Nekou out to atone for past disappointment

Afshin Ghotbi’s side narrowly missed out on a place Asian playoff with Bahrain to maintain their dream of playing in South Africa after a 1-1 draw with Korea Republic in Seoul left the national side waiting on the result of the final qualifier between Saudi Arabia and DPR Korea.

A win for either team would have kept the Iranians alive, but a 0-0 draw in Riyadh saw DPR Korea qualify for their first World Cup in 44 years while the Saudis progressed to play Bahrain.

That left the Iranians on the outside looking in, missing out on a second consecutive World Cup appearance and a fourth in total.

A little more than a year after that disappointment, Ghotbi and his team play at the AFC Asian Cup attempting to end a title winning drought at the continental championship that stretches back to 1976.

Osasuna midfielder Nekounam, though, is confident the Iranians can use that disappointment as the fuel to boost a serious challenge for the 2011 edition of the AFC Asian Cup.

“We made the Iranian people so disappointed,” he says of Iran’s World Cup elimination. “It was big blow to all of us.

“The players missed a big opportunity to pave the way for a better future as well. Nevertheless, we want to get back on track, starting at this Asian Cup.

“I am confident more than anybody else that we can win the Asian Cup. I believe we are able to break the jinx.”

Iran have yet to reach the final of the AFC Asian Cup since the last of their three straight wins with the nation’s best performances coming in 1996 and 2004 when Iran finished third on both occasions.

Those teams were packed with some of the biggest names in Asian football, with players of the stature of Ali Daei, Khodadad Azizi, Ali Karimi and Mehdi Mahdavikia shining on the continental stage.

The current side lacks the star power of the past but Nekounam is not concerned that few within the team are well known outside of Iran.

“Every period of football is specific,” he says. “We saw big names in our football in each period and I am sure the current players can one day become superstars in the future.

“They are young and determined to turn into Asian and global names. I can’t make any judgment now on who will be our next big star.

“It depends on what is going on in Team Melli but a tournament like the AFC Asian Cup it is the perfect time for players to show themselves. It was the same for all famous players who take this opportunity to jump to a higher level.

“We have three or four players who have the potential to become stars but at the end of the day it depends on how much effort they put in.”

Nekounam’s importance to the team cannot be overstated as he brings the experience gained from playing since 2006 in the Spanish league with Osasuna as well as being one of only a handful of players within the current squad to have played at the FIFA World Cup in Germany.

The former Pas midfielder acknowledges being given the armband is something that fills him with pride, while he also attempts to pass on the lessons he has learned during his time in one of world football’s toughest leagues.

“Captaincy brings with it huge responsibility although it is also a great honor to be Iran team captain, and Iran is always among best three teams in Asian football,” he says.

“I will continue to do my best to prove I am the right person to be selected to be Iran captain.

“You learn a lot from European football, which is of a higher level compared to football in Asia.

“Playing in Osasuna has taught me a lot of lessons. I will give my all to deliver whatever I have learned from Spain over the past four years and I hope I will be able to help make Team Melli more successful.”