FIFA refused to allow this match), Albania (shamelessly asked for money despite having a much lower rank than Team Melli), Elsalvador (explained above in Canada).

Lessons Learned:

1. FFIRI blew it big time, absolute incompetence, focused too much on Canada match which made it problematic to arrange any other game!

2. FFIRI had no plan B or C

3. FFIRI stubbornly refused help from Foreign Ministry who offered to setup friendlies with Senegal and Ghana (only now they consider this option when they failed to setup friendly with Elsalvador and Ecuador!!!)

4. FFIRI left it too late and also did not consider alternative opponents from AFC(Oman, Qatar), CAF(Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, DR Congo, Ivory Coast), CONMEBOL (likes of Venezuela, Colombia, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia), UEFA (Estonia, Iceland).

What FFIRI should have done?

*Accepted participation in Kirin Cup or at least Kirin Challenge. Even one game with Japan in Kirin Challenge would be considered awesome friendly.

*Should have accepted Peru's friendly in Spain. Maybe could have focused on arranging a second friendly there versus likes of Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Iceland, Estonia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, Chile. Ofcourse these would have been before Chile, Tunisia, Ghana, Paraguay decided to play friendlies in Korea and Japan; or Colombia, Venezuela deciding to play Saudi Arabia in Europe; Iceland playing San Marino; DR Congo playing Ukraine.

*FFIRI should not rely on promises of others. Qatar wanted to help FFIRI, yet did absolute nothing for Team Melli. Qatar only fixed two matches for their own team versus big guns Argentina and Brazil to be played in June.

*Still it is not too late, just need to arrange friendly with two out of the following: Oman, Qatar, Senegal, Mali, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Bolivia.
Worst case scenario arrange friendly with Guinea, Uzbekistan, Togo, Uganda, Mauritania, Niger, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Libya, Ethiopia, Namibia for bench/uncapped/reserve Team Melli players.

. Iran today is one of few nations ( Somalia North Korea and Afghanistan) that is run by complete and utter irresponsible, uneducated morons!! So why are we so surprised when we see such incompetence, I recall we lost 2 AFC champions league titles due to IFFs lack of education management and competence.

[eerooni]

Rofl I just checked the main international airport in Uruguay, none of the big airlines who operates out of Iran flyes there (Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa), it will take at least 3 flights and via Madrid, the entire caravan will be done when they reach their destination 😂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carras...d_destinations

At this stage I just want to see my beloved TM on the pitch in Montevideo !!

[Nokhodi]

https://footballi.net/video/723054/ش...تراکتور


Shabhaye footballi host says we are not playing Uruguay (due to travel time and distance) and instead will play Qatar and possibly a few of the 3 other national teams that are going to be staying in Qatar. I think that’s one of Australia, Costa Rica or Peru)

[Leicester City]

https://footballi.net/video/723054/ش...تراکتور

Shabhaye footballi host says we are not playing Uruguay (due to travel time and distance) and instead will play Qatar and possibly a few of the 3 other national teams that are going to be staying in Qatar. I think that’s one of Australia, Costa Rica or Peru)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUfzVJQmkog

BOO!

[Rooyintan]

Hold your horses about Uruguay. We won't know if it will goes ahead. Might get canceled due to the long trip or financial reasons. So keep still and just hope it goes ahead.

Cameroon does not have direct diplomatic relations with Iran so I am not very optimistic.

Algeria will ask for money, hence I am not optimistic.

My guess: Qatar and DR Congo both matches in Qatar.

[milad_b]

As a TM fan all you guys must already know this that Nothing is confirmed untill you see team melli and other team on the pitch kicking some balls.

[armen]

https://footballi.net/video/723054/ش...تراکتور


Shabhaye footballi host says we are not playing Uruguay (due to travel time and distance) and instead will play Qatar and possibly a few of the 3 other national teams that are going to be staying in Qatar. I think that’s one of Australia, Costa Rica or Peru)

Keep in mind that there are several other teams that are camping and playing friendlies in Qatar during the June FIFA window - for example, Oman, with its Croatian coach Branko Ivankovic, might be a convenient option to play a friendly against, since their calendar seems to have a lot of availability in June, as well.

[peiman92]

Keep in mind that there are several other teams that are camping and playing friendlies in Qatar during the June FIFA window - for example, Oman, with its Croatian coach Branko Ivankovic, might be a convenient option to play a friendly against, since their calendar seems to have a lot of availability in June, as well.

While we’re at it, how is Lebanon and Syrias schedule looking?
Qatar, Oman, Lebanon and Syria. 🤣

[Rooyintan]

Costa Rica and New Zealand have a full schedule so there will be no friendly with them.

Qatar - is most definitely opponent for friendly match

Peru is available for June 9, 10 or 11. Might ask for a huge sum. So less optimistic about it happening. Also Peru has no direct diplomatic relations with Iran, and since FFIRI relies on Foreign Ministry for assistance with setting up friendly match, then less likely it will happen.

Oman is available on June 7, 13 or 14. Possibly would happen.

Australia is available from June 10 until 14. Most likely will refuse a friendly. The current coach who was a player in the 1997 match when Azizi and Bagheri scored against them, only interested in revenge on Iran. Under him Socceroos performed badly so he knows very well that Team Melli has a better chance to win.

UAE - Team Melli already played them in WCQ, also UAE and Iran don't have good relations for the past decade.

Syria will play Tajikistan today and are in Dubai. Team Melli already played Syria in WCQ so I doubt if FFIRI would arrange a friendly with Syria unless out of desperation.