Ghotbi: We’ll try to end title drought in Asian Cup

MNA – TEHRAN, Iran football coach Afshin Ghotbi said he is concentrating on winning the title of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Doha at the moment.

Iran won the title in the Asian Cup in 1976 for the last time. Ghotbi has a difficult job at the helm of Iran since the Iranians are thirsty to bring an end to the prolong title drought.

“We are going to put an end to the 35-year-old title drought in the Asian Cup in Doha but I never promised we win that,” Ghotbi said in a news conference on Wednesday.

“With less than 20 days remaining, we need full support to win the title. We need unity to break the title drought,” he added.

“Iran will play two friendlies ahead of the event. We will play Qatar on December 28 in Doha, meantime we are going to face an African team in preparation for the Asian Cup,” Ghotbi added.

Iran will face North Korea, Iraq and the UAE in the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar.