Queiroz: Now it’s time for cries of Iran’s rivals

ISNA – TEHRAN, Iranian national football coach Carlos Queiroz said on Thursday now is the time for cries of the team’s rivals.

“I am so happy that we have obtained positive results after 3-4 weeks that we have examined Iran’s football situation,” he told reporters in his first press conference.

He also picked Omid Namazi as his Iranian assistant who has passed coaching course in the US and has close relations with the Portuguese coach’s assistant Gaspar.

“I saw Iranian football players were crying after they were beaten by South Korea in Asian Cup. It shows how much they love their national team. I tell them there will be no cries anymore. We need to work hard and then our rivals will cry,” he added.

Queiroz also added, “we leave Tehran on June 27-28 and stay in Europe by July 9-10 for our camp in Europe.”

“We will then meet Maldives after the camp.”

Carlos Queiroz of Portugal has signed a contract to coach Iran through to the end of the 2014 World Cup.

Queiroz who has acted as the Real Madrid boss took over from Tehran-born US national Afshin Ghotbi, whose contract was not renewed after Iran was knocked out of the 2011 Asian Cup by South Korea.

The 57-year-old twice former Manchester United assistant boss was most recently coach of Portugal, whom he took to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Iran began its quest for a fourth World Cup after appearances in 1978, 1998 — when they memorably beat the United States 2-1 — and in 2006, when they play the Maldives in their opening qualifier on Wednesday.

Iran is to play friendlies with Venezuela on June 6 and Madagascar on July 17.